Heartworm Testing

Contrary to popular belief, heartworm can affect both cats and dogs. Although it’s more common in dogs, our feline friends can still get these harmful parasites. Heartworm disease can cause serious and potentially irreversible damage to a patient’s heart, lungs, blood vessels and other internal organs. Fortunately, all it takes to protect your pet is ensuring they get regular heartworm preventive medications. In the event they are infected with these pests, our team of vets and RVTs will provide the proper treatment your pet requires. Give us a call at 204-261-7376 to learn more.

Can pets die from heartworm disease?

Yes. Severe cases can be potentially fatal, which is why early detection and appropriate treatment is of the utmost importance. The scary thing with heartworms is there are barely any symptoms, especially at the early stages of infestation, or if your pet has only a small number of worms.

How is heartworm disease treated in dogs?

The most common treatment for the parasite is a series of injections with a medication like melarsomine, which kills the heartworms. Drugs may disintegrate the worms inside your dog, or they may paralyze them, so that you can still see them in your pet’s stool. Either way, this is the most common method of getting rid of heartworms. Every patient will require a different type of injection schedule. Now, for the most severe cases, surgery may be required to manually remove the heartworms.

Do pets need year-round heartworm protection?

Absolutely! Your pet can get heartworm all year round, even during the winter months. These parasites are passed on to your pet from a mosquito bite. The infected mosquito introduces the heartworm larvae intro your pet’s bloodstream, and they will grow into adults and reproduce inside your pet. This can happen even in the coldest months of the year, as mosquitos and larvae can survive indoors.