Is heartworm medication necessary?

One of the most common questions heard by our veterinarians during an annual wellness exam is, “Does my pet really need heartworm prevention?” To put it simply: yes! Even if your pet is considered “indoors-only,” all cats and dogs should be on a heartworm prevention medication.

Do I really need to give my dog heartworm medicine?

Heartworm disease can be prevented in dogs and cats by giving them medication once a month that also controls various internal and external parasites. Heartworm infections are diagnosed in about 250,000 dogs each year. 1 But there is no good reason for dogs to receive preventives all year; it is just not needed.

Is it OK to skip heartworm medicine?

Most of the monthly heartworm medicines have a safety factor of at least 15 days of protection if a dose is missed. This means that if you're just a week or two late, your pet is likely still within that window of protection and would be unlikely to become infected during that time.

How long can my dog go without heartworm medication?

Any time a dog goes more than six weeks without heartworm prevention the dog is at risk of infection. Dogs with mature infections (in which hearworms are mating and producing larvae in the bloodstream) may experience a shock-like adverse reaction to heartworm prevention.

Is there a natural way to prevent heartworms in dogs?

Are There Natural Heartworm Prevention Options? While there are natural ways to slightly decrease the likelihood that your dog will develop heartworm disease, none are effective enough to make skipping prescription heartworm preventatives a wise or safe decision.

Is Heartworm Prevention Really Necessary?

What are the first signs of heartworms in dogs?

Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.

Do dogs need heartworm medicine year-round?

Use Heartworm Prevention Medication Year-Round

Treatment can vary, as oral, injectable or topical, depending on the animal species, but they all target heartworm larvae, not adults. That's one reason veterinarians often recommend that pets receive heartworm prevention medication all year long.

What happens if you skip a month of heartworm prevention?

A dog who has missed just two monthly doses of preventative or is late for a heartworm injection can become infected with heartworms.

Do older dogs need heartworm medicine?

Keep your senior dog's heartworm preventive as well as flea and tick control updated. Once a year, you can expect your senior dog to be tested for tick-borne infection, heartworm disease, and intestinal parasites.

How long does it take for a dog to get heartworms?

When the infected mosquito bites another dog, the mosquito spreads the infective larvae to the dog through the bite wound. In the newly infected dog, it takes about 6 to 7 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult heartworms.

How long can heartworms go untreated?

Once inside a new host, it takes approximately 6 months for the larvae to develop into sexually mature adult heartworms. Once mature, heartworms can live for 5 to 7 years in dogs and up to 2 or 3 years in cats.

Are heartworm pills bad for dogs?

Given at the proper doses and under the supervision of a veterinarian, ivermectin is safe for most dogs and is very effective in treating and preventing a number of parasites. However, a dog with the mutation who ingests the drug can have a severe, life-threatening reaction called ivermectin toxicity.

How can I get heartworm prevention without going to the vet?

Go to ABC Online Pharmacy (see resources) if you don't mind using the generic brand of Heartgard. This will save you a lot of money over the course of a year, and the generic brand is known for being just as good as Heartgard. You don't need a prescription since the company is based in Canada.

What is the success rate of heartworm treatment?

There is some risk involved in treating dogs with heartworms, although fatalities are rare. "A new drug is available that does not have as many side effects, allowing successful treatment of more than 95% of dogs with heartworms."

How do dogs get heartworms?

Heartworms are transmitted from an infected animal to your healthy dog through mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites your dog, the mosquito can also pass on infective larvae. Over 6 to 7 months, these larvae develop into adult heartworms, causing severe health issues and potentially death.

Do dogs need flea and heartworm medicine?

No matter where you live and no matter your lifestyle, dogs and cats should be on heartworm, flea, and tick prevention year-round. Even if you have an inside-only cat or mini dog, they still need protection! It's much better for your pets' health to be safe rather than sorry.

Why is heartworm prevention so expensive?

Many factors affect the cost associated with treating heartworm infection, including diagnostic testing, hospitalization, medication, and office visits. The current drug of choice is Immiticide, and due to manufacturing issues, is difficult to obtain and as a result is expensive.

Can you buy over the counter heartworm medicine for dogs?

Although it may be disappointing that there are no over-the-counter treatments available, the reason for this is an important one – your dog should only begin treatment with a heartworm preventative medicine when a negative heartworm test has been confirmed by your veterinarian.

What are the side effects of heartworm medication?

Oral Heartworm Medications

There are rarely side effects, if given at the proper dosage, but some dogs may experience vomiting, diarrhea, or incoordination. In the case of an allergic response to the heartworm medication, a dog may experience itching, hives, swelling of the face, or even seizures or shock.

Should I give my dog Heartguard?

Is Heartgard Safe for All Dogs? Heartgard and Heartgard Plus are considered safe for most dogs, including pregnant and breeding dogs, but there are some exceptions. Ivermectin is not recommended for use in puppies under six weeks of age, so Heartgard should be started at this age and no sooner.

What are the side effects of heartworm treatment in dogs?

Twenty-six dogs (52%) experienced minor complications, such as injection site reactions, gastrointestinal signs (vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance), and behavioral changes (lethargy, depression) during or after heartworm treatment.

Where is heartworm common?

This is especially important, given that in the past several decades, heartworms have spread from highly endemic regions of the United States, such as the Southeast and Mississippi Delta regions, to states once considered “non-endemic,” including California and Arizona.

What states have the most heartworm?

The five states with the highest incidence of heartworm were Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Alabama. In Mississippi, almost 10% of dogs tested for heartworms were heartworm positive in 2019; in Louisiana, just under 8% of dogs tested were positive.

How common is heartworm in the US?

Using the survey results and national dog population figures, they estimate the U.S. had about 890,000 dogs positive for heartworm in 2001 and 1 million in 2019. Mississippi had the highest heartworm incidence in the 2019 survey, with positive tests for heartworms in almost 10% of dogs, AHS data show.

Can you see heartworms in dog poop?

Myth #3: If my pet has heartworms, I will see them in her feces. Although many worm types, such as roundworms and tiny hookworms, are shed in your pet's feces, heartworms do not live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and are not found in feces.