Do you have a dog? If so think about dog heartworm. Dog heartworm is a disease common in canines throughout most of the United States. It is caused by a nematode (roundworm) that belongs to the family Filariidae. The worm, discovered in 1856 by the American parasitologist Joseph Leidy, has been given the scientific name Dirofilaria immitis. The adult worms live primarily in the heart and large vessels of the lungs. Adult female Dirofilaria measure from 9 to 16 inches in length. The males are a little more than half as long and are characterized by the cork screw turns of the posterior end often referred to as the “pigtail.”

Both male and female live within the chambers of’ the heart, usually extending through the valves. The worms prohibit proper valve closure as blood is pumped from one chamber to the next, seriously impairing the operation of the heart. In heavy infestations the worms migrate up the pulmonary artery and clog the blood vessels of the lungs. The results are loss of body weight, dropsy, chronic cough, shortness of breath, muscular weakness, disturbances of vision, chronic heart failure, and eventual death.

 Not nice at all, so do make sure your dog see’s the Vet on a regular basis.

Bye.