Heartworm or Dirofilaria immitis is a round parasitic worm that affects the right compartment of dog’s heart particularly in the pulmonary and vena cava blood vessels of the heart. It incapacitates the hearts functions by obstructing these major blood vessels. Heartworms are about six inches long and an infected dog can host about three hundred worms in its system. Heartworms can also affect other animals such as cats, wolves, foxes and in rare incidents human beings but dogs are the most vulnerable. However, finding heartworm medicine for dogs is easy since there is an array of solutions on the market today.
The heartworm disease is contagious and spread from host to host through bites from an infected mosquito. The heartworm larva then moves to the heart after six months and matures to an adult female heartworm that lay live microfilaria, which then circulates in the blood system. This causes blood thickening and obstruction of blood flow that reflect itself in a number of symptoms denoted in the change of an infected dog’s behavior.
Mild cough is the initial symptom of infection, which should not be ignored. If the dog is disinterested in playing and gets tired easily may be a cause for alarm. Severe deep-chested cough and short gasping breaths are signs of serious sickness in the dog that need vet’s attention. Loss of appetite, weight loss and jaundice shows that the dog is critically ill and that time, the dog may collapse once it has yielded to the illness and die.
There are many best heartworm medicines for dogs available in the market administered in varied forms such as injection, oral and on spot treatment. Heartworm injection medicines are normally used as a preventive measure and they usually administered after six months by a qualified vet. The best heartworm medicine for dogs is oral heartworm pills, available as ordinary tablets or tasty chewable pills that should be taken daily. Ordinary tablets are among the cheap heartworm medicine for dogs while the chewable pills are a bit expensive.
It is also possible to find generic heartworm medicine for dogs. Their splendid packaging does not lessen their effectiveness and provide a percentage savings on the more expensive branded heartworm medicines. These pills destroy any larvae picked up from mosquito bites. They do not protect the dog from mosquito bites but they inhibit the parasites maturity.
They are also effective in controlling fleas and other parasites such round worms, hookworms and other intestinal worms. Finally, it is important to remember that chewable tablets are more expensive than ordinary ones. Generic are still cheaper than the original brands and buying pet medicines online is even cheaper since you can purchase heartworm medicine for dogs without prescription for it doesn’t involve a vet.