Heartworm is a serious illness and can make your pet very sick. Investing in heartworm prevention is an investment in your pet's health. If you are looking for a veterinarian in Denville, NJ, All Creatures Great and Small Animal Hospital and Urgent Care offer all the services that you are looking for. Heartworms can infect dogs, cats, and ferrets. The disease is the result of a bite from an infected mosquito. It is not passed from one pet to another. The best thing you can do for your pets is to make sure that they never get heartworm.
Dogs
Dogs are the ideal host for heartworms. When a dog gets infected, the heartworms mature to adults, mate, and produce more heartworms. If the disease is not diagnosed and treated, it can multiply and end up numbering in the hundreds. They cause damage to the lungs, heart, and arteries. Your dog's health will be affected and the results can last long after the heartworms have been removed. Prevention is the best option.
Cats
Cats have a much different reaction to heartworm from dogs. Cats are not the ideal host, and most heartworms don't survive to adulthood. When a cat has adult heartworms, it is only one to three and many have no adults, but it is important to realize that even immature heartworms are capable of causing great damage. There is no medication to treat an infected cat, so prevention is the only option.
Ferrets
Heartworm disease in ferrets is an odd mix of the reaction of a dog and a cat. They are very susceptible, like dogs, but usually have smaller numbers of heartworms, like a cat. The effect can still be devastating since ferrets have such small hearts. There is only one treatment to prevent the disease in ferrets and it is a monthly topical medicine.
As part of your regular yearly well pet exam, talk to your veterinarian about heartworm prevention. They can do the blood test that you need to make sure your pet is heartworm free and then recommend the type of heartworm prevention that is best for you.
Schedule an Appointment with Our Veterinarian for Heartworm Prevention in Denville, NJ
If you are looking for heartworm prevention, At All Creatures Great and Small Animal Hospital and Urgent Care, we have a veterinarian in Denville, NJ to provide you with the help that you are looking for. Call us at (973) 625-3641 for more information or to schedule an appointment.