April is National Heartworm Awareness Month, making it the perfect time for pet owners to educate themselves about this dangerous disease. If you own a cat or dog, an understanding of proactive heartworm treatment and prevention will help keep your four-legged friend safe. Get the essential facts below.

What's Heartworm?

Heartworm is a parasitic disease that's transmitted between animals by mosquitos. When the mosquito bites one infected animal, tiny heartworm larvae enter the mosquito, which are transmitted to another animal via the same insect.

Once inside a host animal, the larvae enter the bloodstream and can grow as long as 14 inches. They generally inhabit the blood vessels in the animal's lungs, gradually reducing the heart's capacity to pump blood throughout the body. This causes potentially fatal damage to the heart and lungs.

What Are the Signs of Heartworm Infection?

Possible signs of heartworm disease in dogs include a cough, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite. Cats may exhibit difficulty breathing, vomiting, and coughing. A veterinarian can diagnose heartworms using a blood test for dogs or a combination of antigen and antibody tests for cats.

How Can Heartworms Be Treated & Prevented?

Heartworms in canines are usually treated with medications designed to kill the worms and suppress the inflammatory response in the lungs they induce. Unfortunately, there's no effective heartworm treatment for felines, but a veterinarian can prescribe medications to suppress inflammation and ease the symptoms. In severe cases, surgery may be needed to remove the heartworms.

The great news is that heartworms are preventable in cats and dogs. Heartworm prevention options include monthly oral medications that can be administered along with your pet's food. There are also topical creams that are applied to their skin.

For heartworm treatments and prevention products in Honolulu, HI, trust Kokua Pet Clinic. This veterinary clinic provides pet owners with the resources they need to keep their furry friends healthy. They also emphasize preventive medicine, striving to avoid serious health problems before they start. Visit the website to view their services, or call (808) 843-8382 to book an appointment.