How to Kill Adult Heart Worms in Dogs
Heart worms are transmitted to dogs through mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites a dog, heart worm larvae travel through the dog's blood until they reach the heart or lungs, where the larvae mature into adults. Adult heart worms damage blood vessels and impede the heart's ability to pump blood. A dog infected by adult heart worms will tire easily, stop eating, and have trouble breathing. If untreated, heart worm disease can be fatal. Treatment involves two or three injections of an organic arsenical compound and is referred to as adulticide therapy.
Instructions
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Administer heparin 24 hours before adulticide therapy to prevent blood clotting.
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Admit the dog to an animal hospital for the two-dose therapy. Treatment requires at least 24 hours of hospitalization.
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Administer two intramuscular injections, 24 hours apart, of melarsomine dihydrochloride into the lower back muscles of the dog. This should be executed by a medical professional.
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Confine the dog indoors and limit its exercise for at least one month. This will reduce the risks of possible embolisms.
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Tips & Warnings
You may want to give the dog pain medication to ease the soreness of the injection. Place a warm compress on the site of the injection to prevent an abscess from forming. Depending on the severity of the dog's heart worm infection, you can choose either the two-dose or three-dose therapy. If the dog's heart and lungs are riddled with heart worms, the three-dose therapy is necessary.
After treatment, embolisms are the greatest risk to the dog's health. As the worms die, they come loose in the dog's heart and can block blood vessels. If the dog has a cough, fever, or blood in his saliva, return immediately to an animal hospital for emergency care.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Marek Novotny
