Heartworm Research Paper

Heartworms are parasitic worms that live in the heart of a dog and is found in areas where mosquitos are prevalent, such as waterways, and coastlines. These worms are called heartworms because the adults live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of an infected animal.Heartworms are common in dogs throughout the United States . It matures into adults and produce offsprings while living inside a dog. A dog can have up to 250 worms in its system if not treated in time. When this disease is suspected in a dog, electrocardiograph may reveal heart rhythm disturbances or enlargement of the right ventricle of the heart.They are caused by dirofilaria immitis and spreaded by the bite of a mosquito.When a mosquito bites an infected dog it withdraws …show more content…
once a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito it takes up to 7 months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. After, they enter into the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to begin reproducing. Adult heartworms can grow up to 12 inches in length shaped like spaghetti strands, and can live 5-7 years. They reproduce and release immature heartworms, known as microfilariae directly into the dog’s blood. Microfilariae lives about 2 weeks in mosquito salivary gland before coming infective. Microfilariae can develop into infective larvae within the mosquito in 10 to 28 days. They are picked up when mosquitoes bite an infected dog. This heartworm disease can be treated by giving the dog antibiotics. Antibiotics is giving to the dog before the adult treatment is because a bacteria found living inside the worm contains inflammatory response within the body called wolbachia. Wolbachia can cause the body to mount an immune response that could worsen the lung and kidney of the dog. Wolbachia is one of the most common reproductive parasite in the biosphere. After the antibiotics the doctors diagnose drug injections which is the adult treatment to kill the worms that can take up to 60 days to