heartworms

Question
What are the symptoms of heart worms? i want to put my dog on a prevention, but the instructions say that she must not have them. she's fine and healthy looking but i want to make sure.

Answer
Hi Heidi,

Your vet has to run a blood test on your dog to find out if she's heartworm positive or negative.

There are no over the counter heartworm preventatives available, you must get a prescription from your vet, or purchase the product directly from your vet.

Acting normal is not an indication as to whether or not your dog has been infected with heartworms. The symptoms an animal shows depends on the number of worms present, the animal's reaction to their presence, and general health factors such as age, size, and obesity.
The time from initial infection with the parasite, until the young adults are sexually mature and start to produce either larva or eggs, takes about 7 months in the dog. Adult heartworms live in the dog for up to 7 years.

You can read more about Heartworms here:
http://www.ask-the-vet.com/dog-heartworm.htm

Please don't delay in having your dog tested.

Best of luck,
Patti