Virginia German Shepherd Rescue
Strongly supports Heart worm testing and treatment
A direct mesage from the FDA:
Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung
disease,
heart failure, other organ damage, and death in pets, mainly dogs, cats, and
ferrets.
It is caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis.
The worms are spread through the bite of a mosquito. The dog is the
definitive host,
meaning that the worms mature into adults, mate, and produce offspring while
living inside a dog.
The mosquito is the intermediate host, meaning that the worms live inside a
mosquito
for a short transition period in order to become infective (able to cause
heartworm disease).
The worms are called “heartworms” because the adults live in the heart,
lungs, and
associated blood vessels of an infected animal.
All VGSR dogs are required to be both tested, and kept on Heart Worm
Preventitives.
It is part of our contract with all adopters.
