Your Clifton, NJ Vet Provides Heartworm Prevention Products

A serious, potentially fatal parasitical infection targeting the heart and lungs of dogs, cats, and many other animals, heartworm is transmitted by mosquitos carrying heartworm larvae. Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms while cats are considered "atypical" hosts for heartworms, meaning most feline heartworms do not live long enough to become adult heartworms. During the first six to eight months of a canine heartworm infection, dogs often present no symptoms indicating they have heartworms. The only way to determine if your dog has heartworms is to take him to your veterinarian in Clifton, New Jersey for testing and if needed, treatment.

Why Heartworm Prevention is Essential to Your Pet's Long-Term Health

Heartworm infections are particularly insidious because they do not cause noticeable symptoms until the disease has progressed. Coughing frequently and lack of energy are two possible signs of heartworm disease, followed quickly by weight loss, coughing up blood, general weakness and eventually, heart failure. Currently, the only anti-heartworm medication available is melarsomine (brand name Immiticide®) which needs to be injected into the animal's back muscles by your Clifton veterinarian. Melarsomine injections are painful enough to require administration of pain-relieving or numbing agents to help reduce the animal's discomfort

Heartworm prevention medication protects your pet from the severe damage heartworms can do to their heart and lungs. You will need your veterinarian in Clifton, NJ to write a prescription for your pet's medication. 

Call Valley Animal Hospital Today! 

Don't let your pet become a victim of heartworm-infected mosquito bites this spring and summer. Call Valley Animal Hospital today at (973) 509-5225 to learn more about heartworm prevention, medicine, or to schedule an appointment.