Heartworm Positive Dogs

Every dog that comes to Cascades Humane Society is tested for heartworm disease. CHS currently has four dogs that have tested positive. Heartworm is a parasite that gets into a dog through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Once a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, it takes about 7 months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. They lodge in the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels and reproduce. Adult worms can grow up to 12 inches long, can live 5-7 years, and a dog can have as many as 250 worms in its system.

Initially, there are no symptoms, but as more worms crowd the heart and lungs, most dogs will develop a cough. As it progresses, they won’t be able to exercise as much and will become winded easier. With severe heartworm disease, dogs can pass out from the loss of blood to the brain. Eventually, most dogs will die if the worms are not treated. This is why heartworm prevention is so important (please talk to your veterinarian to learn more about options).

Heartworm treatment includes an injectable drug given 2 or 3 times that will kill the adult heartworms in the blood vessels of the heart. The treatment can cost hundreds of dollars per dog, as the dosing is dependent on the dog’s size. The larger the dog, the more expensive the treatment. The cost of providing heartworm treatment for dogs can greatly stress CHS’s financial resources.

It is not uncommon for CHS to see some heartworm positive dogs this time of the year (infected last year’s spring and summer), but this year CHS is seeing more than normal. CHS has already treated several large dogs this year, not including these four pictured.

Please consider making a Donation to help CHS care for these dogs. Your support will allow us to treat these dogs while tending to the needs of our other animals.

Each of the dogs pictured here are available for foster, with the intent to adopt after the treatment is over. If you are interested, please call us at 517-787-7387 or come in anytime Tuesday through Saturday, 12 noon to 6pm to meet them!

Sincerely,
Heather Leszczynski
Executive Director