Intestinal Parasites

In our area of Colorado, the most common intestinal parasites include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms and giardia. Usually, these parasites do not cause external symptoms in pets, so we recommend yearly testing.

Heartworms in Cats:

Heartworm in cats is very, very rare in Colorado. We do not test or put cats on monthly heartworm preventative due to this. If you have any questions or concerns regarding heartworm disease and your cat, please call us - we will be happy to discuss it with you.

How is Heartworm disease diagnosed?

Heartworm disease is most commonly diagnosed by a small blood test that checks for a toxin (heartworm antigen) that generates a positive result. Sometimes, there may be too few heartworms to cause a positive result because the infection isn’t generating enough antigen to be detected by the test. At this time, more serious blood testing, including testing of the CBC and thyroid levels, may be required. In other cases, radiographs of the heart or an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) are the only way to diagnose heartworm disease. Heartworm disease can only be detected about 6 months after being infected. When the heartworms become sexually mature and start to mate, the larvae (also called microfilariae) can be identified via a blood test.

At Mandalay Animal Hospital, we run a heartworm testing special during the month of April. Our technicians draw about 10 drops of blood from your animal and run a test in-house; the test only takes about 10 minutes. If the test comes back negative (i.e. no evidence of microfilariae), we send you home with preventative to start the first of May and encourage you to continue giving it through October. As we live in Colorado and experience winters, our heartworm season is primarily May - October, when mosquitos are active. Once we have our first frost (usually October or so), the mosquitos recede until the next spring. Testing in April allows us the chance to catch any positive dogs that might have been infected during the past spring and summer.

OTHER SERVICES:

External Parasites

Fleas and ticks are the most prevalent external parasites in Colorado. They can be passed from animal to animal, or picked up from the environment. Found in many open spaces, dog parks and some backyards, humans can even bring them into the home on their shoes and clothing. Fleas and ticks cause symptoms such as hair loss, constant itching, allergies, skin infections and anemia. Left untreated, fleas and ticks can also transfer other parasites, such as tapeworms, and cause serious health problems, such as Lyme’s Disease, Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

The key to blocking fleas and ticks from infecting your animal is strict adherence to a monthly veterinarian-recommended preventative plan. Here at Mandalay Animal Hospital, we prescribe NexGard and Frontline for prevention and treatment for fleas and ticks for dogs and cats.

Heartworms in Dogs:

Heartworm disease didn’t used to be very common in Colorado; however, it is on the rise as more heartworm-positive animals move to Colorado. Heartworm is transmitted when a mosquito bites a heartworm-positive animal and then bites your pet. The mosquito lays infected eggs onto the skin of your pet; these eggs then enter the body through the bite wound and mature into larvae that work their way through your animal until they land in the heart, lungs and blood vessels. The larvae mature into foot-long worms over the next six months. Once mature, they can live five to seven years inside your dog. Dogs are natural hosts for heartworms, meaning that heartworms that live inside them mature into adults, mate and produce offspring. If left untreated, dogs can have hundreds of worms living in their body at once.

During the six months or so from when the eggs are deposited on your pet to when they become sexually mature, symptoms are rarely seen or not seen at all. The longer the heartworms go undiagnosed, the greater chance symptoms will start to emerge. Dogs that are especially active, heavily infected with heartworms, or dogs that have other health problems show unmistakable symptoms. Symptoms in dogs include:

• Mild, persistent cough

• Reluctance to exercise

• Fatigue after mild to moderate activity

• Decreased appetite

• Weight loss

When heartworm disease goes untreated, the symptoms begin to worsen. Dogs may experience heart failure, as well as the appearance of a swollen belly as fluid collects in the abdomen. Dogs with an abundance of heartworms can develop blood flow blockages in the heart leading to cardiovascular collapse.

The good news for heartworm disease in dogs is that most cases can be successfully treated. It is a slow treatment process, taking a minimum of 9 months from start to finish; if your dog has other health problems, it may take longer. In addition to being a long and slow-moving process, it is also expensive. Treatment includes exercise restrictions, administration of medication intravenously and repeated bloodwork. Dogs that have been treated for heartworm disease should be on heartworm preventative year-round afterwards.

The best option to avoid heartworm disease for your dog is yearly testing and administration of heartworm preventative on a monthly basis. At Mandalay Animal Hospital, we encourage the use of HeartGard Plus.