Heartworm prevalence in Australia Queensland and New South Wales are considered to be areas of higher risk whereas rates in South Australia are low (4,5). Dogs and cats living in rural areas are more at risk of infection than their urban counterparts (6).
Heartworm disease, as the name suggests, are worms that infect the heart. In Australia, the prevalence of heartworm disease is highest in subtropical/tropical areas (Darwin up to 100%, Brisbane 34%) and northern temperate areas (Sydney 25%). Dogs are the most important hosts, but cats may also be susceptible.
Heartworm in dogs is prevalent across Australia and can be a serious and potentially fatal condition. Knowing how to prevent heartworm is essential for all dog owners. Luckily, there is plenty you can do to keep your pooch safe and healthy.
Urban areas such as Seattle Boise, Idaho in the Northwest; Bismarck, North Dakota in the Upper Midwest; and Tucson, Arizona, in the Southwest also saw significant increases in heartworm rates.
Background. Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in dogs is considered endemic in Australia, but the clinical heartworm disease caused by the heartworm is rare and prevalence is low.
The five states with the highest incidence of heartworm were Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Alabama. In Mississippi, almost 10% of dogs tested for heartworms were heartworm positive in 2019; in Louisiana, just under 8% of dogs tested were positive.
In Melbourne, this is a low risk disease. If infected and not treated, it is usually fatal.
In Queensland, recent reports have shown a high prevalence of heartworm in shelter dogs 5.8% in Southern Qld, 8.7% in Central Qld and 31.8% in Northern Qld, pig hunting dogs 21% in Central Qld.
The most convenient and effective heartworm prevention is a yearly injection administered by your veterinarian. This can be given from 12 weeks of age, then boosted at 6 months.
The prevalence of heartworm infection in dogs is significant in the Sydney region. Treatment is expensive and not always successful. There is a range of heartworm preventatives available including tablets and spot-on treatments. These need to be given regularly every month to prevent infection.
Up to 20 percent of mosquitoes carry immature heartworms. This is why heartworm disease is much more common in the South, including the Lowcountry, even in indoor-only pets. In this region, more than 50 cases of heartworm disease are diagnosed each year in the average veterinary clinic.
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease seen in all mainland states of Australia. Dogs are more susceptible to heartworm infestation than cats, and heartworm disease also tends to be more severe in dogs.
Background Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in dogs is considered endemic in Australia, but the clinical heartworm disease caused by the heartworm is rare and prevalence is low. The mainstream prevention of the heartworm is based on macrocyclic lactone (ML) administration.
While the risk of heartworm is more prevalent in spring and summer when there are more mosquitos, a pet can get heartworm any time of year.
Dogs become infected with heartworms through mosquito bites, so if you live in a climate with cold late autumns and winters, why worry about giving your dog preventive medication every single month of the year?
If you forget a month of preventative, make sure to give the next 2 doses on time to "catch up" for that missed month. If you miss several months in a row, you should give your vet a call for advice on when to plan for the next heartworm test and how to get started back on preventatives.
They can be controlled naturally with citrus oils, cedar oils, and diatomaceous earth. Dogs needing conventional treatment may benefit from herbs such as milk thistle and homeopathics such as berberis; these minimize toxicity from the medications and dying heartworms.
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.
Although there are fewer mosquitoes in the winter, there is still a risk that your pet could get heartworms if you stop giving heartworm prevention medication during this season. That's one reason veterinarians strongly recommend pets receive heartworm prevention medication year-round.
No one wants to hear that their dog has heartworm, but the good news is that most infected dogs can be successfully treated. The goal is to first stabilize your dog if he is showing signs of disease, then kill all adult and immature worms while keeping the side effects of treatment to a minimum.
A. There's no question that heartworm disease is more common in some areas than others, and the states with the highest percentages of positive cases continue to be in the Southeastern and Gulf Coast regions, where the climate creates ideal conditions for heartworm transmission.
For this reason, we only need to protect our pets during the summer months, providing that they don't travel to anywhere warm during the winter months. We protect our pets from May or June 1st – November 1st each year to keep them heartworm free. DO I NEED A HEARTWORM TEST FOR MY PET EVERY YEAR?
Heartworm is present throughout most of Australia (except Tasmania and arid areas.
Because heartworms must be eliminated before they reach this adult stage, it is extremely important that heartworm preventives be administered strictly on schedule (monthly for oral and topical products and every 6 months or 12 months for the injectable).
Heartworm disease is treatable, especially if it's in the early stages, but let me be clear—it is not very fun. You have to do an injection into the spinal muscles in the dog. We typically do three injections, one on the first day, then one a month later, and one a day later.