Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs both young and old canines and felines. Heartworms can affect any breed including the Bichon Frise. The heartworm is usually a large worm that is capable of invading the heart, lungs and blood vessels of your Bichon. The disease, if not caught early, can be fatal as it can cause permanent damage to your Bichon’s main organs including the heart and lungs. Heartworm disease is usually transmitted in dogs through mosquitoes. Adult female heartworms produce baby worms that circulate in the bloodstream. The mosquito picks up these baby worms when it sucks the blood from the infected dog. It takes 10 to 14 days for the baby worms to enter the infective stage. Once the mosquito bites another dog, it deposits the larvae into the dog. Your vet Lafayette, LA can tell you that heartworms can live five to seven years in dogs. You can visit http://youngsvillelavet.com for more information.