HEARTWORM PREVENTION
What to Do about Heartworm Prevention
If your pet isn’t on a heartworm prevention medicine then the risk of contracting a potential fatal disease is increased. It will only take one heart worm-carrying mosquito to infect your pet. Heart worms can survive in dogs for up to seven years and in cats they can survive anywhere from a few months to years.
Have Your Pet Tested Annually: Despite any monthly heartworm prevention, there are also reported instances where pets are still infected with heartworms. Consistent testing with your vet is one of the ways to make sure you pet is heartworm free. For those that do get heartworm disease, conventional treatment will require ongoing visits to the vet for injections, X-rays, and blood work. Unfortunately, even though most cases can be treated for dogs, there are no safe treatments for cats.
Monthly Medicine: It’s important to give your pet the medication at the same time every month to reduce the chances of contracting the disease.