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April is National Heartworm Awareness Month, and the Oconee Regional Humane Society (ORHS) is back with its Have a Heart campaign. (CONTRIBUTED)
April is National Heartworm Awareness Month, and the Oconee Regional Humane Society (ORHS) is back with its Have a Heart campaign to drive community awareness of heartworm’s devastating impact.
ORHS also is raising critical funding to help more animals impacted directly upon intake at the Greensboro-based shelter and an anonymous donor has pledged to match up to $12,500 raised from this campaign throughout April. So, donating today can double your dollars’ impact!
Heartworms are among the most dangerous parasitic worms that infect our companion animals, with more than a million dogs estimated to be infected with heartworms yearly, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Dogs become infected when bitten by a mosquito carrying microscopic larvae that quickly migrate into the pet's bloodstream.
Eventually, adult heartworms can grow up to 12 inches long and make their home on the right side of the heart and pulmonary arteries. There, the presence of heartworms leads to arterial and lung disease and even heart failure in some cases.
Heartworms can live inside a pet for six months before a veterinarian’s test can reveal their presence. To stop the cycle, pets should be administered heartworm prevention medications beginning at six to eight weeks old.
Signs of heartworm in a dog may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after exertion, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Signs of heartworm in cats include coughing, asthma-like attacks, periodic vomiting, lack of appetite, and weight loss. Unfortunately, in some cases, the first sign for cats is collapse or sudden death.
While this disease can be found in all 50 states, the climate and topography of Georgia’s Lake Country make it an optimal breeding ground for mosquitos carrying this dangerous disease.
The team at ORHS often encounters heartworm-positive dogs upon intake and currently is in the process of treating several dogs at ORHS diagnosed as heartworm-positive, including Polly, featured today. Please remember, that a $75 donation made this month toward Polly’s treatment will double its impact to $150!
Please help ORHS secure another $12,500 for its Have a Heart campaign by the end of this month, providing $25,000 in generous support to this campaign.
To learn more about ORHS and to see the animals available for adoption, visit online at orhspets.org or follow ORHS on social media.