First Name:
Terry
Last Name:
Austin
Major Department:
Mathematics
Thesis Director:
Rene Salinas
Date of Thesis:
May 2009
Heartworm disease is a potentially lethal disease for domestic dogs as well as numerous other species of mammals. The disease is caused by the parasitic larial worm Dirolaria immitis and is transmitted primarily via mosquitoes. It is currently estimated that approximately one percent of the local domestic canine population of Watauga County is infected with heartworms. This infection rate is influenced by immigration of summer resident dogs and potential changes in the length of the transmission season caused by global warming. We have created a mathematical model that allows us to alter the presence of immigrant canines as well as the length of the transmission season. Using this model we were able to determine how strongly the local canine population of Watauga County would be aected by the increased immigration of a highly infected canine population and, separately, the effect of a longer transmission season on the level of infection.