| Heartworm Disease Heartworm disease is a damaging and sometimes deadly disease caused by a parasite that is carried from pet to pet by mosquitoes. The heartworm migrates to the heart where they mature to adult worms. All dogs, and cats that go outside, should be on heartworm preventative. If your pet is not on preventative, ask one of our Doctors about a antigen heartworm test. This is a test that is performed in the clinic and results are usually done by the next day. Current Heartworm Recommendations For protection from heartworm and intestinal parasites, we recommend year round prevention with heartgard plus chewable, Interceptor, or Sentinel. In addition to controlling heartworm, these products, given monthly, help control intestinal parasites carried by other dogs and wildlife. (Raccoons in this area may cause neurological disease in humans as well as your pet.) To make sure your pet has taken and absorbed the medication given, we recommend a yearly heartworm blood test and a yearly stool check. This combination approach will protect you and your pet so that you may enjoy a long healthy life together. |
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Mosquito
Dog heart with adult heartworm.
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