Ask the Vet – Heartworm Disease by Kristel Weaver DVM, MPVM

Every year at your annual preventive care visit, your veterinarian most likely recommends a heartworm preventative for your dog. So why do veterinarians feel this is so critical? Why is heartworm prevention a key component of maintaining your pet’s health?  If your pet is already on a heartworm prevention program – great job! If not, here are some specifics on heartworms and why it is important to give your dog that monthly dose.

What is a heartworm infection?

Heartworms are a type of roundworm that looks similar to angel hair pasta.  These worms live in the blood vessels around the heart, and inside the heart itself.  The worms cause a blockage of blood flow leading to right-sided heart failure.  When a dog has heart failure from heartworms they will cough, breath faster than normal, have a distended belly and will be unable to exercise.  If left untreated, heartworm infections can be fatal.

How do dogs get heartworms?

Mosquitoes spread heartworms.  Once a carrier mosquito bites a dog, it takes six to seven months before there are adult worms living in the heart.  The adult heartworms then make baby heartworms, called microfilaria, which swim in the blood and can be picked up by a mosquito bite and spread to another animal.  Heartworm cannot be spread without going through a mosquito.

Can it be spread to people or cats?

Humans are rarely infected with heartworms.  The worms cannot complete their lifecycle in humans and become walled off as a round nodule in the lungs.  Cats can get heartworm infections but are much more resistant than dogs.

How is it treated?

The treatment plan for an individual dog is based on the severity of the infection.  Typically, dogs are given a drug to kill the adult worms (Immiticide), antibiotics for secondary infections, and heartworm preventatives to kill the microfilaria.  After getting Immiticide, tiny chunks of dying worms are present in the lungs and can cause difficulty breathing.  Dogs must be kept calm, quiet, and rested for one to two months after getting the treatment to avoid side effects as their body breaks down the dying worms.

How is it prevented?

There are multiple heartworm preventatives on the market.  These are safe and easily administered (usually a chew or a topical ointment).  Collies and other herding breeds can have negative side effects to the drug used in heartworm preventatives at high doses.  The low doses used in heartworm preventatives have been proven safe for all breeds.

How much heartworm disease do we see in the San Francisco East Bay?

Our clinic sees a handful of heartworm infections each year; while it’s not a huge problem it definitely does occur.  In the southern part of the United States heartworm disease is really common.  In a year with heavy mosquitoes we could have an outbreak here in the Bay Area.  If you travel with your dog you could be taking him/her to areas much more infested with heartworms.  Keeping your dog on monthly heartworm prevention is ideal for optimum health.  These preventatives have an added benefit of being a general dewormer.

Talk to your veterinarian about which preventative is best for your dog.  Preventing a heartworm infection is much easier and safer than treating the disease. Like Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” 

Dr. Kristel Weaver is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis where she received both a DVM and a Master’s of Preventative Veterinary Medicine (MPVM).  She has been at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon since 2007.  She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and their daughter, Hayley. If you have questions you would like Dr. Weaver to answer for future articles, please email info@webvets.com

Ask the Vet: New Year’s Resolutions by Kristel Weaver, DVM, MPVM

After all the splurging during the holidays, the New Year gives us a chance to reset our priorities and goals. While you are making your own New Year’s resolutions, consider some resolutions for your pets as well.

Top Five Pet New Year’s Resolutions

1. Exercise – It’s good for you as well as the dog, cat, bird, guinea pig, hamster or whatever little creature you consider a companion.  Walking or jogging with your dog is a great activity.  An ideal goal is at least 30 minutes of exercise every day for dogs (age and health permitting).  For your indoor critters make an effort to get them to run around and play or enjoy a good scratch on a daily basis.  
2. Diet - I’m frequently asked which brand of pet food I recommend. It’s a difficult question because one pet may do great on Brand X and another does terribly on it. There are also many misconceptions about pet foods that stem from marketing campaigns by the pet food industry. My answer is to find a food that your pet enjoys eating, seems healthy on, and meets AAFCO nutritional standards. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a consumer protection group that establishes the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods. Not all pet food companies formulate diets that meet these standards so when you are picking out a pet food, check for a label that indicates it has been formulated to meet AAFCO standards.If your dog has a weight problem try giving apples and carrots instead of more fattening treats and cut back on the table scraps, bones, and dental chews.  All those calories add up! 
3. Preventive care – I recommend all dogs and cats get examined by their veterinarian once a year. This is a chance to discuss your questions; have them checked out from head to toe; update vaccines, heartworm, and flea control; and get whatever routine care is needed. For geriatric pets or animals with a chronic disease, I also recommend an annual blood panel. These visits keep your pet as healthy as possible and provide an opportunity to detect minor problems.  
4. Learn something new – You can teach an old dog new tricks. Your dog will love learning something new, especially if it means getting treats and your attention. Try teaching your dog high five, roll over, play dead, pick up the newspaper or whatever you think is fun. I guarantee your dog will love the opportunity to learn something new.  
5. Help others – Based on the temperament of your pet, consider getting him or her certified to visit nursing homes or hospitals. When my grandmother was in a nursing home, the visiting dogs made her so happy she talked about it for days. Check the requirements at your local hospital or nursing home for therapy pets. You can find resources for training and certification online, at the AKC good citizen program website, or the Therapy Dogs International website.

Happy New Year to your entire family! May it be filled with good health, new skills, and charity!

Dr. Kristel Weaver is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis where she received both a DVM and a Master’s of Preventative Veterinary Medicine (MPVM).  She has been at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon since 2007.  She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and their daughter, Hayley. If you have questions you would like Dr. Weaver to answer for future articles, please email info@webvets.com

Monday Pet Tip: Preventive Diagnostics

Performing annual diagnostics such as blood panels, urine analysis, and intestinal parasite screenings are extremely valuable tools in identifying medical problems even before your pet shows any symptoms.  Our pets can’t always tell us how they are feeling, and they may not feel anything in the early stages of many treatable diseases.  Diagnostic screening profiles are the easiest and best way to get an overall picture of your pet’s health, and to track any changes over time.  This allows for earlier, less costly treatment options, and helps us to keep your pet as healthy as possible- for as long as possible.