Worried about heartworms? What symptoms should I look for in my dog?

Question

I’m sure she doesn’t have them but what are the symptoms for heartworms? I wanna be prepared. Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 4 months and 20 days old | 30 lbs

Megan, DVM, CVA · Accepted Answer

Most dogs take 2-3 years of being positive for heartworms before showing symproms. Most commonly you will see coughing first. After awhile, they may stop eating, get a pot belly and sometimes have labored breathing. At 4 months of age, I would not be too concerned about heartworms, but I would definitely get her started on heartworm prevention if you haven't already. I would have your vet check a heartworm test in 6-8 months if you have recently missed a month of heartworm prevention. I hope this helps!

Worried about heartworms? What symptoms should I look for in my dog?

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