April is Heartworm Prevention Month, however, heartworm disease is something every Chihuahua owner should know about all year round. And in this article, you’ll find out what the best heartworm protection is for Chihuahuas.
Heartworm prevention can be rather expensive (especially when you have four!). But the treatment, after your Chihuahua already has heartworms, is much more expensive. Heartworms are deadly and losing a Chihuahua because of heartworms is devastating! So, is heartworm prevention really expensive? Not when put into perspective!
How Do Chihuahuas Get Heartworms?
Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos. To put it simply, when mosquitoes bite and drink the blood of an animal (dog, coyote, fox, wolves, and ferret) that is infected they also drink larvae (fertilized eggs of heartworms). Then they bite your Chihuahua and transfer the larvae to your dog, they then hatch and travel to the heart and lungs through the arteries.
Would You Know if Your Chihuahua Had Heartworms?
Symptoms
The symptoms depend on how many heartworms your Chi has and the severity of the disease. How active your Chihuahua is will also play a part in the severity and when you first notice symptoms.
The symptoms are not always obvious if your Chihuahua has a few heartworms or was just recently infected and is not very active you Chi probably won’t show any recognizable symptoms.
Once your Chihuahua has been infected there are four stages of the disease. The higher the class the more severe is the disease. They are:
Stages of Heartworm Disease
Class 1: You will see no symptoms or maybe an occasional cough.
Class 2: Symptoms may be an occasional cough and fatigue after moderate activity, such as a short walk.
Class 3: They may have a persistent cough and be fatigued after moderate activity as well as trouble breathing and signs of heart failure. For classes 2 and 3 heart and lung changes are usually seen on chest x-rays.
Class 4: This is also called Caval Syndrome. At this stage, there are so many worms that the blood flow back to the heart is blocked by a large mass of worms. This stage is life-threatening and immediate surgery to remove the worms is the only treatment option. Surgery at this stage is risky and most dogs die. Undoubtedly, for a tiny Chihuahua stage 4 would be fatal.
Is There a Treatment?
There is a drug that contains arsenic that is given deep into the back muscles for stage 1, 2, and 3. There is also a drug called Advantage Multi for dogs. This drug may get rid of the larvae in the dog’s bloodstream. It is a topical solution and is applied to the skin.
Treatment is not only very expensive, but it would also be very hard on your Chihuahua and potentially toxic (arsenic kills the worms and could kill your Chi too). Treatment involves multiple trips to the vet, x-rays, hospitalization, and a series of injections. No one wants their poor Chihuahua to have to go through that grueling and possibly fatal treatment.
How Do You Protect Your Chihuahua?
As it is with most everything, prevention is the only option to be sure that your Chihuahua is safe from this horrible disease. Below I will tell you what is the best heartworm protection for Chihuahuas.
There are many products on the market for heartworm protection to keep your Chihuahua protected. These are usually given monthly and come in chewable and non-chewable tablets. There are also products that are given topically. Many have ingredients to kill other pests, roundworms, hookworms, fleas, ticks, and ear mites. All heartworm prevention products require a prescription from a veterinarian.
They should be given all year round and no product is 100% effective, so for that reason, it is imperative that you have them tested for heartworms once a year. As mentioned at the beginning, products to prevent heartworms can be expensive, however, taking a chance with your Chihuahua’s life is just not an option as far as I am concerned. (See article below if you can not afford veterinary care or necessary prescriptions for your Chihuahua)
What is the Best Heartworm Protection for Chihuahuas?
As already mentioned, there are many products for preventing heartworms. But they are not all alike. So, which one is best for a Chihuahua? Some have ingredients that also kill other pests besides heartworms. However, in my opinion, the more ingredients, (pesticides) the more potential for a toxic or adverse reaction for a tiny Chihuahua.
So I opt for the one with the least ingredients; Heartguard. Heartguard kills heartworms, hook worms, and round worms but there are no ingredients that kill fleas, ticks, and other pests.
Why We Love Heartguard
It is safe for puppies 6 weeks and older. My Chis love the taste! It contains only two active ingredients, (less chance for adverse reactions) ivermectin, and pyrantel, that work together to prevent heartworm disease and treat and control hookworms and roundworms. I believe it is the safest… and did I mention my Chis love it? No need to force it down them, they gobble it up! You will need a prescription from your vet. Now through ChiChis And Me, you can get 20% off or 30% off if you sign up for auto-ship (I love that I don’t have to worry about running out!)
My Chihuahuas absolutely love the real beef chew. They think they are getting a treat! In fact, I think Heartguard is their favorite treat! It’s given once a month and I make note of when the next dose is due on my phone. It is also a ritual at my house that on that day, they get a bath and their Heartguard.
Here’s another tip: My veterinarian prescribes the Heartguard for dogs up to 100lbs. Then each month I cut it into fourths giving my 4 Chihuahuas 1/4 each. Now, keep in mind, it was my veterinarian that told me to do that, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian before you do the same. However, it has saved me tons of money!
We Use This Size
Talk to your vet before you try this, and get a smaller one if you have two or three. Your vet will tell you which size is the one you need if you buy it for multiple Chis. We cut them in half and each Chi gets half. (Don’t do this without talking to your veterinarian first!) It saves us a lot of money each year. You get the same 20 or 30% off.
UP NEXT: How to Find Help Caring For Your Chihuahua Financially.