What's your favorite thing about spring? The birds? The flowers? The trees coming into bloom? Kids playing outside again or you, yourself, getting outdoors to play? How about those mosquitoes? Oh, not the latter? Yeah, me neither. Not only are they pesky little things, but for our dogs, cats and ferrets, they can be fatal.
In Ohio, and many other states, our mosquitoes have the potential to carry tiny roundworms called Dirofilaria immitis. Never heard of it? Probably because we know it better as "heartworm." If your beloved pet is not kept up on heartworm preventatives, and they are bit by a mosquito carrying this worm, you can expect the worm to travel into the bloodstream ultimately settling, growing and populating in your pet's heart and the arteries of the lungs. These worms can grow up to twelve inches long and can live between 5-7 years in the typical dog. When left untreated, the worms will continue to grow and populate until the heart and/ or lungs begin to rupture, fatally affecting your pet. So, you'll just get them treated if your pet catches it, right?
Wrong. Heartworm is not the kind of ailment you can simply treat and get rid of. The primary treatment in our area consists of two painful arsenic-based injections injected into the meaty muscle running down the spine. The injections are given a day apart and leave the animal's back sore for quite a while. Once the injections have been given, the animal must be on restricted activity for several weeks so that the body can absorb the dead worms without causing any further damage. A lot of the time, this means crate or kennel rest, which would drive most animals mad. If the animals are not kept on restricted activity, the worms can clot up and rupture arteries or find their way to the lungs wherein pulmonary failure is not uncommon. This treatment not only costs hundreds of dollars (over a grand at some clinics) but it causes both the animal and its loving family great stress. Any animal that must go through heartworm treatment more than once, often dies from complications of treatment, so it is important for them to stay on preventatives, even after having been treated for them in the past.
Click "lungs" and "heart" to see real photos of heartworm infestations. WARNING: Photos are extremely graphic!
But that won't happen to you, right? Wrong again. Heartworm is becoming more and more prominent as the years go on. Heartworm was originally only reported in the southern most muggy states, like Texas, but the problem has traveled all across our country. There have even been reports in Alaska! Anywhere that there are mosquitoes there is a risk of heartworm. Ohio is especially vulnerable with the muggy summers and falls. The mild winter and early warm weather we have had over the past year means that the risk has increased exponentially. Many vets once thought mosquito season was the only time to keep animals on preventatives. Now, all vets seem to suggest year-round preventative to keep pets safe with the unpredictable weather patterns of the past few years. |
| Barry, still looking for his home! |
I never thought that my animals were at risk. Heartworm was a big, intangible disease like avian flu or SARS, affecting only people I've never heard of in places I've never been. Getting involved in rescue, I have been tip-toeing around it in my own backyard! I, personally, have fostered several fosters that have been through heartworm treatment: Makin, a sweet rottweiler mix; Bessie, an adorable border collie; Emari, a handsome boxer mix; and Barry, a super cuddly golden mix. Of the four, I lost one (Emari) from complications of treatment, and trust me, it is devastating, even as a foster. As an owner, ever more so. Below is an excerpt from a message Jennifer M, one of our beloved supporters, had written me about her heartworm positive dog:
We fell in love with Molly the first time we saw her in the pound. Then I got the call that every adoptive pet parent dreads... yup... Molly was heartworm positive. I was heartbroken but thought she was worth it to try to save her. She was in our family for 5 weeks before she passed from complications from her heartworm treatment. She died on July 24, 2011 right around noon. I will never forget when I got the call from her vet... see, she was in the hospital because she was having trouble breathing. I fell to my knees and cried like a baby! She is buried on a close friend's family farm. Gone from this earthly life ... but is waiting at the rainbow bridge for us and will NEVER be forgotten.
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| Polo- one of the first 2 treated under our program and looking for a home! |
In Summit County, we are so blessed to have all of the rivers and lakes and creeks, etc around. This also means we have huge potential for our pets to become heartworm positive. Summit County Animal Control (SCAC) averages about 2-3 heartworm positive dogs a month, one of the dogs that made this statistic was sweet Molly, adopted by Jennifer M. Seeing the problem in our community, we have decided to join forces with SCAC, and when one of their dogs test positive for this deadly worm, we pay for treatment through One of a Kind Pets, keep the animal in quarantine with SCAC after treatment and then have them added to the adoption floor with a clean slate. Of the first two dogs treated under this program, one made it into our foster care, the other was rescued through PetSmart Charities's Rescue Waggin Program. Both will have the happy ending that heartworm at another shelter may have robbed them of.
Very few things hurt as badly as losing your beloved companion. Guard your heart by guarding your pet's; keep them on heartworm preventatives and make sure they are getting their annual heartworm tests. By keeping the worms from their heart, you can keep the break from yours! :)
Please help us help the animals of Summit County by Chipping in to our Heartworm Fund below! Read the stories of our Summit Heartworm Dogs by clicking here! I've also added links for those that would like more information on heartworm below.
Please help us help the animals of Summit County by Chipping in to our Heartworm Fund below! Read the stories of our Summit Heartworm Dogs by clicking here! I've also added links for those that would like more information on heartworm below.
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