Heartworm

Today I learned about heartworm.

It's what you learn when a canine becomes a part of your family.

Heartworm is transmitted by infected mosquitoes.  They bite the dog and somehow that intermediate host transmits the parasite and it travels and takes up house directly in the heart.

Adult worms, literally, mess up the heart.  They take over: clogging vessels, interfering with blood flow, supressing blood supply to other vital organs like the kidneys and the liver.

Did you know that most dogs infected with heartworm do not show any signs of it for at least two years?!

And in that two years, the worm could grow up to 14 inches and 1/4 of an inch wide.

Ick!

Double Ick!

However, I found out that heartworm is 100% (that is cien por ciento) preventable!

And if caught soon enough, it can even be cured!

But treatment is not just a one-time dose.  Medication MUST BE taken once a month for 12 months to protect the dog from this horrendous parasite.

But, if left to itself, the heartworm will take over and kill the dog.

Then I thought about MY heart.

Do I recognize the intermediate host that can pierce my flesh and transmit the disease that could eat my heart away?

Is my heart full of worms?  Full of parasites that will take over and cause my heart to die, but I don't know it yet?

Ick!

And double ick!

The great news is that spiritual heartworm can be 100% preventable!

But first of all, it requires a heart check!

Alma saw that some of his people, the people in the land of Sidom were "checked as the the pride of their hearts and began to humble themselves before God, . . .watching and praying continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from death, and from destruction—"

Preventing spiritual heartworm requires effort.  It requires effort so one will not be destroyed.
 
It is NOT a one time application.
 
It requires daily prayer, daily scripture study, weekly partaking of the Sacrament, and regular temple attendance.  It requires that I give ALL I have to Him who has given to us ALL that He has for me!
 
So today we begin the serious business of preventable treatment for heartworm.
 
Because canine-ly or spiritually - the cost is SO worth the reward!