Lee County Mosquito Control says they are experiencing one the most challenging mosquito seasons on record, putting pets at increased risk for heartworm disease. The Cape Coral Animal Shelter currently has three dogs that have tested positive for heartworms.
See one of the dogs who is going through treatment:
"When we have so many mosquitoes in our environment right now, make sure your animals are on heartworm preventative. It's life or death," said Liz McCauley, executive director of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter.
While humans can protect themselves with bug spray, pets need different protection. The shelter is currently treating several dogs for heartworm disease, including a dog named Eliza.
"Worms go into the heart and lungs, and (the dogs) can very easily die," McCauley said.
McCauley says early detection is crucial for successful treatment.
"If it's caught early, it's treatable. It's still very expensive and very painful to the dog to treat it, but it's better than the alternative," McCauley said.
McCauley says dogs undergoing heartworm treatment must remain calm at all times to avoid complications, and the treatment process can take up to a year and a half before a dog is fully cleared of the disease.
The Lee County Mosquito Control District reports they are conducting more spray operations than ever before. In June alone, the district received approximately 3,800 calls for service, approaching their normal annual average of 4,400 calls.
McCauley emphasized that heartworm prevention is a year-round necessity in Florida.
"It's summertime all year long here in Florida, so you do have to have your animals on heartworm preventative all year long," McCauley said.
McCauley says the shelter offers assistance to pet owners who need help obtaining heartworm preventative medication for their pets.
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