Dog Heartworm
19 productsWhat Is Heartworm Disease?
As a pet parent, you've probably heard of heartworms. But understanding heartworm disease, its effect on your dog's body, and the related symptoms can play an important role in keeping your pup healthy and protected against this dangerous, sometimes life-threatening ailment.
Heartworms are transmitted in many ways, but the most common way is through biting mosquitoes. A mosquito can bite an infected animal, then do the same to your pup. From there, immature worms grow and become larvae in a matter of two weeks or less. These infective larval worms enter their host via the open mosquito bite wound, where they continue to grow for the next six months until they become mature adults. Heartworms can comfortably live inside your dog for five to seven years.
When a dog is in the early stages of a heartworm infection, there may not be any noticeable symptoms. As an infection worsens, the signs are likely to become more apparent or more severe. The most frequently-reported signs of heartworm disease include weight loss, vomiting, unwillingness to exercise, fatigue following normal activity, inappetence, and unrelenting cough.
Heartworms reside in your pup's heart, lungs, and blood vessels, where they cause harmful issues like damage to the organs, serious lung or respiratory disease, and heart failure. Heartworms reproduce rapidly inside the body. Heartworm disease is sometimes treatable, but the damage caused by these harmful parasites is lifelong. This damage will have a permanent effect on your dog's health, and heartworm disease is often fatal.
Heartworm disease is a very challenging problem to treat. The most effective way to keep your dog healthy is to keep him or her up-to-date on a heartworm preventative. Heartworm medication is a simple, yet incredibly important part of keeping your dog safe and healthy.
What Can I Do To Protect My Dog Against Heartworm Disease?
Vets are often asked why a prescription is needed for heartworm medication. Although it may be disappointing that there are no over-the-counter treatments available, the reason for this is an important one – your dog should only begin treatment with a heartworm preventative medicine when a negative heartworm test has been confirmed by your veterinarian. Dogs with existing infections must receive treatment before starting on a preventative.
Because at-home testing is not possible, a non-prescription treatment wouldn't be safe. However, a heartworm test is affordable, quick, and simple. Heartworm pills are an easy-to-administer and incredibly popular option for protecting dogs against heartworm disease.
Which Heartworm Medication Is The Best Option For My Dog?
Tractor Supply is your source for all the best medicine to keep your dog safe and heartworm-free.
- Sentinel is a tablet that works to control and remove adult roundworm and whipworm, control adult hookworm, prevent and control fleas, and prevent heartworms. These pills are a popular choice for their broad-spectrum parasite protection.
- Heartgard Plus is a heartworm treatment that not only provides protection against heartworms, but offers added hookworm and roundworm prevention. This effective, chewable treatment is a great choice if your dog is already taking a different medication for flea and tick protection (as long as your veterinarian approves both medications to be used simultaneously).
- Tri-Heart Plus is a chewable and tasty heartworm preventative that provides protection against heartworms. This medication also provides the benefits of treatment and control of hookworms and ascarids.
- Iverhart Max is a chewable heartworm preventative that eliminates heartworm larvae in the tissue stage. This medicine is a common choice among pet parents who are searching for a cheap way to keep their dogs healthy. Iverheart chews also treat and control ascarids and hookworms.
- Revolution is a topical, spot-on liquid medicine that provides complete parasite protection. This medicine is effective against sarcoptic mange, American dog ticks, ear mites, heartworms, and fleas.
- Trifexis is a heartworm and flea medicine that controls hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms; prevents heartworms; and kills fleas.
- Interceptor flavor tabs is another of the best, most affordable options for heartworm protection. These chewables prevent roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and heartworms.
Once you've received a prescription from your veterinarian, choose Tractor Supply as your ally in keeping your dog protected against heartworm disease!