News About Treating Heartworm Disease

Blogs come and go I am certain, but I am hoping there are a few out there that check me out on this blog occassionally.  Check my grammer and spelling, see what I have been up to, any cool cases, and hopefully check for some get advise about keeping your pets healthy.  So far, I haven't many followers, nor have I received any 'likes', comments, etc.  Just so that I don't feel totally down hearted or unappreciated I am humbly asking those of you that do come to check this blog out, please become a follower and please leave comments or input so that I know you are listening.  Meade is starting to think I am boring and unexciting.

So, what is this about Heartworm disease treatment?  I am going out on a limb here; I am going to assume  you know that heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos, heartworms live in heart and lungs and will lead to heart damage and congestive heart failure.  I am also going to assume you know that giving your dog one heartworm prevention pill every 30 days will prevent this from occurring and you should give these pills year round.  As a veterinarian, I would much rather prevent any disease than treat one.  Financially speaking it is more economical for you to think in this manner, and healthier for your dog.  However, there are many dog owner that do not use heartworm prevention, and sometimes we forget to give it (me included), leaving our dogs vulnerable to infection.   

The ACC tests approximately 300 dogs/year (not nearly as many as we would like seen done).  Of these 300 tested, approximately 10% (30 dogs) tested positive for heartworm disease.  Of these 30 dogs only 13% (4 dogs) received treatment to eliminate the worms from their heart, leaving the remaining 87% to live with their infection and eventually die from congestive heart failure.  

Treating heartworm disease has always been risky and expensive.  While the majority of dogs treated for heartworms tolerate the therapy well, the damage done to the heart is permanent and still leaves the dog at risk for congestive heart failure.  One very good reason to have your dog on year round prevention.  In 2010, Merial, the company that manufactures the drug (Immiticide) used for treating heartworm disease announced the active ingredient in the drug was no longer available and that Immiticide would be sold to veterinarians based greatest need.  This restriction has left many dogs untreated.  The manufacturing shortage has not been resolved.  This week I have received notice that we can no longer get Immiticide, stores have been depleted.  We do not know how long this problem will exist.  

There are some therapeutic measures that veterinarians can still implement.  However, we cannot treat our patients to eliminate the heartworms.  I encourage every dog owner to not only have their dogs tested (even if they are on prevention), but also have them tested and put on prevention.  I really dread telling any dog owner that their beloved family pet has heartworm disease and that I cannot cure them, I can only prevent further infection and hope that the Immiticide will become available again sometime in the near future.  As the saying goes, PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.  In this case, it is worth NO CURE.