Heartworm disease is a serious condition that affects dogs and cats across the country, and can become life-threatening if left untreated. The good news is that with proper prevention and routine care, it’s almost entirely avoidable.
At Neighborhood Vet Care, we work with pet owners throughout Prosper & Celina to prevent, detect, and manage heartworm disease before it becomes a major health issue.
How Does it Happen?
Heartworms are parasites that live inside a dog’s heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels spread through mosquito bites.
Once a dog is infected, the larvae travel through the bloodstream and develop into adult worms. Over time, these worms can grow quite large and interfere with normal heart and lung function.
Symptoms to Watch for:
Early on, many dogs appear completely normal. As the condition progresses, symptoms may include:
● Ongoing or mild cough
● Low energy levels
● Reluctance to exercise
● Loss of appetite
● Weight loss
● Labored breathing
● Swelling in the abdomen
If you notice any of these changes, it’s important to have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian.
Testing & Treatment:
At Neighborhood Vet Care, we include heartworm screening as part of annual preventative care and can recommend further diagnostics if appropriate.
Treatment is available, but it can be:
● Costly
● Time-intensive
● Physically demanding for your dog
Dogs undergoing treatment also require restricted activity to reduce the risk of complications. Because of this, prevention is always the safer route.
Heartworm Preventative medications we offer to our patients include tablets given once monthly or an annual injection.
Due to the climate, year-round prevention is strongly recommended for dogs in Prosper and Celina, TX.
Concerned about your dog’s exposure to heartworms?
Give us a call to schedule an appointment!
