Loving your dog or cat involves taking the necessary precautions to ensure they remain healthy. They include protecting them from heartworm disease, tapeworms, roundworms, fleas, ticks and other parasites that commonly infect dogs and cats. These conditions often require pet owners to take their pets to a veterinary clinic in Waldorf for diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian.
Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease occurs when a mosquito bites your cat or dog and deposits heartworm larvae into their body. Once they become adult heartworms, they can infect the heart and lungs of these animals and make them sick. Symptoms of heartworm disease are similar in dogs and cats and include coughing, vomiting, breathing difficulties, decreased appetite, weight loss, lethargy, and collapsing. Severe heartworm disease can be fatal if left untreated.
Heartworm Treatment
A veterinarian at a veterinary clinic in Waldorf can prescribe heartworm treatment for pets. Injectable medication is used to kill the adult worms in dogs. Surgery is usually required for cats while dogs may need surgery if the disease is severe.
Tips to Protect Pets from Heartworm Disease
Mosquito infestations occur mostly during the spring and summer. Pets are more vulnerable to becoming sick with heartworm disease during these seasons. Taking the following steps can help protect dogs and cats:
- Monitoring pets for symptoms
- Limiting outdoor activities during mosquito seasons
- Using preventative medications monthly (e.g., pills, injections, topical)
- Regular testing (blood tests, x-rays)
- Applying mosquito repellent
Tick Prevention
Since tick can suck the blood of dogs and cats and cause anemia, paralysis, Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick prevention becomes a primary concern for pet owners. Common ways to prevent this parasite from affecting pets is by using tick prevention products such as medicinal solutions, powder, sprays or shampoos.
Keep Your Pet Protected at Your Waldorf Veterinarian
Treat and protect your dog or cat from heartworm disease and other parasites by visiting Waldorf Emergency Care veterinary clinic. Also contact us at (301) 705-9700. Our experts will use a suitable heartworm treatment and may advise you on heartworm disease and tick prevention measures.