HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The veterinarians at Apple Lane Animal Hospital have seen three heartworm-positive dogs in the last 10 days.
Dr. Erica Miller outlined the importance of preventative care.
"Once the heartworms get into the heart, they can spill over into the lungs," Miller said. "The damage they cause on the heart and lungs, I can't fix that."
She says treatment will get rid of any existing heartworms and prevent any further damage. However, "we can see dogs that go into congestive heart failure and have other issues even post-treatment," Miller said.
Dr. Randall Smith remembers when the animal hospital would see 130 to 150 dogs a year with heartworms. Smith says three cases in the last week-and-a-half are actually rare. He says the advent of monthly preventatives provided a better heartworm kill.
"You never know when the mosquitoes are going to be out," Smith said. "Now you've got the benefit that a lot of these heartworm preventions will do great jobs for intestinal parasites."
Dr. Smith says the dogs sometimes throw a wrench in an owner's best-laid plans.
"Sometimes you just don't know the dog," Smith said. "The dog may go outside and throw it (the heartworm pill) up. It may swallow it whole, it doesn't completely dissolve."
Smith pointed out the many variables and remembered one dog that hoarded its pills.
"Twenty-five, 30 years ago, we had a dog that came up heartworm-positive and they (the owners) were upset because they had been giving him the medicine. They were consistent, they never missed a month. Then they went home and rearranged the furniture, and underneath one of the chairs," Smith said with a chuckle, "was 10 of the 12 heartworm preventions. The dog would take them under there and spit them out."
Smith says mosquitoes are on the prowl when the weather is 50 degrees and above. She encourages dog owners to use preventative care year-round.
Smith says the current heartworm cases indicate dogs that were infected last spring or summer.
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