Heartworm Treatment in Danville, CA
Heartworm disease is a serious, often preventable threat to your pet’s health, and Tassajara Veterinary Clinic offers both diagnosis and treatment along with reliable prevention.
Some of the biggest threats to your pet’s health are invisible, at least from the outside. Heartworm disease is a common, potentially deadly example. These elongated worms invade your pet’s cardiopulmonary system, causing everything from gradual heart and lung failure to sudden death. The good news is that many cases can be treated, and even more can be prevented through simple, consistent measures. At Tassajara Veterinary Clinic, we offer heartworm diagnosis and treatment, along with prevention for dogs and cats.
The Dangers of Heartworm Disease
A heartworm takes many months to reach maturity. Larvae enter your pet’s bloodstream through a mosquito bite, then travel to the heart and lungs, where they grow into lengthy, spaghetti-shaped worms. Dogs can develop massive infections that interfere with heart and lung function, with symptoms including fatigue, lethargy, breathing problems, lack of appetite, and coughing. These effects can take years to progress to a fatal stage.
Cats rarely host more than a few heartworms at a time, but that doesn’t make the disease less dangerous — heartworm infection can cause sudden death even in cats that appeared otherwise healthy, because a heartworm’s death triggers a severe inflammatory reaction that can overwhelm the cat’s system. Heartworm in dogs can be treated, though the process may take several weeks and involve repeated doses of antibiotics, steroids, and arsenic-based deworming medication; if treatment isn’t entirely successful, it must be repeated. Heartworm in cats cannot be treated with medication at all, due to the danger of killing the worms inside the cat’s body — surgery is the only option, reserved for the most life-threatening cases.
Heartworm Prevention for Dogs and Cats
It’s essential to have your dog or cat checked for heartworm regularly, especially if they travel to areas where the disease is common. This is often done during a comprehensive wellness exam at our hospital. If your pet tests positive, we’ll advise you on the appropriate treatment path.
Heartworm prevention is a far easier way to keep your pet heartworm-free for life. A variety of medications work by killing the worms in their immature stages before they can develop into a serious threat, including oral or topical options such as HeartGard Plus, Advantage Multi, Interceptor, and Revolution. Our parasite prevention page covers more on keeping your pet protected year-round. It’s important to stay consistent with monthly prevention on a regular schedule.
The Place to Go for Heartworm Prevention
Tassajara Veterinary Clinic is Danville’s resource for heartworm prevention and treatment for dogs and cats. Call (925) 736-8387 to schedule this important form of care at our veterinary clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions About Heartworm
How is heartworm disease transmitted?
Heartworm larvae are transmitted through mosquito bites, so any pet exposed to mosquitoes is potentially at risk.
Is heartworm disease curable?
Heartworm in dogs can often be treated, though the process is lengthy and involves several medication rounds. Heartworm in cats cannot be treated with medication and requires surgery in the most severe cases.
How often should my pet be tested for heartworm?
Annual testing is generally recommended, often during a routine wellness exam, especially for pets that spend time outdoors.
Is heartworm prevention necessary year-round in California?
Yes, year-round prevention is generally recommended given mosquito activity in the Bay Area climate.
What are the signs my dog might have heartworm disease?
Watch for fatigue, lethargy, breathing difficulty, reduced appetite, and coughing, though early-stage heartworm often shows no symptoms at all.
Can indoor cats get heartworm disease?
Yes, indoor cats can still be bitten by mosquitoes that enter the home and are not immune to heartworm risk.
What heartworm prevention products do you recommend?
We can recommend oral or topical options such as HeartGard Plus, Advantage Multi, Interceptor, or Revolution based on your pet’s needs.
Protect your pet from heartworm disease. Schedule testing today.