Dogs which have heartworm will have tiny parasites inside
their heart and surrounding blood vessels. The biggest problem
with heartworm is that until the condition has advanced
significantly to a dangerous stage your dog will likely
show no signs at all. Once it has gotten to that stage it
is probably too late to help the dog. As the condition progresses
you may notice that your dog is unable to exercise as long
as it used to because the worms are actually clogging up
the blood vessels.
A dog that is infected with heartworm can easily transport
it to other dogs and even cats. Since treatment of heartworm
is virtually impossible to do reliably, taking preventative
measures is highly recommended. There are a variety of different
medications available that work well to prevent heartworm
from occuring to your dog. Generally your veterinarian will
be able to give you pills which you can give to your dog
with food to significantly reduce the risk of heartworm.
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