Heartworm Treatment and Prevention
Heartworm treatment is included in the external parasites section. Even though the heartworms themselves are internal, they are caused by the bite of a mosquito. ©Photo Courtesy of Rowena Meineck When a mosquito bites an animal that is infected with heartworm disease, the mosquito picks up microscopic parts of the heartworm larvae and then passes that on to the next animal that it bites. It takes several months for the larvae to mature into adult worms which can grow between 6 to 10 inches in length. These adult heartworms multiply and block the blood vessels in the heart and lungs, eventually causing death. Unfortunately, symptoms of heartworm can be few and far between, and sometimes the only sign of this disease is the sudden death of your dog. Some symptoms of heartworm can include coughing or breathing problems, or tiring easily during play or exercise. However, by the time a dog shows these symptoms, he probably will have had the disease for more than a year. Testing is done by a simple blood test. If your Golden Retriever does indeed have them, the heartworm treatment is expensive, lengthy, and is not a guarantee that he will survive.
©Photo Courtesy of Connie Smith"From one of my litters!" The vet will have to run more tests to determine how many, and at what stage the larvae and worms are in, to best determine the proper heartworm treatment. Usually the dog will have to stay at the vet’s office for a few days, so he can be carefully monitored. While the heartworms are dying, they can block important blood vessel passages, which is fatal. When your Golden is allowed to come home, he must be kept crated and quiet for several weeks, and only allowed out of his crate to eat and use the bathroom. Even then he will need to be on a leash to help prevent excessive movement or excitement. Due to the life cycle and length of time it takes for the heartworm larvae to mature and multiply inside of a dog, it is best to start your Golden on a heartworm preventative before 6 months of age. A blood test does not even need to be run if he is started on a prevention program before he reaches 6 months old. ©Photo Courtesy of Silia Valdez By starting your Golden Retriever on preventative medicine within this time frame, you can eliminate all worries and possibilities of him contracting this horrible disease. Any dog that is older than 6 months, can not be given preventative medicine without first having the blood test to verify that he is negative, as the preventative could kill him due to the worms dying too quickly. Every state in the United States now has record of heartworm disease. It is also a worldwide problem, not just American. Some people use heartworm preventatives only during the mosquito season. If you choose to do this, a blood test will have to be run again before preventatives can be re-started in the spring. I prefer to keep my Goldens on it year round for a few reasons. Even during the winter, you always get a few unusually warm days when mosquito’s can rear their ugly heads. By having my Goldens on it throughout the whole year, this eliminates any worries about them contracting the disease.
©Photo Courtesy of Peter Wolf Also, preventative heartworm medication kills and controls more than just heartworms. They also kill roundworms and hookworms, plus a few other worms, depending on which brand you use. This eliminates the need to check for and treat my dogs for various intestinal worms, all in one pill. Heartworm medications are dosed according to your dog’s weight. Since Golden Retrievers continue to grow for over a year, it is best to buy the medicine on a monthly basis, until he reaches his full adult weight. Since you need a prescription for heartworm medicine, your vet should allow you to purchase the correct dose on a monthly basis, without charging you for an office visit. I simply weigh my pup, then go to the vet’s office and let them know what weight he is currently at. There are several heartworm medications to choose from. The 2 brands that I use are Heartgard Plus and Interceptor.
Interceptor kills all of above mentioned, plus whipworms. It is in pill form, but is also chewable and flavored. The reason that I use both of these products, is simply a matter of which one my individual Golden prefers! However, if I feel that one of my dogs may have been exposed to whipworms, then I will use Interceptor for a month, instead of the Heartgard Plus, regardless of my dog’s preference! ©Photo Courtesy of Jacob Richardson To make it easy to remember when my Goldens need their heartworm medicine, I always give it to them on the first day of every month. This way I don't lose track of when it is due. If you have multiple Golden Retrievers, or obtain a new dog, and the scheduling is off for all of them to take the medicine at the same time, it is easy to fix this. Heartworm preventative can be up to 7 days late and still be effective. Slowly take a couple of months and gradually adjust when you give your dogs their heartworm treatment, until they are all on the same schedule. Just make sure that you never give it to them early. Heartworm treatment, in the form of prevention, will help ensure that your Golden stays healthy and parasite free.
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