JUST ONE BITE
FROM AN INFECTED MOSQUITO
IS ALL THAT IT TAKES1
JUST ONE BITE
HEARTWORM DISEASE IS A FATAL YEAR ROUND
RISK FOR YOUR DOG
Infected mosquitos transmit heartworms that grow and reproduce in your dog's heart and blood vessels of the lungs. Heartworms grow to be up to a foot long, and can cause severe lung disease, heart failure, organ damage and even death.
TREATING HEARTWORM CAN
COST UP TO 15X
MORE THAN 1 YEAR OF PREVENTION2
Treatment can also be dangerous.
Here's what you can expect:
Clinical Signs
Dog can exhibit sickness with coughing, distended abdomen, listlessness, weight loss and difficulty breathing.
Blood Test
To confirm the presence of heartworms.
Evaluation
A thorough medical exam is required, including radiographs and possibly ultrasound to determine the extent of the disease.
Arsenic-Based Medication
In separate appointments, a series of injections of a potent arsenic-based medication is administered to kill the heartworms.
Multi-Day Hospitalization
A stay up to 3 days may be recommended during the heartworm treatment. The dog must be kept inactive and closely monitored.
Up To 2 Months of Confinement
To keep the dead heartworms from going to the lungs and causing a life-threatening situation, the dog must not exercise and be kept confined for up to 2 months.
Survival
Months later, tests are required to confirm the success of the treatment. Not all dogs will survive this grueling treatment regimen.
THE HEARTWORM DISEASE CYCLE
1. Infected Dog
A new dog gets infected by a mosquito bite.
2. Worms Reproduce
Adult worms live and reproduce in the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. It takes 6 months to test positive for heartworms after the offending mosquito bite.
3. Untreated Dog
If untreated, a heartworm infected dog can progress to severe disease, or even death, and can infect even more mosquitoes.
4. Infected Mosquito
Infected mosquitoes become a threat for any unprotected dog.
HEARTWORM IS A THREAT IN ALL 50 STATES
Climate changes, family relocation and vacation travel have allowed heartworm-carrying mosquitos to expand their range3. Tri-Heart® Plus is easy to administer year-round to make sure your dog is always protected.
Heartworm growth in the U.S. from 2001 through 20134.
(Move slider to compare)
Heartworm Cases in 20014
Heartworm Cases in 20134
Average number of cases per reporting clinic
< 1 Case per clinic
1-5 Cases per clinic
6-25 Cases per clinic
26-50 Case per clinic
51-99 Cases per clinic
100+ Cases per clinic
Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter — Every Season is
HEARTWORM SEASON
No matter what the season, products like Tri-Heart® Plus should be administered year-round without missed or late doses for effective heartworm protection.
Start Saving With Tri-Heart® Plus Today
FIND A VET1 Adopted from Think 12 Infographics at the American Heartworm Society webpage. For detailed information, please visit https://heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/client-education/think-12#think-12-infographics (accessed May 18, 2017).
2 Tri-Heart® Plus pricing for 40-lb dog using American Heartworm Society average heartworm treatment cost of $1200–$1800. https://www.heartwormsociety.org (accessed May 18, 2017).
3 American Heartworm Society. https://www.heartwormsociety.org (accessed May 18, 2017).
4 Incidence maps used with permission from the American Heartworm Society, https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/incidence-maps. (accessed May 18, 2017)
All dogs should be tested for heartworm infection before starting a preventive program. In a small percentage of ivermectin/pyrantel treated dogs, digestive and neurological side effects may occur.
HEARTGARD is a registered trademark of Merial.