Emergency Vet Springdale | Heartworm Parasites
Pet owners should be visiting a regular vet, so that they do not need an emergency vet in Springdale. Unfortunately, many pet owners. Think that they can save time and money.
By visiting an emergency vet in Springdale. When their pet gets sick. Instead of visiting the veterinarian. On an annual basis. And getting the preventative medicine. That can help these animals.
Avoid getting sick in the first place. Something that many pet owners do not keep in mind. Is the treatment for these illnesses. Is much more invasive and expensive. Then the prevention ever is.
One such case, is heartworm disease. Studies have been done, that show. That heartworm disease is on the rise in America. With 21% more dogs. Being diagnosed with this illness than the previous year.
Even though it is very easily prevented. This is often because pet owners are not knowledgeable. About what heartworm is. And they still think that they can get away. With only seeing of that if their pet is sick.
However, heartworm disease is one of the worst parasites. Because it eventually will claim the life. Of a cat or dog that has it. But how long it will take, is unknown. Animals will get this parasite.
From the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes could be infected, either by biting. And already infected animal. Passing along the heartworm larva, called microfilaria in the bite.
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But also, mosquitoes can hatch. Already infected with this parasite. So that every animal. That any of the infected mosquitoes bite. Can pass along the microfilaria, making them sick.
The microfilaria will start to grow. While in the bloodstream of the animal. And by the time they reached the animals heart. They are a large, adult parasite, heartworm. And will get lodged in the animals heart.
While one heartworm is not going to. Impede the heart’s ability. To pump blood. There will be more adult heartworm. Especially as they all start to reproduce and grow.
The side effects that the animal will develop. From the heartworm disease, include lethargy and coughing. Neither of which are often seen by the pet owner. As a reason to rush them to an emergency vet in Springdale.
Which means they can live with these symptoms. For many months. Before the pet owner decides to bring them in. Consequently, the pet has likely lived with heartworm’s for many years.
And it takes a very invasive treatment. To get rid of. The veterinarian will need to administer intramuscular injections. That are designed to kill the heartworm. Unfortunately it will take many injections.
In order to kill all the heartworm’s, and to ensure. That they have killed all of the heartworm’s. In various stages of growth. This can be very expensive and lengthy.
Further causing a lot of discomfort to the animal. Such as pain at the injection site. Lethargy and nausea. Instead, the pet owner could be giving the animal. Heartworm preventative medicine. For only dollars a year. To keep them from succumbing to this fate.
Emergency Vet Springdale | Preventing Heartworm Parasites In Animals
There are many things that pet owners can do to keep their animal from an emergency vet in Springdale. And the most important thing. Is visiting their regular veterinarian every year.
The vets will be able to see the animal. In order to be able to tell if they are healthy, and how they are aging. They were able to make recommendations. About food, diet and exercise.
As well as give the animal the vaccinations. That they need to be healthy. Such as parvo, distemper and rabies shots. They can also talk to the pet owner. About preventative medicine.
Such as flea and tick medication. That will prevent these pests from affecting the animal. Deworming medication. That will keep roundworms and hookworms out of the pets digestive system.
But also heartworm medication. That can prevent the animal. From being infected with this parasite. That will ultimately affect their heart’s ability to function. And is almost always fatal with enough time.
Heartworm disease is passed on by the bite of an infected mosquito. Transferring the heartworm larva. Into the animals bloodstream. Where it will grow, and live out its entire life cycle.
When the worm gets to be a certain size. It will become lodged in the patient’s heart. Where it will continue to live, grow larger. And reproduce. While animals can live for many years with this parasite.
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However, they will eventually succumb to the side effects. Which would be having their heart so full of worms. That it is unable to beat, pumping the blood. To all of the areas of the animals body.
While the treatment is very inexpensive. And it very easy to administer. As well, there is a pill format, and a topical solution. The treatment to get rid of the heart worms is considerably more expensive and invasive.
The intramuscular injections. Must be administered several times over the course of several months. Injecting the animal with the drug. That is designed to kill the heartworm’s. The animal is likely going to have.
Several different side effects. Including pain at the injection site. Nausea, and lethargic. All of this could be prevented, with a simple chewable or topical medication. To be given by the regular veterinarian.
If pet owners are just learning about heartworm. And they know that they have not been protecting their pets. A good place to begin. Would be visiting either their regular veterinarian.
Or visiting an emergency vet in Springdale for what is called a 4DX test. Which is a blood test. That looks for the antibodies of a heartworm. Which is used to verify its existence. In addition to looking for heartworm’s.
This test also looks for ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Which are diseases that are caused by the common tick. Therefore, if the animal does not have heartworm disease. The emergency vet in Springdale can give the pet owner heartworm prevention medicine.
But if they happen to have heartworm disease. Then the pet owner can breathe a sigh of relief. Because they found out about this. Before their pet started developing symptoms. And making their condition much worse.