How Long Can A Dog Live With Heartworms

It can only be passed on by mosquitoes.

How long can a dog live with heartworms. Can people get heartworms from their dogs. Heartworms can live up to seven years in vital organs and indirectly affect other organs like the kidneys from related stress. Killing the heartworms that live in the dog s bloodstream is essential to restoring your dog s health but at the same time the death of the worms which can grow to be a foot long or longer poses risks. Dogs with heartworms generally have a shortened life expectancy according to the daily puppy.

Adult worms can grow up to 12 inches in length can live 5 7 years and a dog can have as many as 250 worms in its system. Their presence can cause permanent and irreversible damage to these organs other tissues arteries and blood vessels. How long can a dog live with heartworms. Once mature heartworms live 5 7 years in dogs and they continue mating and producing offspring increasing their numbers and causing damage to the host dog s heart lungs and blood vessels.

Heartworms in cats do not live as long average lifespan is only 2 to 4 years or grow as long and fewer of them mature into adults. Heartworm can cause sudden death and some dogs die from heartworm without showing symptoms. If your dog tests positive for heartworms your vet will discuss the best way to treat him given your particular situation. Dogs in stage four of the disease have very visible heartworm symptoms which are accompanied by long term implications for the dog s health.

Once inside a new host it takes approximately 6 months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. Without heartworm treatment a dog will die from heartworm disease. Worm burdens are lower in cats than dogs. However the exact life expectancy can vary from dog to dog due to a number of factors such as the amount of heartworms the age of the dog and the dog s overall health.

As in other stages dogs will be reluctant to exercise tired after exercising and will exhibit a cough. Because of the longevity of these worms each mosquito season can lead to an increasing number of worms in an infected pet. Dogs will probably experience trouble breathing as well.