Time to Spring into Preventative Action

9th April 2015

After a harsh Ohio winter, warm spring weather comes as a sigh of relief: especially for pet owners! Sunshine and fresh air provide a welcoming environment for outdoor activities with your pet. Long hikes, outings at the park, and even backyard barbeques are great ways to bond with your companion animals and help them get the enrichment they need! Unfortunately, with the rise of temperature comes the increase of insects and parasites that can be very dangerous to our furry friends.

Fleas and ticks can cause serious allergic reactions and also carry many diseases, such as Lyme disease and Bartonella. Additionally, mosquitos, although small in size, are huge threat to the animal kingdom because of the ability to carry and transfer heartworms. Dirofilaria immitis, commonly referred to as heartworms, are foot-long worms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of host animals. Found in all 50 states, Heartworm disease is most prevalent in areas with dense mosquito populations. According to the latest Heartworm Incidence Survey conducted by the American Heartworm Society, three out of four veterinarians in the United States diagnosed patients with heartworm in 2013. Heartworm disease can affect dogs, cats, ferrets, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and other mammals. Dogs are the ideal host for this parasite, and as such, are the victims of potential fatal illness caused by heartworm such as severe lung disease, heart failure, damage to other organs in the body. Cats are susceptible to heartworm, however it is not as prevalent. Dogs should be tested for worms by your local vet annually, and kept on flea and heartworm preventative all year round. The best treatment for heartworm is preventative action, but thankfully most cases of heartworm can be treated if caught early enough!

Here at PAWSibilities®, Humane Society of Greater Akron, we test all of our dogs and treat those animals that would respond positively to medical care. We also keep our animals on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention all year round! We have many success stories of animals that tested heartworm positive and made a full recovery. One of our recovery patients is Juniper, a 4-5 year old pit bull mix that weighs about 55 pounds. This gorgeous little girl came to us back in March 2013 from a severe cruelty/neglect case. Heartworm positive, Juniper needed medical attention and with the help of our staff was able to make a full recovery. She is currently available for adoption and looking for her forever home!