Canine heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by
parasitic worms living in the major arteries and in the right side of the
heart of dogs, cats, and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes,
ferrets, sea lions and in rare instances humans. Heartworms are classified
as nematodes (roundworms). The specific roundworm causing heartworm in
dogs and cats is known as Dirofilaria immitis.
Dogs or other animals harboring adult worms are the recognized reservoir of
infection. Adult worms produce hundreds of thousands of offspring that circulate in the blood
and are then transmitted to mosquitoes once they bite the infected animal.
These offspring are called micofilaria. Microfilaria undergo development
to an infective larval stage within 14 days in the mosquito and can then be
transmitted to another host such as a cat or back to another dog, when the
infected mosquito bites again. The infective heartworm larvae travel
through a tubular organ within the mosquito's head and are injected into the
skin of a new host animal through the mosquito bite wound. In the dog, the
larvae progress in their development to an adult form of the worm and live in
the heart and pulmonary vessels, where they continue the life cycle and cause
extensive injury. In the cat, the larvae molt as well, but fewer worms
survive to adulthood. While dogs suffer severe heart and lung damage from
heartworm infection, cats typically exhibit minimal changes in the heart.
The cat's primary response to the presence of heartworms occurs in the lungs.
Within the dog, the time frame between initial infection and growth to adult
worms is approximately six to seven months, eventually arriving in the heart and
pulmonary vessels where they begin to produce new offspring. This period
is referred to as patency. In cats, it takes seven to eight months before
adult worms arrive in the heart and pulmonary vessels and this is referred to as
transient patency. In most cases the life cycle of the heartworm ends here
since microfilaria are produced in less than 20% of the cats. Some worms
may get up to 3 feet long.
Heavy infestation of heartworms will cause swelling in the lungs, pulmonary
arteries, kidneys, and heart, which will eventually cause the animal to die.
Heartworm infestation can also cause anemia and liver damage.
Symptoms may include loss of appetite, lethargy, coughing, weakness, dry scruffy
coat, edema, and
hemorrhage.
Killing
heartworms can be dangerous for your dog. Dead worms can clog small blood
vessels causing organs to fail making it imperative that your dog be confined to
a small space to try and prevent this from happening when using traditional
heartworm treatment. Older or sick animals may not be able to tolerate traditional
veterinary heartworm treatment. That is why Amber Tech's
HWF™
slow method of
treatment has it's benefits, which allows the dog to recover slowly. This
method does NOT require your dog to be
confined.
The heart is a vital organ. Anytime you
work with the heart you take a risk. The heartworms can dislodge and
depart anywhere in the system. The heart can become weakened from the
heartworms. Heartworms can get up to 3 feet long. If a dog is
harboring a 3-foot long heartworm, the time to rid the body of the heartworms
can take 36 weeks or longer. Depending on the severity of the
heartworm infestation AND the condition of the heart will determine the results
of the treatment.
It is important to get your heartworm positive
dog on a heartworm treatment program as the longer your dog has heartworms, the
bigger the risk you are taking for heart, lung, pulmonary arteries, liver, and/or
kidney damage.
Click on the
links above for more information about
HWF™
and other natural health care products that may help your dog overcome heartworm, along with
more information about canine heartworm symptoms, treatment, and supportive care for
your canine companion.
 
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