Pippi turns 1
HAVE you just celebrated your fur babies first birthday? Congratulations! That adorable little clumsy, sleepy puppy is now growing up to be an irreplaceable member of your family.
If your dog is now aged 12 -15months old, you will have received a letter from our vet reminding you of the next steps for annual follow up care.
Follow up care is essential; you may be unaware of some of preventable diseases that if ignored can have serious consequences for your best furry friend.
Canine Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal yet easily preventable disease of dogs. Don’t panic! This is an easy disease to prevent by using daily or monthly therapy or an annual injection. It is necessary to have an open discussion with your vet and review your pup’s history before starting heartworm treatment.
If your dog is older than six months and has not previously been on preventative therapy, the preventative medication given to dogs already infected with heartworm can be life threatening. A blood test is recommended to ensure your dog is free of heartworm before medication is given.
The disease usually develops in dogs which are between four and 8-years-old (after having heartworm for several years) signs of the disease include decreased tolerance to exercise, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, abdominal swelling, and weight loss. The heartworm causes damage to the heart by restricting blood flow, damaging the heart valves. The total amount of blood the heart can pump is reduced, forcing the heart and lungs to work harder than normal to compensate.
Adult heartworms live in the hearts of infected dogs, and they produce large numbers of larvae which circulate through the bloodstream. Larvae grow to become adult worms over a 6 month period.thanks to Dubbo’s mosquito population heartworm is relatively common in Dubbo. Surveys conducted by Duncan Mcginness Veterinary Surgery since April 1993 show that 1 in 7 dogs tested were infected. Due to the wide use of heartworm preventions, this number has reduced dramatically.