The dog may be required to stay at the hospital for 3-4 days. After treatment, the adult worms die and are carried by the blood to the lungs where they lodge in small blood vessels. There they decompose and are absorbed by the body over a period of several months.
Where do heartworms reside?
Cats typically show symptoms of heartworm disease at two time points – when the immature heartworms arrive in the arteries of the heart and lungs and when the adult heartworms die. The immature heartworms arrive in the heart and lung arteries about 3 to 4 months after a cat is bitten by an infected mosquito.
Where do the dead heartworms go after treatment?
Complete rest is essential after treatment. As they break up, they are carried to the lungs, where they lodge in the small blood vessels and are eventually reabsorbed by the body. This resorption can take several weeks to months, and most post-treatment complications are caused by these fragments of dead heartworms.
What happens to heart worms after dog dies?
When heartworms die, they begin to dissolve in your dog's bloodstream. If the infestation wasn't too bad your dog's body can usually cope, but if your pet had a lot of worms, the debris could clog his arteries and lungs.
How do heartworms go away?
Only one drug, which is called melarsomine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of heartworm infection in dogs; this drug should be administered by injection in the veterinary hospital.
