Diagnosis And Treatments Of Some Cases Of Canine Heartworm Disease In An Animal Hospital In Jiayi During 2012-2016

Heartworm disease popularly known as “Dirofilariasis” is a zoonosis disease causing by Dirofilaria immitis which mainly affects dogs,cats,foxes and wolves.Dirofilariasis cause severe lung pathology and right heart failure in the dog,shorten the animal's life expectancy,and cause acute disease and death.The Larvae deporsited in the lung of human will form specific granulomas which can initially be misidentified as malignant tumors.The disease has a worldwide distribution,affecting temperate,tropics and sub-tropics regions.In recent years,there is a conspicuous upsurge in the prevalence of heartworm disease in canine.Several factors such as global warming,rapid and continuous animal movement between different countries.In this paper,two typical cases and 41 cases of canine filariasis in an animal hospital in Jiayi,Taiwan were analyzed comprehensively in order to master the characteristics of diagnosis and the treatment as the reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of canine heartworm disease,the results were as follows:Heartworm antigen examination,microfilaria examination,X-ray examination,cardiac ultrasound and other diagnostic methods were employed for a dog suspected with heart failure disease,while the final diagnose of the dog was the grade 3 heartworm disease.Implementing the protocol adulticide treatment of Dirofilaria immitis when the dog was stable,given the drugs that strengthening heart,depressing blood pressure and diuretic to improve cardiovascular function.After treatment,congestive heart failure of the dog was controlled,and the heartworm antigen and microfilaria examination were negative after 4 months of the protocol adulticide treatment.X-ray examination,ultrasound examination,heartworm antigen examination and other diagnostic methods were employed for a dog suspected with uterine thrombosis,while the final diagnose of the dog was the grade 2 heartworm disease and closed uterine empyema.After the removal of the pathological uterine and giving antibiotics and antanemic to control the infection and improve the situation of anemia,the protocol adulticide treatment of Dirofilaria immitis would be implemented when the dog recovered well in 8 days after the operation.After treatment,the the wound recovery of the dog was good,and the heartworm antigen and microfilaria examination were negative after 4 months of the protocol adulticidetreatment.Through the comprehensive analysis of 41 cases of canine heartworm disease in an animal hospital in Jiayi,Taiwan,the results showed that most species of dogs had the risk of infection with Dirofilaria immitis.The incidence of heart filariasis in juvenile dogs was low,while the incidence of Dirofilaria immitis is higher in dogs of the 7 years old.The dogs in Jiayi are likely to be infected by Dirofilaria immitis all the year,while the incidence of autumn and winter is higher than that of spring and summer.The regular use of drugs can effectively prevent Dirofilaria immitis.And the dogs with heartworm disease are limited to the movement.The deworm plan would be implemented after the condition of the dog is relatively stable.The results also show that more than 80% of canine filariasis can lead to mild anemia and infection.