Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs both young and old. Your Boxer may be susceptible to heartworms if he is not on a monthly prevention program. Heartworms are typically foot-long worms capable of invading the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of your dog. The disease can be fatal as it can cause permanent damage to your dog’s main organs. Heartworm disease is transmitted in dogs from mosquitoes. Adult female heartworms produce baby worms that circulate in the bloodstream. The mosquito picks up these baby worms when it sucks the blood from the infected dog. It takes 10 to 14 days for the baby worms to enter the infective stage. Once the mosquito bites another dog, it deposits the larvae into the dog. It can take 6 months for the babies to mature. Heartworms can live five to seven years in dogs. Contact your veterinarian White Rock, TX to learn more.
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