Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.
When the adult heartworms die, they release toxins into the cat's bloodstream which cause lung damage, leading to respiratory problems or sudden death. Even the death of one worm can be fatal for a cat.
Heartworm disease can also lead to liver or kidney failure. Dogs that are exposed to a large number of infective larvae at once are at great risk of sudden death due to massive numbers of developing larvae bombarding the vascular system.
Discussion. Hemoptysis (expectoration or coughing up of blood) has been reported as a consequence of severe heartworm infection in dogs,2-6 although it remains a relatively uncommon finding. Even fewer reports exist of dogs coughing up or vomiting up adult heartworms.
Class 4 Heartworm Infection
A class four heartworm infection is also often referred to as caval syndrome in dogs. This stage is characterized by complete organ failure, and sadly most dogs with a stage four heartworm infection will end up passing away.
After treatment, the adult worms die and are carried by the blood to the lungs where they lodge in small blood vessels. There they decompose and are absorbed by the body over a period of several months. Reactions to the drugs are not uncommon, and there is always some risk involved in treating a dog for heartworms.
Is heartworm painful? - Haywood Animal Hospital. Heartworm disease can be painful if the heart is very enlarged or if the migration of the worm suddenly happens and causes some issues in the vessels.
How Long Can a Dog Live Without Heartworm Treatment? A dog can live at least six to seven months from the date of infection.
The cough associated with heartworm disease in dogs is often likened to the sound of a goose honking. If your dog tends to get into coughing fits after activity or eating, and if those coughs sound harsh and honk-like, then she may have heartworm disease or another heart related concern.
It usually takes several years before dogs show clinical signs of infection. Dogs of any age, breed or sex may be affected. The disease is rare in dogs less than one year of age, however, because the microfilariae take 5 to 7 months to mature into adult heartworms after infection.
How soon after infection will a dog show signs of heartworm? - Haywood Animal Hospital. It can take several months to start seeing actual signs, as it takes anywhere from six to eight months for the larva to reach the adult stage. It can even take up to two years to see any signs.
Some dogs may feel nauseated from their heartworms as well, and may vomit often just because they feel so sick with the disease.
Irregular breathing and coughing are normal signs of heartworm in dogs. Dogs can also experience asthmatic symptoms such as: Rapid heart rate or breathing. Excessive panting or drooling.
The good news is that your dog can be cured of heartworm disease. Treatment often includes the following: Steroids to decrease inflammation created by the worm itself. Antibiotics, such as doxycycline, to kill Wolbachia, a symbiote organism that lives within the heartworm.
As heart worm disease advances, your dog could develop heart failure and a swollen belly from the excess fluid in his abdomen. If left untreated, heart worm can be fatal. The sooner the disease is detected, the better the chances the pet will recover.
Heartworm treatment can be dangerous and difficult, especially for older dogs. The dying worms can cause significant inflammation and pulmonary thromboembolisms (i.e. clots in the lungs). Plus, the melarsomine injections can be painful and the dog must be on strict rest for months.
Keeping Your Heartworm Positive Dog Happy
Give several; short leash walks during the off-temperature times of the day. These are SHORT walks, 10 minutes max at a leisurely pace. Provide more exploration and sniffing activities than actual walking.
Physical exertion has been proven to increase complications from heartworm treatment, and there's a direct correlation between the level of activity and the severity of disease. This period of rest and recovery should start at diagnosis and continue until 6 to 8 weeks following your dog's last melarsomine injection.
Symptoms of heartworm disease can include:
Coughing or difficulty breathing. Weight loss. Sudden collapse. Increased thirst (due to kidney disease)
If owners can't afford treatment at the time of diagnosis, Dr. Herrin recommended delaying melarsomine therapy but still initiating treatment with both a preventive and doxycycline. This will prevent further infection and remove the dog as a heartworm reservoir.
Prognosis: heartworm treatment success rates
With the three-dose adulticide protocol described above, in conjunction with doxycycline and macrocyclic lactones as recommended by the American Heartworm Society, 98% of dogs will be cleared of heartworm infection.
Heartworms in cats may even migrate to other parts of the body, such as the brain, eye and spinal cord. Severe complications such as blood clots in the lungs and lung inflammation can result when the adult worms die in the cat's body.