It has generally been observed
that it takes about six months for the symptoms of heartworm infection to
appear. But if you are not aware of these warning signs, it is very important
for you to read this write-up; since it contains very significant information
that can assist in you detecting this grave disease in dogs.
We assume that you already know
about Dirofilaria immitris that is carried by a mosquito. But if you are not
aware about it don’t worry we will explain it in brief. When the mosquito bites
the dog; this thread like roundworm gets transmitted from a host. This worm
enters the mosquito and goes through two molts, in the last molt the parasite
gets into the saliva glands of the mosquito. It is during this stage that the
parasite becomes infectious and hangs around while the mosquito bites a new
host.
Once the mosquito bites the new
host, the parasite enters their body and with the aid of two more molts gets
transformed into an adult heartworm. The peculiar thing about heartworms is
that they travel to the heart or lungs and with time they multiply in size.
Sometimes they grow by 10 times their original size. They also start producing
offspring during this time, which grows within 6 months after the bite. After
they become adult, it is easy to detect them. The sad part of this entire
episode is that it is hard to see any symptoms up to 6 months from the mosquito
bite.
Let us now look at some of the
early indications that act as a warning signal for heartworms in dogs:
Soft and dry cough
One of the foremost signals that
point towards heartworm infection in dogs is soft and dry cough. Since the
deadly parasites get into the lungs and start growing in it and surrounding
areas, the dogs cough a lot, especially after you have given them a good bit of
exercise. The worst part is that the initial coughing might lead to fainting. Even
a bit of exercise can lead to fainting.
Lethargy and tiredness shown by the pooch
The dog starts to feel tired very
often, starts being aloof devoid of any physical exercise. Dogs that suffer
from heartworm disease find it difficult to remain active and feel exhausted
even after doing the smallest of tasks.
Abnormal weight loss
If you find your four-legged
friend has lost an abnormal weight, then it might be due to the heartworm
infection. In fact, dogs might even find it difficult to eat or conduct their
day-to-day activities.
Fast breathing
Due to the presence of heartworms
in the lungs and the surrounding veins; the dog might find it difficult to
breathe along with some abnormalities like fast breathing. Fluids might develop
around the blood vessels in the lungs that will make the process of oxygenating
blood from the lungs.
Swollen chest
Adult heartworm infection can
even result in swollen appearance of the dog’s chest accompanied with weight
loss and anorexia. It can even cause fluid build-up as a result of the presence
of heartworm infection in the chest of the dog.
Allergic reaction
Although an allergic reaction is
a rare possibility but it cannot be negated, due to the presence of heartworms
or their offspring.
Collapse
Due to the presence of a wide
array of heartworms in the heart, blockage of blood flow, along with shock is
an eminent possibility. In certain cases, red blood cells of the dog get
destroyed. This is followed up by the eventual passing away of the dog.
Some other notable symptoms that
cannot be discounted include:
- Bleeding of the nose
- Blindness
- Lameness
- Prolonged sleeping
- Secondary pneumonia
- Seizures
- Sudden rise in blood pressure
Seizures, blindness and lameness
can occur in situations when the parasites get lost and get into places apart
from heart or lungs. They can even end up getting into the brain or the eyes of
the pooch. But this is a rare possibility. The difficulty of gauging the
symptoms can be understood from the fact that each of the symptoms mentioned
above can be symptoms for other diseases too. Hence, it becomes very intricate
for the veterinarian to come to a conclusion that the pooch is suffering from
heartworm infection. So, were you aware of these symptoms earlier?
Comments
Post a Comment