The weather has been getting hotter and hotter recently. You have to be careful of mosquito attacks every night, otherwise you will leave red and swollen marks on your body. Although pets have a lot of hair, they can still be bitten by mosquitoes, and the most terrifying thing is not the harm caused by the mosquitoes themselves, but the more troublesome heartworm problem that mosquitoes can bring.

What are heartworms?

Heartworms are a parasite that can occur in dogs and cats, and dogs are more likely to develop it than cats. The size of an adult insect is more than 20 centimeters long. To the naked eye, it looks like a white thread, which is very slender. It is called heartworm because it lives in the pulmonary artery and right ventricle.

What symptoms will it cause?

Because it parasitizes the heart, heartworms will affect the cardiopulmonary and circulatory functions of puppies as they mature, leading to a series of pathological changes, such as heart failure, liver and kidney damage, ascites, etc.

Most of the initial symptoms of pets are very mild, and it is difficult for owners to detect them. By the time obvious symptoms appear, the condition is often quite serious. Common symptoms are as follows:

▪Exercise endurance decreases and you become tired easily

▪Chronic cough

Difficulty breathing, breathing hard

▪Spirit and appetite have deteriorated

▪Severe liver and kidney failure, leading to death

How do you know if your pet is infected with heartworms?

Pet owners are requested to take their babies to the animal hospital for health check-ups every six months to one year. Veterinarians generally draw blood for adult worm antigen testing and blood smears based on clinical experience. They will also refer to the dog and cat's medical history, clinical symptoms, X-ray examination, ultrasound examination, etc. to determine whether the pet child is infected with heartworms. After being bitten by a mosquito, it takes 6 to 7 months for heartworms to develop, so it is meaningless to take the puppy for 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 taking preventive measures, it is recommended to take him to the animal hospital and have the veterinarian draw blood for a check. Once it is confirmed that there is no infection, start taking monthly preventive measures immediately!