There is only one way a pet can get Heartworm.  That is from a bite from an infected mosquito. Heartworms are caused by a parasite called, Dirofilaria immitis.  Only female mosquitoes bite.  A female mosquito requires a blood meal in order to reproduce.  A female mosquito can get blood from several different sources.  Therefore, this multiple source feeding behavior is the reason she can transmit diseases.  The female mosquito can get blood from several different blood sources and can become a vector for transmitting disease.  Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if the mosquito is infected.   

It can only take one bite of an infected mosquito with Dirofilaria immitis, to bite your pet, and then your pet could get heartworm.  If that one mosquito has fed on another blood source that was infected with the parasite, then it can now transfer that parasite to another animal it bites.  

The parasite starts out as a larvae and will develop into an adult heartworm.  This usually takes about six to seven months.  After six months or so, that is when the larvae become an actual Heartworm.  Heartworms can migrate to the blood vessels of the lungs and the heart.  

The Heartworms will reproduce in the lungs and heart which will then begin to restrict blood flow and can ultimately cause heart failure in your pet.  Heartworms can grow over a foot long inside the body of your pet and therefore cause serious damage.  When a pet is first infected with the parasite there are no symptoms.  But as the worms grow and reproduce, they begin to crowd the heart and lungs of your pet, and eventually, your pet will most likely develop a cough.  

As the heartworms continue to grow, your pet will become winded more easily and not be able to exercise as much as before.  And the worst-case scenario if left untreated, your pet can die due to the heartworms taking over their internal vital organs such as the heart and lungs. 

One of the best preventions against mosquito bites is making sure your yard does not have any mosquito breeding areas.  Mosquitoes need water to breed.  The water source can be an old birdbath, an old tire, a bucket that filled up with water.  Pretty much any stagnant water is a place mosquitoes can breed.  

If you have a mosquito problem, it is a good idea to walk your property and look for any standing water and eliminate it. Or hire a professional pest control service in New jersey to evaluate your property and if necessary treat for mosquitoes. This will greatly reduce your pet’s chance of being bit by a mosquito. 

If you still have a problem, contact Garden State Mosquito & Tick for an evaluation or mosquito treatment.  We are your local mosquito control experts in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Call 848-888-2560 or contact us here