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Heartworm infection is a severe infestation of live parasitic worms that live in a dog's heart, preventing it from functioning properly and sometimes affecting the lungs and other organs. Untreated dogs do not get better, and will eventually die. Dogs of any age are susceptible to heartworm infection, which is widely distributed throughout the United States and has been found in dogs native to all 50 states!

How Dogs Get Heartworms
A dog gets heartworms when it is bitten by a mosquito that had previously bitten a dog with heartworm disease. You can NOT protect your dog from getting heartworms by:
    - Vaccinations.
    - Keeping your house or yard clean
    - Not letting your dog drink from streams or gutters
    - Only letting your dog outside a few minutes a day
Virtually 100% of unprotected dogs exposed to infective larvae through a mosquito bite become infected.

What Heartworms Do
Heartworms living in a dog's heart are typically 6-12" long (though they may grow to 14"), about the diameter of a piece of spaghetti. One dog may have as many as 300 worms! The worms survive up to five years and, during this time, the females produce millions of young (microfilariae). Adult worms cause disease by clogging the dog's heart and major blood vessels, interfering with the heart's valve action and reducing the blood supply to other organs of the body, particularly lungs, liver and kidneys, which leads to malfunction of these organs. The microfilariae circulate throughout the body and block blood flow in the small blood vessels, depriving the body cells of nutrients and oxygen. Destruction of the dog's lung tissue leads to a dry, chronic cough and shortness of breath. Liver problems cause anemia and general weakness and loss of stamina. Affected kidneys may allow poisons to accumulate in the body. The dog may show nervousness, listlessness, and exhaustion that is especially noticeable after exercise, when some dogs may even faint. Advanced cases progress to severe weight loss, coughing up blood, swelling of the abdomen and legs, and, finally, congestive heart failure.
    This is a horrific disease that no dog should have to endure. It is even more horrible because it is easily and inexpensively preventable.

How Heartworm Infection is Prevented
How Heartworm Infection is Diagnosed
How Heartworm Infection is Treated
For More Information about heartworms, go to the American Heartworm Society website or The Pet Center.