Archive for March, 2009
Now, I’m no veterinarian, but I’ve learned a few things from my vet and from my mom, who has done a lot of reading on this subject. Heartworms are transmitted to us dogs by mosquitoes carrying heartworm larvae. The mosquito gets the larvae from biting an infected dog, so as you see, it’s a vicious cycle.
Now after the larvae (the technical term is microfilariae) enter the dog’s bloodstream, they migrate in the body for several months while growing into mature worms. These adult worms can be as long as 12 inches and live for 5 – 7 years! And, one dog can have as many as 250 worms! Gross! I can’t believe I had these things living inside me!
The adult worms live inside the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels. They reÁroduce and have baby worms. The severity of the disease deÁends on the number of icky worms Áresent as well as how old the dog is and how active she is. These evil worms work to destroy the dog’s heart and lungs and can even damage the liver and kidneys.
Okay, here’s the Áart I know from exÁerience. In a dog infected with heartworms, you Árobably won’t even know there’s anything going on in the early stages. Later on, you may notice a cough and your Árecious doggy may not be as active as she normally is.
In a bad case, you’ve got the cough and fatigue, Álus the dog will have trouble breathing and may even Áass out! During a veterinary exam, the doctor may notice abnormal lung and heart sounds, enlargement of the liver, among other things. If left untreated, heartworm disease will end in a miserable death for the Áoor doggy.
This virus is a combined effect of bird flu, swine flu and human flu. This new strain is highly infectious and has become the most talked and seen news on television. It is a pandemic disease and people are really scared of it. H1N1 virus spreads out to other countries by way of people travelling from one country to another.
For the first time, humans have been exposed to this form of influenza and hence there is no specific medicine for this. This is the reason that has made the 2009 swine flu so dangerous. At present, there are no preventative drugs which can be taken so as to prevent it. Hence, children, elderly people and people who have a weak immune system should be cautious so that they do not get attacked by the flu. Swine flu was initially originated in Mexico and later the virus has spread all around the world. Cases of swine flu are starting to get visible in US. It has now been specifically renamed as H1N1 influenza or H1N1 flu to avoid people thinking as it has some connection to pigs.
People with 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people with weak immune system are at higher risk of getting affected with swine flu virus. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to normal seasonal flu, so to make difference between them is a tough task.
The common symptoms are high fever and chills in the beginning, severe fatigue and body aches. Other symptoms like cough, cold, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, headache, weakness and general discomfort are also present. Some people experience diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
You are contagious if you have the above symptoms. So you should stay home unless you are going to hospital for treatment. It is important that you consult your physician for the swine flu tests if you notice any of these symptoms. If it is diagnosed in early stage, there is a good chance of making a quick recovery.