Yes, if left untreated, your dog will eventually succumb to heartworm disease. It is crucial to place your dog on a preventative medication and seek treatment if they test positive for heartworms.

The recommended treatment plan involves a total of three melarsamine injections: one initial injection followed by two injections 24 hours apart a month later. This plan has been proven to be most effective by the American Heartworm Society.

During the heartworm treatment process, your dog will be placed on a safe preventative medication and an antibiotic (usually doxycycline) to weaken the heartworms. After two months, your dog will receive an injection of melarsamine to kill the adult heartworms and will need to stay at the clinic for monitoring and exercise restriction. The dog will then go home for three weeks of exercise restriction before returning for two more injections 24 hours apart. The dog will stay at the clinic again for monitoring and exercise restriction before finally going home for another three weeks of confinement. The treatment process typically takes about four months.

There are four stages of heartworm disease. Stage one is the asymptomatic stage, where the dog has been infected but is not showing any symptoms. Stage two might involve the dog being listless, having a slight exercise intolerance, or being more lethargic than usual. Stage three is characterized by coughing, possible flecks of blood in the cough, and more pronounced exercise intolerance and lethargy. Stage four involves heart failure, a swollen belly, persistent coughing, and extreme lethargy.

Yes, heartworms can be treated in dogs. The fast kill treatment is recommended by the American Heartworm Society as the best course of action to treat heartworm disease.

If your dog tested positive for heartworms, the next step is to determine the stage of the disease. This usually involves conducting baseline blood work and x-rays to help guide the treatment plan for your pet.

If heartworms are left untreated, they can cause heart failure, liver failure, and lung failure, as well as inflammation in the heart, lungs, and arteries, which can lead to other health issues.

Most heartworm preventatives have minimal side effects. For injectable preventatives, dogs might experience tenderness at the injection site for about 24 hours or occasional lethargy. These are normal reactions to injectable medications. Oral preventatives may cause upset stomach issues. If your pet vomits within an hour of receiving the oral medication, contact your veterinarian, as a redose or alternative medication may be necessary.

There is a slight risk associated with treating heartworms, especially in dogs that are heartworm positive and at a more advanced stage of the disease, closer to heart failure. In these cases, precautions are taken during treatment. For dogs that have just been treated or are on heartworm prevention, most preventatives do not have many side effects.