 When it comes to keeping your pets happy and healthy, we believe knowledge is power. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there that isn’t medically sound. Today, we’re addressing some of the common myths and beliefs around heartworm disease, prevention, and treatment. With the right preventative measures, we can protect your pet’s heart health and stop the spread of this deadly disease!
What Is Heartworm Disease? Heartworm is a serious and potentially fatal disease that affects the lungs, heart, and other organs. It’s caused by a parasitic worm called Dirofilaria immitis. Dogs, cats, and ferrets are all susceptible to heartworm disease. Heartworms also infect wild animals, including wolves, coyotes, foxes, and sea lions. How Does Heartworm Disease Spread? Heartworm disease spreads through mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it picks up baby worms called “microfilaria.” These baby worms develop into “infective stage” larvae over a 10-14 day period. Then, when that infected mosquito bites your pet, it deposits those larvae. According to the American Heartworm Association, it takes approximately six months for larvae to mature into adult heartworms. Once they’re mature, heartworms can live for 5-7 years in dogs and 2-3 years in cats. Because the worms live so long, each mosquito season can lead to an increased heartworm load in an infected pet. But even one bite from an infected mosquito can be deadly if left untreated. Getting to the Heart of Heartworm Disease Even though heartworm disease is preventable, over a million pets in the U.S. have heartworms. According to the American Heartworm Society, heartworm infection has been diagnosed around the globe, including all 50 of the United States. By educating pet owners about the importance of heartworm prevention, we’re hoping to slow the spread! Here are some common and dangerous myths about heartworm disease. Myth #1: My pet will show symptoms if they have heartworms In most cases, there will be few or no symptoms until the disease is severe. That’s because infective stage larvae take up to six months to become mature adult heartworms. Once adult worms begin to reproduce, they start to damage nearby blood vessels and reduce the heart’s pumping ability. The longer the infection persists, the more likely it is that your pet will show symptoms. It may be a year or longer before you notice clinical signs of heartworms like lethargy, coughing, or fainting after exercise. In severe cases, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen. Myth #2: I only need to worry about heartworm prevention during the summer Anyone who’s ever been to a backyard barbecue knows mosquitoes thrive during the long, warm days of summer. But summer isn’t the only “mosquito season.” While mosquito activity generally begins when temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s not unusual for them to stay active into the 40s. Plus, hibernating mosquitoes can emerge during unexpected warm spells throughout the fall, winter, and spring. This fact, combined with unpredictable weather patterns, makes it difficult to say exactly when “mosquito season” starts and ends. That’s why we recommend using heartworm preventatives year-round. Myth #3: My indoor-only pets don’t need heartworm preventatives All it takes is an open door or cracked window for mosquitoes to enter your home. And once they’re inside, it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to transmit this potentially fatal disease. In fact, the American Heartworm Society reports that 25% of cats diagnosed with heartworm disease are indoor-only pets. Myth #4: Heartworm disease is rare in Oregon Unfortunately, heartworm disease is on the rise across the country, including in the Pacific Northwest. According to the American Heartworm Society’s incidence maps, reported positive tests in Oregon increased by 110% between 2012 and 2017. In the first 10 months of 2020, reported cases in Oregon were 33% higher than in all of 2019. Experts from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) believe a few different things could be contributing to these higher numbers. First, pets who are relocated for adoption after natural disasters often come from areas with higher historical heartworm risks and prevalence. Climate changes could also be a contributing factor, as mosquito populations rise rapidly in warm and wet conditions. Finally, our pets travel with us now more than ever before. Simple summer activities like taking pets camping or hiking in areas with high mosquito counts, such as Southern Oregon, can increase their risk of infection. Myth #5: Natural remedies and over-the-counter preventatives work as well as FDA-approved preventatives Not only is this belief inaccurate, it’s also dangerous! These treatments are not FDA-approved, which means they have not undergone rigorous scientific testing to demonstrate safety and effectiveness for treating heartworms. Worse still, many products marketed as “all natural” contain ingredients that are toxic to pets. For example, one herbal product we researched contains garlic, which can damage a dog’s red blood cells, potentially leading to life-threatening anemia. Additionally, trying to treat adult heartworms without veterinary supervision is extremely dangerous for your pet. When adult heartworms die, they begin to decompose. As they break up, they’re carried to the lungs, where they lodge in smaller blood vessels and are eventually reabsorbed by the body. This process can take anywhere from several weeks to months. Most post-treatment complications are caused by these worm fragments, which can block blood flow resulting in severe complications and possibly death. FDA-approved heartworm preventatives and treatments are the safest way to protect your pets! If you want to use natural repellants, it should be in addition to preventives, not instead of them. Heartworm Prevention Is Your Pet’s Best Bet It’s unfortunately true that heartworm treatments can be costly, dangerous, and painful for our pets. Luckily, heartworm prevention is about as easy as it gets! All it takes is a monthly chewable and annual heartworm testing to protect your pet. And, with our convenient online pharmacy, we’ve made it easier than ever to make sure your pet never misses a dose! Just set up an autoship to have refills delivered right to your doorstep. Still have questions about heartworm prevention? Our team has answers! Just schedule an appointment to discuss the best option for your pet, budget, and lifestyle.  When you bring a new dog home, you’ll have plenty of decisions to make—from the right bed and toys to her favorite food and treats. But there’s one choice you might not have considered: whether to opt for a traditional spay or laparoscopic spay. Our Mountainside veterinary team is here to talk about the benefits of the laparoscopic spay procedure.
