How Do Dogs Get Heartworms?
Heartworms invade a dog's heart and surrounding vessels, including the lungs. Dogs are infected with heartworms when they are bitten by a mosquito carrying infective larvae. The worm requires both the dog and the mosquito to complete its life cycle.
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Adult Heatrworm
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The adult heartworm can live up to seven years in the dog's heart. During this time the females produces millions of babies (microfilaria), which live in the bloodstream.
Microfilaria
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The female mosquito bites an infected dog and ingests the microfilaria during her meal. The microfilaria remain in the mosquito for 10 to 14 days, where they develop into infective larvae.
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The Mosquito
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The infective larvae then travel back to the mosquito's mouth. When the mosquito bites another dog, she deposits the infective larvae into this dog's body tissue.
Infective Larvae
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The infective larvae migrate through the dog's tissue and into the bloodstream. As they travel to the heart, they molt and continue to grow.
Adult Heartworm
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The microfilaria infiltrate the heart and surrounding vessels where they remain. They reach sexual maturity in about six months, and the cycle begins again.
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