Heartworm
What a tragedy:(
What are heartworms?
Heartworm also known as dirofilaria immitis is a parasitic roundworm that is spread from host to host through the bites of misquitoes. the heartworm is a type of filaria, a small thread-like worm, that causes filariasis.
Who gets heartworms?
The definitive host is a dog, but it can also infect cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes and other animals, such as ferrets, sea lions, and even, under rare circumstances, humans.
Life cycle of a heartworm
The heartworm is first a larvae inside a misquito's saliva and it is transferred whenever a misquito is about to bite something. Then it sticks on the skin and grows on the inside of it's host and after its grown up it makes it's way to the heart.