What is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease is characterised by an infestation of heartworm in the heart and main blood vessels of the lungs of animals. Heartworms are large parasites (up to 30cm long in dogs); they are spread between infected dogs and cats by mosquitoes.
A mosquito bites an infected animal and ingests the immature heartworms (microfilariae) with blood. The microfilariae mature in the mosquito over a 2-3 week period and are transferred to another animal when the mosquito feeds again. The worms migrate from the site of the mosquito bite to the vessels of the heart and lungs, where they develop into sexually mature worms by 7 months after infection.

Why is Heartworm Disease dangerous?
Heartworm infection can cause serious and life-threatening illness, and treatment can have serious complications. Heartworms interfere with the blood circulation to the heart and lungs, and cause damage to the surrounding tissues, eventually leading to heart failure. Many infected pets do not show symptoms until the disease is well advanced. Clinical signs of heartworm infection in dogs are related to blockage and weakening of the blood vessels. They include persistent coughing, laboured breathing, general lethargy and tiring easily after exercise, a swollen belly, collapse and sometimes death. Treatment for the condition is both expensive and traumatic for the animal - and may not reverse some of the damage already caused by the heartworm. Prevention is very definitely better than cure!

Are all dogs at risk?
Heartworm infection is not limited to areas where mosquitos are in high concentrations. It only takes one infected pet moving into a new area to introduce the infective larvae. Mosquitos from can bite puppies and kittens soon after birth, so it is important to use a heartworm preventative from the recommended age of 6 weeks, to control infections acquired earlier.

How is Heartworm Disease diagnosed?
Your veterinarian can test for heartworm infection performing blood test in a standard consultation. The test involves taking a very small amount of blood from the cephalic vein and a result is known in about 5 minutes. This should be done periodically to ensure that your preventative program is effective. Ask your veterinarian for more information.

How does HEARTGOLD prevent Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm prevention is very straightforward. Heartgold Chewable is given once a month, as a meaty chewable treat that your pets will readily accept from the hand. The active ingredient works by killing any immature heartworm larvae in the circulatory system, hence preventing infestation by adult heartworm and transmission to other animals.

How do I remember my pet’s monthly HEARTGOLD dose?
The easiest way to remember your pet’s monthly Heartworm treatment is to administer at the first or last day of each month, or a day of the month that is easy to remember.

When should Heartworm prevention start?
Ideally from 6 weeks of age, or around the time of their first vaccination, consult your veterinarian for further advice. The use of a monthly chewable preventative for the duration of your pet's life will ensure that it is 100% protected against heartworm infection and disease. Monthly preventatives have a very wide safety margin so there is no risk to your pet. If your dog is older than six months of age and has not already started on heartworm prevention, a blood test will be necessary before starting these preventatives to ensure that your dog is not already infected.

What if I forget a monthly dose?
Giving your pet it’s monthly preventative for up to 2 weeks after the scheduled date will not damage the effectiveness of your preventative program, providing that you resume the monthly program straight away. If treatment is missed for a longer period, consult your veterinarian.

Do “Allwormers” Prevent Heartworm?
No, not all wormers prevent heartworm so please check read the label carefully, or check with your veterinarian to ensure that you are using a heartworm preventative product.