If you're a pet owner, chances are you've heard of the term "heartworm detection," heartworm prevention and treatment. But, what exactly are heartworm? And is it necessary to get your dog or cat treatment for this specific parasite? Heartworms are incredibly dangerous for your pets, and that can impact dogs, cats, and even ferrets. When they do, it can be difficult to start heartworm treatment. Therefore, a good course of action would be to take careful steps in heartworm prevention.
At Danforth Animal Hospital, we take our pet's health seriously, and want to help your cats and dogs stay safe from heartworm infections. We're here to help residents of Edmond, OK, at our animal hospital to help their pets stay healthy. That's why we offer a wide range of services at our animal clinic, from heartworm detection, heartworm prevention, and other types of veterinary treatment available with the help of a veterinarian on our team.
What Are Heartworms?
Heartworms are a type of parasite that resemble, as the name suggest, long worms that are white in color. They feed off of the heart muscle of your pet, which can quickly turn fatal. Heartworms are commonly spread among mosquitoes. In fact, this is the only way to spread from dog to dog. Therefore, it's important to get your pet heartworm prevention if they stay outside and the areas near your home are prone to mosquito infestations.
It would be better to use heartworm prevention before your dog gets infected. However, treatment is possible, for a dog at least, with the help of a veterinarian and the right medications.
How Can a Vet Help in Heartworm Treatment?
Fortunately, heartworm is fairly easy to prevent. Heartworm chews are available for your pet to take orally, and they can be prescribed by your vet to keep your cats and dogs safe. Heartworms can also be detected through blood tests, which can detect the presence of adult heartworm that have now infected your dog or cat's body.
If there are heartworm detections during your routine care exam, a vet on our veterinary team can prescribe heartworm treatment. A vet at our animal hospital can help inform you of the best treatment options for your pet, as well as help inform you of when they can stop the treatment and when the next series of injections can be expected.
Get Heartworm Prevention, Heartworm Detection, and Heartworm Treatment at Our Animal Clinic
Heartworms can be fatal, get your pet the help they need to prevent infestations and get heartworm treatment if they do have them. Call us at (405) 340-1020 for Danforth Animal Hospital serving Edmond, OK, to schedule a pet wellness exam at our animal clinic.