Heartworm

Heartworm

Canine heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and in the right side of the heart.  Mosquitoes spread the heartworm infection from dog to dog.  More common in areas where mosquitoes are prevalent, outdoor dogs constantly exposed to mosquitoes are the most frequent victims. Dogs with heartworm infections may show decreased appetite, loss of weight, and listlessness.   Often, the first sign of the disease is a cough.  Animals with heartworm disease will start to show lack of endurance during exercise.  Severe cases can lead to congestive heart failure.   Once infected with heartworms, treatment can be difficult and expensive.   The best program for prevention of heartworm infection includes using preventives, performing routine heartworm testing, and reducing exposure to mosquitoes.

ANIMART’s Heartworm Testing and Prevention Policies

• Young puppies (under 7 mos old) should be started on monthly heartworm protection as early as 6 to 8 weeks of age and then blood tested 6 months from first dose.
• Older puppies (over 7 mos old) born during the mosquito season (before October), not started on monthly preventative at 6 to 8 weeks, should be blood tested in the spring. Following a negative heartworm test, your pet can be placed on year round or seasonal (April – December) preventive.
• If your dog is on heartworm prevention year round, our policy is that you can heartworm test every other year. However, the safest way to be assured of heartworm prevention is to test every year, as is recommended by the American Heartworm Society.
• If your dog is on seasonal heartworm prevention (April – December) we recommend testing every spring.

NOTE:   Heartworm medication is a prescription medication.  

For ANIMART to dispense this medication your pet must have one of the following:

• A recent negative test done at ANIMART.
• A prescription from another veterinary clinic.
• A recent negative test elsewhere and a recent visit at our Veterinary Wellness Center.
• Young puppies can be started on the medication without a test but do need to have seen our veterinarian.