22/11/2019
Confirmed case of heartworm in Werribee!
Recently Dr Sam saw a dog who had moved down from Queensland a few months ago and is now suffering breathing problems. He showed signs of heart-failure (weak pulses, breathing difficulty and a distended abdomen). Since he was a young dog and had come from QLD, heartworm was a possible cause and so we performed the quick and easy bench-side blood test for heartworm, which confirmed he was positive for the adult worms, likely causing his heart troubles.
Heartworm is a serious disease which is difficult and expensive to treat but easily prevented using monthly treatments or a convenient annual injection. It is also not easy to diagnose, often not diagnosed until there are several adult worms in the heart or blood vessels causing severe disease. Although it is more common in Queensland and New South Wales, there have been many confirmed cases in Victoria, including cases in wild foxes in the west of the state.
It is spread by mosquitoes, the main species of which is most active during daylight and in built-up areas, the same mosquito that spreads dengue fever and Zika virus to people. These mosquitoes are more common in tropical areas but are present further south and with climate change, heartworm is likely to become as big a problem here as it is in Queensland and Northern Territory.
We recommend giving Proheart SR-12, a long-lasting injection given annually to adult dogs to prevent heartworm, not only because of the convenience but also because missing a dose of the monthly preventative, or even giving it late, may allow a period of risk of infection. If you would like more information on heartworm or would like to book your dog for the heartworm injection please call the clinic on (03) 9741 6677.
