Heartworms are parasites which are transmitted from one dog to another by way of mosquito bites. Heartworms can obstruct the blood vessels and chambers of the heart impairing circulation of the blood. This may result in damage to the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys and in rare instances cause sudden death. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the better the prognosis will be for recovery.
Treatment with Caparsolate
Caparsolate is an injectable, arsenic-based liquid compound used to kill heartworms. It's given intravenously twice a day for two days while the dog is hospitalized. It is not 100% effective, killing heartworms in less than half of the dogs treated. Dogs that are treated with caparsolate must be kept quiet in cages for four to six weeks after treatment to reduce the risk of pulmonary emboli. Treating with this medication may kill the dog, however, untreated heartworm disease will likely kill the dog as well. Heartworm infection is preventable with proper preventative medications and having routine heartworm testing.