What Is Heartworm In Dogs?
Heartworm prevention is an essential thing to keep your dog healthy. Heartworm is parasites that infect your dog's heart and vessels connected to the dog's heart.
A mosquito bite is a reason behind the spread from dog to dog. Sometimes, a heartworm can be large and numerous, interfering with the heart's ability to pump blood. This can be the reason for heart failure.
There are many effective and safe heartworm treatments available. However, it is good to consult your vet before choosing any heartworm medicine for your pets. Heartworm medicine will help to treat heartworm disease that your dog might have been affected in the previous month or longer: nevertheless, you should give preventives every time. It's recommended that you keep your pet on year-round heartworm prevention treatment.
A vet will run a blood test to diagnose whether the dog has heartworms. An antigen test detects specific heartworm proteins, called antigens, which adult female heartworms release into the dog's bloodstream.
You should test your dog annually to ensure that your pet continues to be free from heartworm and it is safe to continue using the heartworm medication prescribed by your vet. It would be best to choose between oral heartworm medications in pill, chewable tablet, soft chew form, or a heartworm preventative medicine applied as a topical. Heartworm medications for dogs come in various forms and sizes according to your dogs weighing.
Cause Of Dog Heartworm
Scientifically known as "Dirofilaria immitis," heartworms can eat human hearts or lung tissue. These creepy crawlers grow to over one foot and cause cardiac and respiratory damage as well as blocking of blood vessels, which can lead to death for an animal destined for death.
Dogs don't just get heartworms, but cats are also in danger. Unfortunately, dogs can be the most frequently contaminated as their bodies are perfect hiding places for these deadly diseases. In rare situations, people can contract heartworms, but these often do not reach maturity because we are not their natural hosts.
Medications For Dog Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm medicines for dogs come in various sizes, from injections to topical and chewing tablets. However, these medicines contain different active ingredients, mainly used to eradicate heartworms, while others also prevent other parasitic or worm diseases.
How can a cat's immune system be controlled by using mosquito repellant? Many effective insect repellent products have been developed for dogs to keep them from stray tyranny and stinging. Unfortunately, there are no such measures, and none of them are effective.
Here Are The 5 Best Heartworm Preventatives For Dogs
Here is the top 5 best heartworm prevention medication:
HeartGard Plus Chewable
Heartgard Plus is the best heartworm preventative. This is an oral medicine for dogs. It comes in beef flavor, which is why dogs will take it like a treat, and the vast population loves this chewable.
Heartgard Plus contains ingredients like Pyrantel pamoate and Ivermectin, which destroy heartworm larvae entirely. In addition, Heartgard Plus can treat hookworms, roundworms, and other parasitic worms.
Heartgard Plus should be given every month without fail; otherwise, your pet might be vulnerable to heartworm infection.
Advantage Multi (Advocate)
Advantage Multi is a topical solution used for heartworm treatment. Some dogs will need more time to be ready to take the chewable, which will protect them against heartworm. There might be difficulty in applying, but it is necessary for safety reasons.
As a dog owner, you might have heard about Advantage Multi for your dog's treatment. Advantage Multi has ingredients like Moxidectin and Imidacloprid which will prevent heartworm. It will also help to control other types of worms, such as hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms, as well as sarcoptic mange and fleas. These six parasites are commonly found in dogs.
Simparica Trio Chewable Tablets For Dogs
Simparica Trio has active ingredients like Sarolaner (kills Fleas & ticks), Moxidectin (Prevents heartworm diseases), and Pyrantel (Treats and controls roundworms & hookworms). Simparica Trio is a once-in-a-month chewable. Simparica Trio prevents flea infection by killing fleas before they lay eggs. It will kill within 4 hours and achieve 100% effectiveness in 8 hours.
Revolution Spot-On For Cats & Dogs
Revolution Spot-On can be best for your dog or cat if they have a sensitive stomach or are super fussy about their food. Revolution has selamectin which will prevent your pet from heartworm. It will also help your pet to protect from fleas, ticks, ear mites, hookworms, roundworms, and sarcoptic mites.
Sentinel Spectrum Tablets for Dogs
Sentinel Spectrum is a canine treatment for fleas, heartworm, and intestinal parasites. It is a monthly treatment that prevents heartworm development and protects against hookworms, roundworms, and ringworms. Sentinel Spectrum is different from original Sentinel flavor tabs by protecting your dog from tapeworms. It also helps to kill the immature stage of heartworm larvae and the adult stage of roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Schedules Are Important
You should follow the schedules strictly to avoid any other problems for your pet, whether a regular visit or monthly dosage. You should consult your vet if you need more clarification about dosage or anything.
Our Conclusion For Canine Heartworm Meds
If you notice any sign of heartworm disease, you should contact a veterinarian and discuss your dog's condition before it's too late. Heartworm disease is a powerful enemy of your dog, but we don't need to worry as we have a few very effective heartworm preventions that will help you keep your dog happy and healthy.
When choosing a heartworm medicine, it's always recommended to consult with your veterinarian about your dog's needs. There is a chance your dog can react to his heartworm medication. In such cases, please consult your vet.
Thanks to the medicine available in the market, heartworm disease is easily preventable. However, the vet will run all the diagnostic tests again after six months of the first heartworm treatment.