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heartworm

noun heart·worm \ ˈhärt-ˌwərm \
|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Definition of heartworm

: a filarial worm (Dirofilaria immitis) that is a parasite especially in the right heart of dogs and is transmitted by mosquitoes; also : infestation or disease caused by the heartworm

Recent Examples of heartworm from the Web

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First Known Use of heartworm

1877

in the meaning defined above

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Medical Dictionary

heartworm

noun heart·worm \ -ˌwərm \

medical Definition of heartworm

1 : a filarial worm of the genus Dirofilaria (D. immitis) that is especially common in warm regions, lives as an adult in the right heart especially of dogs, and discharges active larvae into the circulating blood whence they may be picked up by mosquitoes and transmitted to other hosts and that may infect humans causing local pulmonary infarction but does not achieve sexual maturity in the human organism
2 : infestation with or disease especially of dogs caused by the heartworm, resulting typically in gasping, coughing, and nervous disorder, and when severe commonly leading to death

Learn More about heartworm

  1. See words that rhyme with heartworm Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heartworm

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