Thursday, October 6, 2011

Treating Heartworms In Pets Needs To Be Done Monthly

By Adriana Noton


It is through mosquito bites, that the transmission of parasitic heartworms in pets occurs. When the insect bites the animal it leaves the larvae in the pet's bloodstream. After several days, the larvae hatch and travel through the animal's bloodstream eventually reaching the heart. Once there they begin to multiple and really cause a breakdown of the muscle tissue.

Once the larvae are in the blood, it days a few days for them to hatch and once they do, they will eventually get pumped through to the heart and lungs. The heart has deep chambers that the insects get caught in and start to feed on the muscle. They also get caught in the plethora of thin, folded and porous tissue of the lungs. This allows them to begin feeding and moving through the tissues. Unfortunately, this condition does not usually show itself until there are symptoms which indicates the infection has become fairly advanced.

If you observe a regular dry type of coughing from your dog, on a regular basis, this is a sign that you could very well be dealing with the parasitic infection, as this is usually the first symptom. It also means that the parasites have already found their way into the dog's lungs. Their lungs are irritated by the circulating parasites causing the coughing. You may also notice that your dog has unusual breathing and that it becomes winded easily or has chest pain.

A dog suffering from these worms, has a severely weakened system, which causes them to become less active and very lethargic. The dog will usually sleep more than usual and lose interest in playing and food. Left untreated, this condition will cause a dog's organs to start shutting down. At this point, there is really nothing that can be done and it is humane to allow them to be euthanized.

Veterinarians are backed up by scientific evidence that regular, monthly administering of the drug Ivermectin is an effective treatment and prevention of parasitic infections. Vets and science also recommend the use of generic brands that sell these treatments. It has been proven that generic versions are just as effective as the name brands and cost much less.

When you take your dog or cat to the vet to get a physical examination ask your veterinary doctor about the generic form of the parasite medication. They should be able to offer a lot of information and even a choice of a couple of generic brands as most have been approved by veterinary medical associations across the country and federal drug regulators.

There are differences in the development and treatment of parasites in either cats or dogs. It is much more difficult to treat worm infections in cats. Once they develop an infection, they often die or end up with severe and life altering health problems. Cats do not have the same kind of immune system that dogs have and their hearts in general are just much smaller. Once parasites get in the do a lot of damage to a feline system.

If you manage to clear up the infection in your cat, they are often left with permanent symptoms such as hind-end paralysis, a dry wheezing cough, dizziness, as well as, the possibility of an abrupt death. These are some of the reasons why preventive treatment for heartworms in pets in the best pet medicine.




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