Pets and Mosquito Control

When you think about controlling mosquitoes to protect your family members, don't forget about the furry, four-legged members of your family also. Even though you may consider your cat or dog an indoor pet, they can still be exposed to a mosquito that gets inside the house through a window or open door. A bite from a mosquito to your pet could deliver an infective larvae that could migrate to your cat or dog's heart and develop into heartworms. In cats, many of the larvae do not develop into adult heartworms but travel to the lungs instead. This can cause severe respiratory illness. The treatments for heartworms in dogs are not easy and can be quite costly. The best treatment for your pets is prevention. Heartworm preventive medications that you get from your veterinarian are very effective. Make sure you still get your pets tested for heartworms at their regular checkup even if they take the preventive medication. Keep an eye out for symptoms in your dogs - coughing and shortness of breath. In your cats, coughing is also a symptom as well as vomiting and diarrhea. Heartworms are not always easy to detect but with preventive medicines, regular checkups and attention to your pet's overall well-being, you can certainly make sure you are doing your best to prevent a disease that can be potentially life-threatening. For more information on heartworm and your pet go to the American Heartworm Society's website at www.heartwormsociety.org.