DEWORMING / HEARTWORM DISEASE
Deworming:
The Key Enemies – Roundworms & Hookworms
In Canada, the most common types of worms are roundworms and hookworms. They are both intestinal parasites that live and grow inside your pet. Roundworms and hookworms develop from eggs into larvae and eventually adults.
HEARTGARD-30® PLUS offers broad spectrum control to protect your dog or puppy from roundworms and hookworms. And because HEARTGARD-30 PLUS is made with real beef, it’s the medicine that tastes like a treat – so dogs love it.
How Do Pets Get Worms
Dogs of all ages can become infected simply by ingesting the infective larvae. Puppies are at the greatest risk for infection and can become infected through mother-to-puppy transmission before birth and through her milk after they’re born.
Once infected, dogs and puppies contaminate their surroundings by passing eggs and larvae in their feces. These eggs and larvae are resilient and can survive in areas such as parks, playgrounds and yards. Dogs and puppies with worms can also infect you and your family. These roundworm and hookworm infections are called zoonotic, meaning they can be passed from animals to humans.
Life Cycle of a Typical Roundworm
Heartworm Disease:
What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the right side of a dog’s heart and adjacent blood vessels. The disease is transmitted from dog to dog by mosquitoes during the spring, summer and fall. The life cycle of the heartworm begins when a mosquito bites and feeds on the blood of an infected dog that is carrying tiny immature heartworms, called microfilariae, in its blood. The mosquito takes in the immature heartworms when it feeds.
During the next two-to-three weeks, the larvae develop into the infective stage within the mosquito. When the mosquito feeds again, it can transmit infective larvae to a healthy dog through the bite wound of the mosquito. Once a dog is infected, the worms make their way through the bloodstream to its heart, where they can grow up to 35 cm in length. Heartworms can cause significant damage to the heart and lungs of your pet and, if left untreated, heartworm disease can result in death.
Signs of heartworm disease include:
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Chronic cough.
Unfortunately, it takes at least 6 to 7 months after infection for the symptoms to become apparent. By that time, the disease is already advanced. Treatment is possible, but complex, and it requires close supervision from your veterinarian because of potential side effects.
Canine Heartworm Life Cycle
Protecting your Pet Against Heartworm Disease
The dangers of heartworm disease, and the challenges of treating this condition are why heartworm prevention is so important. The onset of spring, and the beginning of mosquito season in many parts of Canada, is the time to take your dog to your veterinarian for heartworm prevention. A blood test may be required to ensure your dog is heartworm free.
Following this, your veterinarian will prescribe preventative medication, such as HEARTGARD-30 PLUS. Simply give your dog one delicious, real beef chewable HEARTGARD-30 PLUS each month during mosquito season. It tastes like a treat, and is safe for dogs of all breeds and sizes at all life stages, including during pregnancy. Puppies can be given HEARTGARD-30 PLUS as early as 6 weeks of age.
Click here to view the Canadian HEARTGARD site and information about heartworm disease
Click here to view the HEARTGARD Consumer Brochure
Click here to view the Brochure Protecting Your Family from Zoonotic Disease