Safe Solution Pet Sitters- Spring Edition

​Frodo has as important message that he wishes to bring to the attention our client’s and anyone else that wishes to learn something very important in keeping our dogs and cats safe.   * Heart worm can be detected in cats as well, but the incidence is much lower.  Heartworm prevention for cats is available as ivermectin (Heartgard for Cats), milbemycin (Interceptor), or the topical selamectin (Revolution for Cats). So, “Please take a look online, or ask your cats vet.”  I’ll let Frodo have a few words now.
 
It happened like this, Dad took me to the vet. because he was very worried about blood he found in my “stool”.  That’s what he told the doggie and kitty doctor. I think that’s pretty silly!  It’s not like I sat on it or put my legs up on it.   What I say is, “poop is poop”, and “stools are stools”!  Am I not right?  Anyways, I think that dad is getting aggravated at me ‘cause I told him to go “sit on the poop”.  Alright dad, “go sit on the chair and I’ll finish the story”.  I’ll go on with my story now.  While we were at the vets. office, she told us that Heart worm was showing up in dogs throughout the Valley.  She looked worried and so did my dad.  She said that it’s being spotted more this year, then any other that she could remember.  Dad will tell you a little more about the importance of treating your pups for heart worm.  He’s being a little testy so you better listen up good.  I thought he was going to let me tell you about my appointment.  It was ‘mine’.
 
“Thank you, Frodo for that enlightening explanation.”
It’s very important to speak to your pet’s veterinarian.  He or she can tell you much more about this terribly dangerous situation.  The following printed From, Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirofilaria_immitis Heartworm is a parasitic roundworm (Dirofilaria immitis) that is spread from host to host through the bites of mosquitoes. The heartworm is a type of filaria, a small thread-like worm. The definitive host is the dog but it can also infect cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes and other animals, such as ferrets, sea lions and even, under very rare circumstances, humans.[1] The parasite is commonly called "heartworm" because the adult reproductive stage of its life cycle resides primarily in the right ventricle of its host where it can live for many years. Heartworm infection may result in serious disease for the host.
 
Dogs show no indication of heartworm infection during the 6 month long prepatent period prior to the worms' maturation, and current diagnostic tests for the presence of microfilariae or antigens cannot detect prepatent infections. Rarely, migrating heartworm larvae get "lost" and end up in unusual sites such as the eye, brain, or an artery in the leg, which results in unusual symptoms such as blindness, seizures and lameness. But normally, until the larvae mature and congregate inside the heart, they produce no symptoms or signs of illness.
Many dogs will show little or no sign of infection even after the worms become adults. These animals usually have only a light infection and live a fairly sedentary lifestyle. However, active dogs and those with heavier infections may show the classic signs of heartworm disease. Early signs include a cough, especially on exercise and early exhaustion upon exercise. In the most advanced cases where many adult worms have built up in the heart without treatment, signs progress to severe weight loss, fainting, coughing up blood and, finally, congestive heart failure.
Preventive drugs are highly effective and when regularly administered will protect more than 99 percent of dogs and cats from heartworm. Most compromises in protection result from failure to properly administer the drugs during seasonal transmission periods.[8] In regions where the temperature is consistently above 14 °C (57 °F) year round, a continuous prevention schedule is recommended.
 
Heartworm is very preventable, but very, very deadly if not treated.