The weather is getting hotter and hotter recently, so beware of mosquitoes sneaking in every night, otherwise you will leave red and swollen marks on your body. Although pets have a lot of hair, they will also be bitten by mosquitoes, and the most terrifying thing is not the damage to them by the mosquitoes themselves, but the more difficult heartworm problems caused by mosquitoes.

What is a heartworm?

Heartworm is a parasite that occurs in dogs and cats, and dogs are more prone to it than cats. The adult worms are up to 20 centimeters in size and look like white lines to the naked eye, very slender. Because of the parasitic location of the pulmonary artery and right ventricle, it is called heartworm.

What are the symptoms?  

Because it is parasitic in the heart, Therefore, with the development and maturity of heartworm, it will affect the cardiopulmonary function and circulatory function of hairy children, resulting in a series of lesions, such as heart failure, impaired liver and kidney function, ascites and so on.  

The symptoms of pets are mostly mild in the initial stage, and it is difficult for the owner to detect them. When obvious symptoms appear, the condition is often quite serious. The most common symptoms are as follows:  

?Reduced exercise tolerance and become very tired  

?Chronic cough  

?Difficulty breathing, breathing very hard  

?Mental and appetite worsened  

?Severe liver and kidney failure , resulting in death  

How do I know if my pet has heartworm infection?  

Pet owners are requested to bring their pets to the animal hospital for health checks every six months to one year. Veterinarians generally draw blood for adult worm antigen testing and blood smears based on clinical experience, and also refer to the dog and cat’s medical history, clinical symptoms, X-ray examination, ultrasound examination, etc., to determine whether pet children are infected with heartworm. After being bitten by mosquitoes, it takes 6 to 7 months for heartworms to develop, so it is meaningless to take a blood test too early. It is recommended to start the test when the puppy is seven months old!
 

If your baby has not started prevention, it is recommended to take it to the animal hospital and have the veterinarian draw blood for examination. After confirming that there is no infection, start taking medicine every month for prevention immediately!