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Heartworm, or roundworm, is very serious can affect all types of Hunting Dog. With gun dogs, working dogs, and other outdoor dogs, you must be especially concerned because they are more susceptible to heartworm. The worse case scenario is that an affected dog can pass it on to humans, as well as other dogs. In turn, you can also pass on heartworm to your own dog.

Roundworm is a parasitic disease that is spread through mosquito bites or by getting it from other animals which have it.  Animals like other dogs, coyotes, foxes, etc. can all have roundworm and can come in contact with your dog and transmit the disease to them.  Prevention of roundworm is essential as treatment is extremely difficult.  This disease often leads to death.

Preventing Roundworm/Heartworm

Giving your dog a tablet, food additive, or other preventive will greatly reduce his chances of getting infected.  Tablets can be taken orally as a doggy treat while food additives are sprinkled, poured, or mixed in with food.  Most preventive treatments require a monthly application, so mark a calendar to keep track of when dosage was given so you’ll know when to do it next.

If you live in an area of the country that is fortunate enough to have four distinct seasons you will soon discover that your dog is at higher risk for roundworm.  The reason for this is that mosquitoes are often the culprit in transmitting roundworm from animal to animal.  If you have a hunting dog or gun dog, you should immediately begin prevention treatments on a monthly basis.  Your veterinarian will provide you with the information you need to ensure your dog is protected.

Symptoms of Roundworm

In its early stages, roundworm is very hard to detect since your dog won’t show any physcial signs of illness. Your vet can test for the disease, or skilled vets can tell by observation. It is typical of heartworm to gestate for several months before affecting your dog. During this stage of the illness, the disease can easily be treated, but it is best when your dog is asymptomatic.

Symptoms will begin as a cough, a loss of energy, and weight loss.  You will see your dog become weaker and less interested in normal daily activities and fun.  Take your dog to a veterinarian immediately if you notice these symptoms, as they can be many sicknesses, including roundworm.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Roundworm

A blood test is required to diagnose roundworm definitively, but it is a simple test that most vets can do easily.  The next step is to determine whether an early infestation is primarily female or male roundworm, which will decide early treatment.

Once diagnosed, the treatment can start right away. In the later stages of infestation, extensive and costly treatments will be necessary. Roundworm can be treated with drugs and/or dialysis in order to be completely killed. This is hard on your dog’s internal system and can lead to weight loss and listlessness, especially if the worms start showing in the stool. After treatment, follow up treatments should occur for months to make sure that your dog is completely rid of roundworm.

If left untreated, roundworm infection can lead to organ damage and treatment for a lifetime. Detecting symptoms as soon as possible is very important and treatment must start right away.

When you have any sort of hunting dog, you should always keep in mind that you should always keep your dog’s health as top priority. There are also lots of different hunting dog supplies that you should have on hand for your dog such as dog training collars or dog collars.

 

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