What Are The Symptoms Of Heartworm Disease In A Dog?
The severity of heartworm disease is directly related to how many worms are living inside the dog (the worm burden), how long the dog has been infected, and how the dog’s body is responding to the presence of the heartworms. The dog’s activity level also plays a role in the severity of the disease and in when symptoms are first seen. Symptoms of heartworm disease may not be obvious in dogs that have low worm burdens, have been recently infected, or are not very active. Dogs that have heavy worm burdens, have been infected for a long time, or are very active often show obvious symptoms of heartworm disease. There are four classes, or stages, of heartworm disease. The higher the class, the worse the disease and the more obvious the symptoms. • Class 1: No symptoms or mild symptoms such as an occasional cough. • Class 2: Mild to moderate symptoms such as an occasional cough and tiredness after moderate activity. • Class 3: General loss of body condition, a persistent cough, and tiredness
