What is Heartworm?
Heartworm disease is caused by the parasitic roundworm known as Dirofilaria Immitis. A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense. Over 70 species of mosquitos can serve as an intermediate host of which the most common carriers would be the Aedes, Anopheles and Culex. It is commonly diagnosed in dogs but can also affect cats as well as ferrets. Infections are also possible in wild animals such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, California gray seals, sea lions and raccoons. On rare occasions, dog heartworms will infect human beings. The parasite, Dirofilaria immitis, is spread dog to dog by mosquitoes. When a mosquito obtains a blood meal from an infected dog and then goes on to bite the owner, it is common for some of the heartworm larva to be transferred to the human. Therefore, Heartworm Disease can be considered zoonotic (Diseases passed from animals to man). In a normal person, the body’s immune system quickly recognizes the parasite and destroys it. In rare instances, however, the larval heartworm manages to migrate to the person’s lungs where the dying parasite stimulates an inflammatory lesion called a “coin lesion”. There have been 100 known cases in the United …show more content…
At one point it was mostly confined to the southern states. But cases of this infection have been found in all 50 states and are considered to be regionally endemic. The severity and frequency of the infection is known to vary among the various groups of dogs, but pet owners need to consider a surveillance and prevention program no matter what type of dog. The parasite is commonly called “heartworm”. It gets its name from the location where it is found most often; the heart. Nevertheless, it has been known to be in the pulmonary arterial system (lung arteries) and can have further damaging affects to lung vessels and
Heartworm disease is caused by the parasitic roundworm known as Dirofilaria Immitis. A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense. Over 70 species of mosquitos can serve as an intermediate host of which the most common carriers would be the Aedes, Anopheles and Culex. It is commonly diagnosed in dogs but can also affect cats as well as ferrets. Infections are also possible in wild animals such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, California gray seals, sea lions and raccoons. On rare occasions, dog heartworms will infect human beings. The parasite, Dirofilaria immitis, is spread dog to dog by mosquitoes. When a mosquito obtains a blood meal from an infected dog and then goes on to bite the owner, it is common for some of the heartworm larva to be transferred to the human. Therefore, Heartworm Disease can be considered zoonotic (Diseases passed from animals to man). In a normal person, the body’s immune system quickly recognizes the parasite and destroys it. In rare instances, however, the larval heartworm manages to migrate to the person’s lungs where the dying parasite stimulates an inflammatory lesion called a “coin lesion”. There have been 100 known cases in the United …show more content…
At one point it was mostly confined to the southern states. But cases of this infection have been found in all 50 states and are considered to be regionally endemic. The severity and frequency of the infection is known to vary among the various groups of dogs, but pet owners need to consider a surveillance and prevention program no matter what type of dog. The parasite is commonly called “heartworm”. It gets its name from the location where it is found most often; the heart. Nevertheless, it has been known to be in the pulmonary arterial system (lung arteries) and can have further damaging affects to lung vessels and