Colonel visits Kickemuit Middle School in September 2007.

Spending $20 to $75 for six months worth of a heartworm pill could protect a family member – your dog – from a deadly disease.

Warren Animal Control Officer Heidi Garrity said in the past two months, she has unfortunately recovered three dogs with the disease. She said if these dogs had this preventive maintenance, they would not have contracted heartworm.

Once a dog contracts the disease, it can cost $250 to $400 to cure, depending on the size of the dog. It is a significant cost to the shelter, she said, and Helping Hands for Animals covers the expenses. Mrs. Garrity added that the procedure is not guaranteed to work, either.

"It's a very nasty, fatal disease, and even the treatment can be fatal."

Mrs. Garrity said the most recent dog she recovered, a chocolate lab, tested positive for heartworm.

"She's up getting the treatment now. She'll be on strict bed rest for three weeks, then she'll have another treatment."

Mrs. Garrity said there didn't seem to be a connection between the two strays she found – they were on opposite ends of town. She said she couldn't trace them to their original owners because they lacked collars and microchip IDs.

According to the American Heartworm Society, the disease is spread by mosquito bites. The bites transfer parasites into the dog, which then mature into worms in the heart and lungs. These worms are fully-grown after a year, and can range from four to 12 inches in size. Their average lifespan is five to seven years, and as many as 250 worms can be present in a single dog.

The disease can be detected with a blood test, which is standard during a yearly exam, Mrs. Garrity said, or by watching for the early symptoms – cough, breathing difficulty during exercise and abnormal lung sounds. Because of the maturation process of the parasites, a dog can be without symptoms for months.

The society recommends year-long preventative measures, in the form of monthly tablets, chewables and topicals. Mrs. Garrity said these can be obtained during a yearly check-up at the vet's office. As long as the dog does not already have heartworm, the tablets can be taken.

By Stephen Greenwell

sgreenwell@eastbaynewspapers.com