Basic Sciences Bldg. 2001 S. Lincoln Ave. By Sarah Probst Information Specialist University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Yesterday evening was lovely. After a couple hours of yard work I lay in the hammock in the backyard with a book, some ice water, and Maxie, my indisputably adorable Lab-mix. A larval stage of this spaghetti-like worm is transmitted by our airborne foe, the mosquito.
Mosquitoes then pass the infection to other animals they bite.
Dogs and cats of all ages and all breeds are susceptible to heartworms. Signs of heartworm include coughing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, and weight loss. The disease is easier to detect in dogs than in cats. With dogs, the disease slowly compromises the circulation and impairs the amount of blood pumped from the heart. In cats, detection is more difficult.