(PHOTO: Danny Phantom, one of the SPCA’s current adoptable heartworm positive dogs)
Heartworms. That one word is enough to change a potential adopter’s mind from a “yes” to a “no” in the span of two syllables. And we get it! This disease is uncharted territory for many pet owners and adopters, and the word itself sounds scary and expensive to treat. When it comes to the matters of the heart (emotionally & physically) many people tend to become cautious. However, all it takes is a little understanding to realize heartworms are not a death sentence and are treatable!
April is National Heartworm Awareness Month. As such, I hope to ease your mind with the facts of heartworm disease – a topic that is much more prevalent in the south as you will come to learn.
First and foremost, what are heartworms? The American Heartworm Society states, heartworms are “caused by foot-long worms that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels of affected pets.” A pet becomes infected when a mosquito bites an infected dog, becomes a host for the heartworms and then bites another pup. With the south trending warmer with more mosquitos, dogs left unprotected are at risk of heartworms.
If infected and left untreated, this can cause severe damage to the heart and other organs and may turn fatal. As serious as protecting your pets should be taken, there is a silver lining if you are to find out your pup is heartworm positive, which you can test for just $25 at the SPCA’s Veterinary Care Center. Heartworms are treatable but should be caught as early as possible. Once treated, many dogs go on to live a normal, happy & healthy life free from heartworms.
There are two types of treatment – fast- & slow-kill. The method in which your veterinarian may suggest for your pet depends on the stage if heartworms, the health of your pet and cost. For many, the choice of the fast-kill method, which consists of injections that eliminate new heartworms from being produced, is ideal though more expensive than the slow-kill method.
Prevention is always best when it comes to the quality of life and health of your companions, as well as cost. The cost, which is much cheaper than the cost of treatment, depends on the weight of your pup and can be purchased every month or in a 6-month supply. This prevention needs to be taken exactly 30-days apart to prevent any lapse in protection.
The SPCA’s Veterinary Care Center offers heartworm prevention to clients. To establish your furry friend at the Vet Care Center and start protecting them from preventable health issues like heartworms, visit us for walk-ins Tuesday – Friday from 1pm to 4pm or Saturday 8am to noon.
With heartworm prevention, the chances of your pet becoming infected is virtually zero. However, many heartworm companies, like Heartgard, will pay for treatment if they do somehow test positive while using their product with documentation of regular prevention.
At the SPCA Albrecht Center, we do tend to see more cases of heartworms as many of our dogs come to us as strays, having lived outdoors during seasons when mosquitos were abundant and who have never received preventative. Our hope is that we can continue to educate our community about heartworms so that heartworm positive dogs are no longer seen as less adoptable. The best news about adopting a heartworm positive dog from the SPCA Albrecht Center is that we cover the cost of treatment, if the adopter follows the treatment protocols, and you are able to give them a second chance at a happy, healthy life!
Join us on Saturday, April 2nd to learn more about heartworms and the importance of heart health in your canine companions. We will be hosting a “Spring Into Heart Health” Lunch & Learn with SPCA Vet Tech Tracey Tate from 1:30pm to 2:30pm at 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken inside the Marr Education Center (attached to the SPCA’s shelter). Lunch will be provided thanks to the support of Boehringer-Ingelheim. This event is FREE to the public, but we are requesting a can of dog food (Pedigree preferred) as an admission “fee.”
Ages 12+ are welcome to join us. Let us know you’re coming by! Fill out our online registration form: LetLoveLive.org/event/heart-health. The first 50 participants to register will receive a free heartworm test coupon from Idexx to be used at the SPCA Albrecht Center’s Veterinary Care Center. This event is proudly supported by Idexx.
Claire Roberson has been with the SPCA Albrecht Center as the Communications Director for over five years, working in marketing, grant writing & media correspondence. She attended College of Charleston, where she graduated with a degree in Nonprofit Business & interned with Charleston Animal Society, the leader in the No-Kill South Carolina initiative. She is proud to be working for her hometown’s only nonprofit, no kill animal shelter. Outside of work, Claire enjoys the arts, snuggling with her cat Anakin and pursuing ways to make the world a better place.
The SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare is a private, nonprofit, no kill animal shelter in Aiken, SC. The SPCA also operates a local Thrift Store (“Where Shopping Saves Lives”), a public, affordable Veterinary Care Center & a Dog Park. It is our mission to improve the lives of companion animals by rehoming abused, abandoned, and neglected pets while fighting for their well-being through vigorous legislative efforts, humane education, and by offering affordable veterinary care for all.
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