10 Things You Need to Know About Heartworm
Dogs are man's best friends—this time old adage could not be any truer than it is today. Dozens of exquisitely individual breeds already exist due to carefully tailored breeding, the market catering to the needs and wants of our canine friends is in the billions, and the emotional investment with which so many have with them is boldly embedded in our culture through movies, games, toys and other avenues.
With their significance to most, it follows then that pursuits in keeping them in their happiest, healthiest state are imperative, and one such endeavor is informing yourself of the things that can threaten that. Regardless if your intent is in the immediate short-term or for the benefit of acquiring a better understanding of how to take care of your canine friend, reading this article will be a good start.
What is Heartworm?
1. Heartworm is a disease caused by its namesake, the Heartworm, known scientifically as Dirofilaria immitis. It is a parasitic roundworm that thrives inside furred mammals such as dogs and felines. They can only be transmitted through a mosquito bite, thus making them common, but not limited, to countries situated within the equator where mosquitos are plentiful.
2. The effects of the disease are physical in nature, in that its severity is directly proportional to the amount of the parasite residing in the body of its host. It usually settles within the chest area and collectively from clumps in blood vessels around the area's organs, such as the heart and the lungs. This causes arterial blockage and can result to a multitude of symptoms, culminating to the eventual death of the host if left untreated.
What are the symptoms?
3. Increased Rate of Aging
Heartworm is a silent, and painfully slow, killer. The development of its symptoms, if one is unaware, would often only be regarded as the onset of "old age". This is preceded by several prior symptoms, such as the premature greying of the muzzle and the forelegs. The coat also loses its luster and a lack in energy is observed.
4. Persistent Coughing
Because the parasite breeds within the chest region of the host, the primary organs which will first be affected are the lungs and the heart. As it propagates within the vessels in the chest, airways, veins, and arteries become congested due to the worms clumping, forming a lethal blockage as they continue to reproduce. This would initially result in a soft, dry coughing and, with time, would become a persistent cough most noticeable during night time.
5. Inactivity
Due to the blockage present within the host's circulatory system, the transfer of precious nutrients and even of oxygen becomes impaired. This subsequently causes the host to lose energy and, if left untreated, even the most basic actions such as standing up and eating becomes too laborious to perform.
6. Anorexia
As described in the previous item, the results of arterial blockage are catastrophic to the holistic wellbeing of the host. Because of the lack of energy and the difficulty in performing menial tasks such as eating, the host becomes too tired to even bother filling itself. This gradually leads to anorexia, or extreme weight loss.
7. Chest and Stomach Protrusion
Mechanical obstructions caused by the worms, their eggs, and the remains of their dead collectively cause inflammation and blockage in the circulatory system, particularly within the chest area, in the lungs, and in the abdominal area, in the liver. Fluid builds up on the two organs, culminating to the apparent enlargement of the host's chest and stomach.
