OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a single injection of a sustained-release formulation of moxidectin in preventing heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection for 12 months in dogs. ANIMALS 14 healthy dogs. PROCEDURE Group A (nontreated control dogs; n = 6) received sterile vehicle administered SC, and group B (treated dogs; n = 6) received a sustained-release formulation of moxidectin a...

We applied a habitat-modeling approach using logistic regression to predict the distribution and abundance of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis ) in coyotes (Canis latrans ) throughout California. Heartworm is an arthropod-borne parasite of considerable economic and ecological importance. In California, coyotes serve as the primary sylvatic maintenance host and represent a useful sentinel f...

Heartworm disease was first recognized in dogs more than 100 years ago and is still prevalent among dogs and found in cats worldwide. The complications of heartworm disease can be devastating, and treatment carries risks. Wolbachia spp are gram-negative bacteria that infect filarial nematodes, including Dirofilaria immitis, and elicit an inflammatory response in cats and dogs. Antimicrobial the...

OBJECTIVE To determine the usefulness of echocardiography in the diagnosis of heartworm disease in cats and to compare this modality with other tests. DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS 43 cats with heartworm infection that had echocardiographic examinations at 2 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1985 and 1997. Twenty-two of these 43 cats also underwent radiography of the thorax and he...

Six hundred and eleven random-source dogs (338 male, 273 female) one year of age or older, from six sections of the city of Recife, Pernambuco, were examined antemortem for circulating microfilariae Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum adult heartworm (D. immitis) antigen, and examined postmortem for adult heartworms. The prevalence of heartworm infection was 2.3% (14/611), as determ...

JAVMA, Vol 231, No. 9, November 1, 2007 R studies by Browne et al and Dillon et al have corroborated earlier findings of Selcer et al, who reported radiographic evidence of pulmonary disease in cats experimentally exposed to heartworm infective larvae, but which did not develop mature heartworm infection (dirofilariasis). Importantly, the two more recent aforementioned studies identified histol...

The aim of the study was to describe the urinary electrophoretic pattern of dogs with heartworm disease.Urine samples from 15 heartworm-infected and 15 healthy dogs were taken. Urinary specific gravity, urinaryprotein concentration and the urine protein/creatinine (U P/C) ratio were determined. Urine proteins werefractionated using SDS-PAGE. Results showed statistically significant differences ...

OBJECTIVE To compare results of 3 commercial heartworm antigen test kits performed on serum samples from dogs infected with low numbers of adult female heartworms. DESIGN Blinded laboratory evaluation. Sample Population-Serum samples from dogs (n = 208) proven at necropsy to be infected with 1 to 4 adult female heartworms and from dogs (32) without heartworms. PROCEDURE Samples were sequent...

Canine and feline heartworm diagnostic, treatment and prevention strategies have changed during the previous decade. We experienced an unprecedented increase in the numbers and kinds of available medications and diagnostic aids, and also in the capabilities of pet owners to acquire information. This can be both beneficial and detrimental in our efforts to establish and maintain effective strate...

OBJECTIVE To report the outcome of minimally invasive surgical treatment of heartworm caval syndrome in a series of dogs and to provide information on long-term survival of patients with this condition. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 42 client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of heartworm caval syndrome. PROCEDURES Information on history, clinical, laboratory, and diagnostic imaging...