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How to recognize heartworm infection in dogs? You can't miss these symptoms!
Heartworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum), often called French heartworm, is a small nematode parasitic in dogs. It is white and pinkish and mainly grows in the pulmonary artery and the right side of the heart of dogs. The parasite is mainly spread through insects, especially intermediate hosts such as terrestrial snails and slugs, causing a series of worrying symptoms in dogs infected with heartworms.
Heartworm infection may not be noticeable in the early stages, but as the condition worsens, dogs will gradually develop heart and lung problems.
Heartworm life cycle
The life cycle of heartworm is quite complex and consists of several stages. When a host infected with L3 larvae (such as a dog or fox) ingests a snail, slug, or other animal containing the larvae, the larvae enter the host's intestines and undergo a series of growth and transformations, eventually growing in about 6 to 10 weeks. For adults. Adult worms lay eggs in the host's pulmonary arteries and heart. These eggs are then transported to the lungs through the blood and hatch into L1 larvae, which are eventually excreted in the urine.
Symptoms of heartworm infection
After dogs are infected with heartworms, they may develop a variety of clinical symptoms. These symptoms not only affect the dog’s quality of life, but may even be life-threatening:
- Persistent cough
- Exercise intolerance
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
- Eye and nervous system problems, such as epilepsy and vision loss
These symptoms are often complications from blood vessel obstruction caused by parasites and a drop in blood platelets.
Diagnosis of heartworm infection
Diagnosing heartworm infection requires the doctor to consider the dog's clinical symptoms and examination results. Imaging tests (such as X-rays) can show lung lesions, and blood tests can check the number of white blood cells and related coagulation function. In addition, stool examination is also one of the ways to identify parasites, but due to irregular ovulation of parasites, the diagnosis may be missed.
Treatment and Prevention
Currently in Europe, drugs containing ivermectin and moxicin can be used to treat heartworms. For dogs that are already infected, a single dose of medication is usually required, and a recheck 30 days after treatment is recommended to ensure the parasite has been removed. In epidemic-prone areas, regular use of preventive drugs is very necessary to ensure that dogs are not infected.
In high-risk areas, monthly preventive medication can effectively avoid the risk of heartworm infection.
Conclusion
Based on the above information, it is understood that heartworm infection in dogs is a health problem that cannot be ignored. It is very important to recognize the symptoms in time and take appropriate actions. Have you already monitored your dog for this potentially dangerous parasite?
