Symptoms of Dogs Infected with Heartworm

Dogs have a 15% chance of contracting heartworm. The early symptoms of this disease are not obvious, and it takes some time for coughing, lethargy, exercise intolerance, and other symptoms to appear. The dog's mental state and appetite will also gradually decline. If not diagnosed and treated in time, heartworms dwelling in the heart and pulmonary artery can lead to complications such as anemia, ascites, pulmonary edema, cardiopulmonary failure, jaundice, liver and kidney failure. In addition, clinical examinations can also reveal enlargement of the right ventricle or thickening of the pulmonary artery.

1. Early Stage

In the early stage of a dog infected with heartworm, there are almost no obvious symptoms. However, after a continuous infection, the number of heartworms gradually increases, and the dog gradually develops symptoms such as coughing, lethargy, difficulty breathing, exercise intolerance, and weight loss. The dog's appetite also decreases. At this time, if the owner notices the dog's abnormalities, they can take the dog to the hospital for a checkup to confirm the diagnosis.

1. Late Stage

If a dog infected with heartworm is not treated in time, the condition will worsen in the late stage, and the dog will develop symptoms such as anemia, weight loss, pleural effusion, cardiopulmonary failure, jaundice, and liver and kidney failure. In severe cases, ascites may occur, the abdomen sags, the appearance significantly enlarges, and the bilateral symmetrical swelling can be touched with a watery sound.

1. Clinical Testing

When a dog has heartworm disease, X-ray examination can reveal enlargement of the right ventricle or thickening of the pulmonary artery. Ultimately, the diagnosis can be confirmed through echocardiography or blood smear examination.