How do i know if my dog has heartworm?

Question

my dog is a golden retreiver and he spends his life outside and i think he has heartworm. besides going to the vet, how can i tell?

Answer 1

thats the only way to tell im a vet assistant and i had a paitent who keep telling me she thought he had it so asked to test him she told me no. well 1 month later she brought in her dead dog and we did an internal exam with his heart nothin looked wrong on the outside but when the doctor cut it open worms spilled everywhere it was gross not to mention the blood clots, so yes take him to see a vet asap

Answer 2

Your poor dog. No dog should have to spend their life outside. No you will have to take him to a vet to find out if he has heartworms. Do the best thing for your dog and find him a home where he can have  a happy life instead of being a lawn ornament.

Answer 3

You take your dog to the vet, it is a simple blood test, done right in the vet's office with an immediate answer.

There is NO other way to know until your dog is so infested that he has symptoms - by then it is likely too late.

I take it you have not bothered to give your dog monthly heartworm preventative - I can't imagine why not, it is cheap enough and prevents a killer disease, but get him to the vet for a test and, if he is negative, immediately put him on a monthly preventative - it's not expensive, the generic form is fine and cost a couple of dollars.

There is no reason not to do this - please get your dog tested asap.

Answer 4

The vet is the only way to know, it can only be detected with a blood test, to see if the baby heart worms are floating in the blood.

Answer 5

The only surefire way to tell is a blood test, which must be done by the vet.  Make the appointment.

Answer 6

You can't.

You mightaswell go ahead and take him in, because if he does have heartworm then they'll have to treat it- Which isn't cheap.

Has he been on monthly heartworm preventatives? I'm going to guess thats a big, fat NO.

Once again, your dog *needs* to see a vet.

Answer 7

go get a blood test and if he's negative for it put him on the preventative ASAP. heartworm disease is expensive and painful to treat

Answer 8

The only way is a blood test by the vet.