What Is a Laparoscopic Spay? Spaying your dog is an important part of helping her live a longer, healthier life. Spaying can prevent unwanted litters of puppies, help protect against serious health problems, and reduce many behavioral problems associated with the reproductive cycle. A traditional spay, also known as an “open” surgical spay, generally requires a 2-4 inch long incision just below the umbilicus (belly button). This incision gives the surgical team the “window” they need to view and handle the tissue appropriately. The surgeon then removes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus in what’s known as an ovariohysterectomy (OVH). By comparison, a laparoscopic spay, or “keyhole” spay, is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure. The surgeon makes 2-3 small incisions (typically ⅕ inch to ⅖ inches long) into the abdomen. A camera is passed into one incision and a small instrument into the other. Then, using the camera to magnify and better visualize your pet’s organs, they’ll remove just the ovaries. Top Benefit of Laparoscopic Spay: Lower pain levels post-op In 2005, a study concluded that laparoscopic spays caused less surgical stress and up to 65% less post-operative pain than a traditional spay. In large part, that’s because fewer cuts are made to the dog’s reproductive organs, which leads to less bleeding and trauma. And, because the patient’s organs are magnified, the veterinarian is able to spay your dog with greater precision and care during this type of surgery. Is Laparoscopic Spay The Right Choice For Your Dog? Your veterinary care team can help determine whether a traditional or laparoscopic spay is best for your pup. With the right surgeon, both are relatively routine, safe surgical procedures. While laparoscopy offers many benefits, your pet’s care team can help you understand the pros and cons of each procedure. In general, laparoscopic surgery will be more expensive because it requires specialized equipment and a high caliber of training. If you have budget concerns, we can work with you to ensure your pup stays comfortable following a traditional spay as well. Still have questions? Our team can help! The team at Mountainside Veterinary Hospital is here to help you make the best possible decision for your pet’s care. We believe knowledge is power, and want to help pet owners understand all of their options. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have and make recommendations based on your pet’s age, size, and medical history. Get in touch to schedule an appointment!  The votes are tallied, and Mountainside Veterinary Hospital is honored to be recognized as a 2022 Neighborhood Favorite! As a locally-owned veterinary clinic, nothing means more to us than earning the trust of our clients, patients, and neighbors. About The Neighborhood Favorite Award Next Door’s annual awards program is based on recommendations from folks living here in Beaverton, Oregon. That makes it even more special to us because it shows that we’re a trusted, core part of this community. Considering many of our team members—including Dr. Steve Haley—were born and raised here in Southwest Portland, we’re thrilled to impact this community positively! Professional Veterinary Care With Heart When we began the journey to open Mountainside, we knew exactly how we wanted to serve our clients and their furry family members. Our vision included uncompromising medical care, an exceptional team, and a patient-centered experience for every pet that walks (or gets carried) through the Door. Nearly a year into this journey, our commitment to “Professional Veterinary Care With Heart” has only gotten stronger. From the friendly faces at the front desk to our compassionate medical staff, we all pull together to ensure a stress-free, comfortable, and seamless experience for you and your pets. Committed to Building Community There’s nothing quite like the bond between people and their animals. It’s a privilege to help support and celebrate that bond with you! Whether your pet sees us for preventative care or needs help getting back to feeling their best, our team takes a comprehensive approach to whole-pet wellness. So, thank you to our amazing clients and neighbors for voting us Neighborhood Favorite of 2022 on Next Door! We are incredibly grateful for all the love and support from this amazing community, both in Beaverton and the community we’ve created with our clients. We hope to continue this for many more years to come! Meet The Team At Mountainside Veterinary Hospital
