Spring is here, and with it, so are the mosquitos. Mosquitos can spread heartworm disease to our furbabies with just one bite!

Veterinary Healing Center Folsom - Folsom, CA

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease, and is found in all 50 states.  It is caused by foot-long worms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of infected pets, causing heart failure, severe lung disease, and potential damage to other major organs. Heartworms also infect wild species such as foxes and coyotes, which live in proximity to many of our homes, making them a vector to spread the disease to our beloved pets.  

If a mosquito bites one of these infected wild animals, then bites your dog, your dog is susceptible to the disease. Heartworms inside your dog then mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring. Some infections can even go undetected, leading to your pet harboring several hundred worms in their bodies! Heartworm disease causes lasting damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries, and can affect the dog’s health and quality of life long after the parasites are gone. Treatment for the disease is painful, expensive, and not always successful. This means that testing and year-round prevention is by far the best option! Annual testing for this disease in our area is especially important, as we live in an area with a high potential for exposure and infection.  

Call your veterinarian today to schedule a wellness exam, heartworm test, and make sure your pet stays up to date on preventative pills every month!

For more information contact:

Veterinary Healing Center Folsom - Folsom, CA

At Veterinary Healing Center of Folsom, we want to change the way animal health care is delivered. Our focus is on treating each animal as an individual, and aiming for complete wellness ... Read More »