AS THE (HEART) WORM TURNS
by Rikki Schmidt

There's a lot about Arizona we can brag about to friends who live elsewhere; lots of sunshine, low humidity, no pesky daylight savings time. But one of the greatest benefits was what we didn't have ... mosquitoes! Last winter's rains however; along with an increasing number of man-made water features and stagnant swimming pools in foreclosed homes, have resulted in a glut of mosquitoes. This means more than just running out and buying a big flyswatter.

Mosquitoes mean heartworm, and heartworm means big trouble for dogs. An increasing number of heartworm cases are now being diagnosed in dogs throughout Arizona including Queen Creek and San Tan Valley.

Heartworm is a very serious and often fatal disease that is transmitted between dogs via mosquitoes. It only takes one infected dog and a cooperating mosquito to put other dogs at risk. The disease is caused by a parasitic worm that, in its adult stage, lives in the heart and the major artery to the lungs. Heartworm is not transmitted by blood transfusions and is seldom found in people but there have been occasional cases where cats have contracted it.

Unfortunately, heartworm can be present for a number of years before any symptoms are noticed, and by that time the disease is well advanced. Signs of heartworm in a dog may include coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and weight loss. The only way to know if your pet is infected is to have a blood test done. If the test is negative then your dog can be placed on preventative treatment that consists of an easy to administer once-a-month chewable tablet.

If, unfortunately, a dog tests positive for heartworm, the treatment is very expensive, lengthy, unpleasant, and may come too late to save your pet. And no dog is really safe. Even if your area is considered relatively mosquito-free, you can put your pet at risk if you take your dog with you when you go hiking, camping or fishing.

So, get your dog tested for heartworm and begin the year round preventative regimen. Then all you'll have to worry about from mosquitoes is that annoying, buzzing sound that keeps you up all night... oh yes, and West Nile Virus..( to be continued)