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As a heartworm researcher in graduate school and a practicing veterinarian for over thirty years I am very well-versed in all aspects of heartworm disease and welcome the opportunity to respond to this question.
The treatment for heartworm disease is very dangerous, so it is better to prevent the disease than risk your dog developing the disease. If your dog is heartworm positive, it is crucial to explicitly follow the treatment plan and home care set up by your veterinarian.
The difficulty in treating the disease is because of the location of the heartworms in the heart and pulmonary vessels (from the lungs). When a dog is wormed you are basically giving a medication which will "poison" and kill the parasites, but obviously, not kill the dog. With intestinal parasites, it is fairly easy as when the worms are killed, they pass out in the feces and are gone. However, in heartworm disease, it is a "closed system" so when the worms are killed the place they would go is directly into the lungs, which could lead to sudden death or other complications. The drugs used in treating heartworm disease actually kill the worms "slowly" so the dying worms can be gradually absorbed by the body. If the pet is too active during the treatment process there is a risk that the dying worms could be swept into the lungs too quickly; that is why restriction of activity during this period is essential.
The protocols and drugs for treating heartworm disease have changed over the years. The current recommended treatment protocol that veterinarians follow (and is very effective) was established by the American Heartworm Society and is somewhat involved. I will outline the steps.
1) The diagnosis of heartworm disease must be verified. Restriction of activity must begin. If the dog is symptomatic with the disease, appropriate nursing care must be provided to relieve the symptoms. A four week course with prednisone (an anti-inflammatory) on a decreasing dosage regimen is begun.
2) Day one after the diagnosis, a dose of heartworm preventative is given. This should begin to kill the microfilariae so to prevent an anaphylactic reaction, an anti-histamine as well as the prednisone is given to quell any sort of reaction. (The dog is monitored in the hospital for 6-8 hours after the preventative is given in case a reaction occurs) In addition, a 28 day course of treatment with doxycycline (an antibiotic) is begun. The doxycycline prevents disease transmission and reduces the pathology associated with dead heartworms.
3) Another dose of heartworm preventative is given at 30 days.
4) At day 60, another dose of heartworm preventative is given. The first dose of melarsomine (Immiticide) is given intramuscularly. This is the drug that will kill the adult worms. Another 30 day course of prednisone is begun again. Activity restriction is heightened, cage rest and walks outside on a leash only. This is when the adult heartworms begin to die, so increased activity could lead to serious complications.
5) Day 90, the second dose of melarsomine is given, as well as another dose of heartworm preventative.
6) Day 91, the third dose of melarsomine is given, and another 30 day course of prednisone is begun. Exercise restriction is continued for 6-8 weeks following the third melarsomine injection.
7) Day 120, check for microfilariae and if positive, treat with a medication which will kill the microfilariae and restest for microfilariae in 4 weeks. Be certain to stay on year round heartworm preventative.
8) Day 271, conduct a heartworm antigen test (this tests for the presence of adult heartworms in the system) to be certain treatment was successful.
As you can see, quite involved. Another complicating factor is that the melarsomine is in short supply (as of this writing) and is difficult to obtain. As I stated before, the disease is easily preventable so do not run the risk of allowing your beloved pet to contract the disease, and face all the problems that could develop from the disease as well as from the treatment.
What else can I help you with?
Do German dogs get heartworms?
Yes.
What are the examples of endoparasite?
One example of endoparasite is when dogs have heartworms. The heartworms are the endoparasite because they are living inside the dogs body. The heartworms are benifited, they are called the parasites, and the dog is harmed, it is called the host.
Does heartgard kill heartworms already inside dogs?
Heartgard only kills the microfillare, the immature stage of heartworms (or baby heartworms). It will not kill the adult heartworms that live in the heart. That is why it is very important to have your dog tested first by a Veterinarian for heartworms.
What organism is the intermediate host for heartworms?
Cats and dogs
Common diseases that affect pet animals?
Dogs? Heartworms....
Are cloves good in treating heartworms in dogs?
No, they are useless for treating heartworms. This is somethig your vet must treat, it cannot be done with home remedies.
Do puppies get heartworms?
Yes, all dogs can get heart worms.
Do heartworms eat muscle?
No, heartworms gather nutrients from the blood streaming by them. In fact, heartworms don't actually live in the heart of dogs - they live in the large pulmonary arteries in the lungs but swim into the heart after the dog dies.
Can dogs catch heartworms from a cat?
Caused by Dirofilara immitis, heartworms are a potentially fatal parasitic worm living in the pulmonary arteries, lungs & hearts of cats. Heartworms are nematodes, a type of roundworm, they are several inches long, thin & white. Heartworms are a common parasite in dogs, although cats do become infected & may develop disease. While cats are more resistant to heartworm infestations than dogs, cats in particular are extremely vulnerable to heartworm & even a small number can lead to death. The disease is spread from mosquito to animals when the mosquito feeds from it's host. This is known as vector borne.
Does chewing tobacco cure heartworms?
No, nor is it an effective treatment for any other parasite of dogs or cats.
What is the life cycle of heartworms and the timeframe of that life cycle in dogs?
it can take up to 6 months for heart worms to shown up in a dogs blood mirofileria is baby heartworms they move through the bloodstream to the heart and live there and reporduce there the life span is endless unless treated
How do dogs get heartworms and what are the symptoms to look out for?
Dogs get heartworms through mosquito bites that carry the larvae of the heartworm parasite. Symptoms to look out for include coughing, fatigue, weight loss, and difficulty breathing. Regular testing and preventative medication can help protect your dog from heartworm disease.
