Heartworm Disease: Tragically Pets Die that Don't Need To | Steve ...

Does your pet deserve this? It can be...it should be...it must be avoided

For pet lovers, a senseless tragedy is occurring. Too many dogs and cats are dying of heartworm, a nearly 100 percent preventable illness. They don't have to die.

It's estimated that over one million dogs in the U.S. have heartworm disease, and no one knows how many cats. Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes, and experts suggest matters will get worse because this promises to be a banner year for the buzzing insects.

Preventive products really work. So, what's the problem? Here's the 4-1-1 on what's going down:

--Expense of preventive products: No question, preventives cost money, and for millions of Americans money is tight. I get that. But is it worth risking a family member's life? What's more, the cost of treating heartworm in dogs far exceeds the cost of preventive products, and the treatment itself is intense with some dogs not surviving. In cats, there is no treatment for heartworm.

--Compliance: That's a fancy word to describe the fact that some people buy preventives but don't use them, or maybe their pets spit out the chewable monthly pills. Whether your reminder system is old school, like tying a string around your finger, or more high tech (some companies have apps to remind pet owners to offer a monthly preventative, and some veterinary clinics offer reminder emails). One product, an injectable called ProHeart 6, works for six months at a time and might be an alternative for those with a history of spotty compliance.

--"Not Me" syndrome: As you read this piece, someone's pet is dying from heartworm (infected mosquitoes put the bite on pets, and eventually adult heartworm accumulate like spaghetti in the animal's pulmonary system). We all think, 'It won't happen to my pet,' But why not? It does happens to someone?s pet, daily

--Shame on veterinarians: Most dogs (64 percent) and the overwhelming majority of cats leave veterinary clinics without a heartworm preventative. Some veterinarians assume clients won't want a preventative -- perhaps believing some can't afford it or don't feel prevention is important. Or, perhaps being busy, they merely forget to talk heartworm. Just remember, your pet can't speak up, so it's up to you. If your veterinarian doesn't mention heartworm prevention, bring it up.

--Spread of disease: Due to a variety of factors, experts believe heartworm may be on the rise and could reach ridiculously out of control proportions this year. Several factors could increase the impact, starting with the rainy spring and equally as wet early summe, ideal for mosquito breeding. Micro-climates, like golf courses, retention ponds in condominium complexes, even water fountains create mosquito hatcheries (even in climates not necessarily otherwise favorable to mosquitoes).

Pet rescue organizations typically transfer dogs several states away without testing for heartworm. This is happening now, as dogs are being rescued (an otherwise good thing) from overburdened disaster areas in Oklahoma and moved around the country. The good news is, canine lives are saved via rescue groups. The bad news is, heartworm is being further spread across the country. Also, coyotes are a vector for heartworm, and their population is exploding.

--Cats, Cats, Cats: While dog visits to veterinarians may be declining, cat visits are way down. Veterinarians can't talk about heartworm or prescribe a preventative to clients they don't see. Also, people make assumptions about cats which are antiquated. The idea that cats don?t get heartworm, for example, is untrue. Today, we know cats get heartworm.

Some lucky cats never show symptoms and their immune systems knock out the disease (and because the cats aren't tested, no knows they actually had heartworm). But not all cats are so fortunate. One symptom is known as heartworm associated respiratory disease (HARD), which mimics feline asthma, which can be treated, but still impacts quality of life. Another symptom is sudden death. Heartworm disease is the number two cause of sudden death in cats (heart disease is No. 1).

It's a shame when beloved pets get sick or die of a disease that in 2013 is preventable.

Learn more by visiting the American Heartworm Society

?Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services?

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Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2013/06/heartworm-disease-tragically-pets-die-that-dont-need-to/

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