Heartworms

I know that heartworms are not an insect (they are a parasitic roundworm), but they are transmitted by mosquitoes so I feel I am within my bailiwick.  So why write about heartworms now?  Today, on my google calendar I have scheduled that my dogs are to get their heartworm preventative.  This task was added to my calendar way back in 2015 and was set to repeat monthly without end.  I also set up my calendar to send me an email reminder on the day, so I don't forget to give my dogs heartworm preventative. I would encourage you to set a reminder for your pets to get their heartworm preventative each month.

Heartworms, Dirofilaria immitis, live in the lungs, hearts, and associated blood vessels of various pets (dogs, cats*, and ferrets).  Other animals, such as coyotes, wolves, and foxes, can also get heartworm disease. D. immitis are spread through the bite of a mosquito (Aedes, Culex, Anopholes, Mansonia).

Adult female heartworms living within a dog release offspring, called microfilariae, into the animal's bloodstream.  When a hungry female mosquito comes along and gets blood meal, she ingests the microfilariae and becomes infected.  Under the right environmental conditions, the next 10-14 days can cause the microfilariae to become infective larvae.  At this point, when the infected female mosquito bites another dog (or cat, ferret, etc.) the larvae are transferred to the animal through the bite wound.  When a dog is newly infected, it takes 6-7 months for the infective larvae to mature to adulthood.  Once the adult heartworms mate, the cycle can begin anew.

Heartworms can live within a dog for 5-7 years.  Males reach 4-6 inches long while females can be 10-12 inches long.  The average number of worms in dogs is 15, but can number from 1- 250.  Symptoms depends upon worm burden (how many worms are within the dog).  Dogs with low worm burdens can be asymptomatic, while those with heavy burdens can have exercise intolerance, hypertension, and possible failure of the right side of the heart.

*Both indoor and outdoor cats can get heartworm disease.  Cats are not as susceptible as dogs and heartworms do not thrive within cats.

The best treatment for heartworms is PREVENTION!  Check with your veterinarian about the best preventative method for your dogs and cats.  Remember, we have mosquitoes year round here in Texas, so your heartworm preventative also needs to be all year.

Mid-year check on bug webinar series watching

Have you been tuning in the first Friday of each month to the All Bugs Good and Bad webinar series? If you have no idea what I'm writing about or you possibly missed one or more along the way, FEAR NOT....we've got you covered!

Each webinar has been taped for your viewing convenience (yes, you can watch in your PJs at home if you want).  All you have to do is click on the link of the webinar you want to view below and then click the green circle with the white arrow button next to "watch recording" in the upper right corner of the webpage that pulls up.

Webinars that have been completed so far in 2017:

Don't Let Tramp Ants Take Over Your Home

Protect Your Veggie Harvest From Hungry Insects

Mosquitoes and Insect Borne Diseases

Ticks

Aphids, Scales and, Whiteflies

We also have more webinars scheduled for the rest of the year beginning August 4th with me talking about various flies.  Webinars are the first Friday of each month at 2 PM Eastern time (that's 1 PM here in Texas).

The rest of 2017's schedule:

Drain flies, house flies, and fungus gnats- August 4th

Meet our native pollinators- September 1st

New invasive ants to know about- October 6th

Pantry pests, carpet beetles, and clothes moths- November 3rd

Don't let bed bugs hamper your vacation plans- December 1st (this one is my hubby speaking!).

The 2017 Webinars are brought to you by the Ant Pests and Urban IPM eXtension Communities of Practice; and by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the University of Georgia Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Clemson Cooperative Extension.  Series Coordinators: Dani Carroll and Kathy Flanders, Auburn University.  Marketing: Amanda Tedrow, University of Georgia Extension.  Webinar Text Chat Moderators: Tim Davis, University of Georgia Extension, and Vicky Bertagnolli-Heller, Clemson Cooperative Extension.