Bringing home a new furry family member? Looking for a locally-owned veterinary clinic to keep your pets happy and healthy? Mountainside Veterinary Hospital is accepting new patients! You can give us a call or complete our convenient online form to schedule your next appointment. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what happens behind the scenes at Mountainside (Hint: it involves a lot of cuddles and cuteness).  With just weeks to go until we officially open our doors, we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves! We’re Mountainside Veterinary Hospital, a locally-owned vet practice conveniently located in Beaverton. We began this journey in April, 2020. Ever since we signed the paperwork on our space, we’ve been eager to start serving the community. But first, we had to take care of a few minor details—like putting up the walls, letting the paint dry, and equipping our treatment room. So, what do you have to look forward to when you trust Mountainside Veterinary Hospital with your pet’s care? AN EXPERIENCED AND COMPASSIONATE TEAM Building this practice from the ground up, we found ourselves in a unique position. We had the rare opportunity to handpick every member of our founding team. It was a responsibility we did not take lightly. From our customer care representatives and doctor’s assistants to technicians and doctors, we set out to build a team that shared our passion for personalized, patient-centered care. In October, we finally invited that team to see the space for the first time. During our tour, it was truly incredible to see their minds at work. While there were plenty of questions and observations, they all boiled down to one idea: how do we help our clients and patients feel safe, comfortable, and cared for when they walk through that door? We consider our team one of our biggest strengths. Their insights and feedback have played an enormous role in shaping Mountainside Veterinary Hospital. We can’t wait for our clients and their pets to meet and love them as much as we do! DOCTORS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING VETERINARY MEDICINE Veterinary medicine is where the love of science meets the love of animals. Here at Mountainside, each of our doctors is committed to advancing their knowledge of veterinary medicine. Our doctors regularly attend conferences and continuing education workshops to ensure they provide the best possible care to their patients. Our services reflect this dedication to learning in a few different ways: LAPAROSCOPIC AND MINIMALLY-INVASIVE SURGERIES Dr. Haley has been passionate about general and laparoscopic surgery for much of his career. Laparoscopic surgery causes less trauma to surrounding tissues, which means fewer complications, faster recovery times, and less post-op pain. At Mountainside, we’ve been honored to learn from some of Portland’s most respected veterinary specialists, developing the skills, techniques, and professional relationships we need to help our patients live happier and healthier. INTERNAL MEDICINE AND CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT Our team has extensive experience with internal medicine, endocrine disease management, and chronic pain management. Our doctors understand the problem-solving and attention to detail that these challenging cases can require. In 2010, Dr. Haley was even a co-author for the American Animal Hospital Association’s Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. FEAR-FREE HANDLING AND RESTRAINT Love of animals goes beyond treating what physically ails them. It’s about supporting their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. In recent years, there has been a huge movement in veterinary medicine towards fear-free handling and restraint. Using these techniques, our team can reduce the stress, fear, and anxiety that pets feel when visiting the clinic. OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY In addition to the most recent advancements in medical knowledge, our patients get access to industry-leading diagnostic technologies. We’ve partnered with IDEXX Laboratories, a world leader in veterinary diagnostics, to offer both in-hospital and reference lab testing. For urgent needs, we can provide immediate results on complete blood counts (CBC), chemistry panels, coagulation testing, and full urinalysis to arrive at an accurate diagnosis quickly. Plus, our state-of-the-art digital radiography (x-ray) and ultrasound capabilities let us see bones, soft tissues, and compartments of the body. This advanced imaging can be crucial for detecting internal bleeding, bladder stones, tumors, and issues with the heart, lungs, and other internal organs. COMPREHENSIVE VETERINARY CARE FOR EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
At Mountainside Veterinary Hospital, we’re committed to building lifelong relationships with our clients and their pets. For us, that means providing exceptional, personalized care at every stage of life. So, while it’s been an incredible experience to build this practice from the ground up, we’re most excited for the day we finally get to open our doors and start serving our community. Make sure to follow our progress on Facebook and check our website for updates! |
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February 2023
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Contact Us
Mountainside Veterinary Hospital
www.mountainsidevets.com info@mountainsidevets.com Office: (971) 405 - 1111 Fax: (503) 498 - 5322 |
Hospital Location
15000 SW Barrows Rd. Ste. 101, Beaverton, OR 97007
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Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00a - 6:00p
Saturday: 8:00a - 4:00p Give us a call today to schedule your appointment! (971) 405-1111 
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