The American Heartworm Society recommends that you start heartworm prevention for puppies at 8 weeks of age and keep them on it year-round.
The American Heartworm Society recommends that puppies and kittens be started on a heartworm preventive as early as the product label allows, and no later than 8 weeks of age. Ferrets are started on a preventive when they weigh at least two pounds. The dosage of a heartworm medication is based on body weight, not age.
Use heartworm prevention medication year-round
Pets must have the proper amount of heartworm prevention medication in their blood for it to work correctly. If mosquitoes emerge early in the year, pets that haven't received heartworm prevention medication during the winter run the risk of getting heartworms.
Dogs of any age, breed or sex may be affected. The disease is rare in dogs less than one year of age, however, because the microfilariae take 5 to 7 months to mature into adult heartworms after infection. Unfortunately, by the time clinical signs are seen, the disease is usually well advanced.
Dogs that are 7 months of age and older should be tested for heartworms before starting heartworm prevention. A dog may appear healthy on the outside, but on the inside, heartworms may be living and thriving.
All dogs are at risk, even those that are indoors only. Untreated, heartworm disease can result in severe heart damage and even death.
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.
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.
Heartworm disease can cause lasting damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries of affected dogs, and reduce the quality of life for a dog long after the parasite is gone. For this reason, prevention is by far the best option and treatment should be administered as early as possible.
Heartworm disease is a very serious parasitic disease that has the potential to be fatal for your dog if he is not treated quickly. This parasite is a worm that can grow up to a foot long and lives inside the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal where it will reproduce over and over.
If you miss a dose of your heartworm prevention for your dog, get them back on prevention ASAP—speak to your veterinarian. Six months from that time that you missed is really the only time that we're going to be able to detect whether or not your dog was infected during that period.
If you forget a month of preventative, make sure to give the next 2 doses on time to "catch up" for that missed month. If you miss several months in a row, you should give your vet a call for advice on when to plan for the next heartworm test and how to get started back on preventatives.
The American Heartworm Society recommends that you start heartworm prevention for puppies at 8 weeks of age and keep them on it year-round.
Your puppy is at risk for becoming infected with heartworms from the first day of life. All it takes is one bite from an infected mosquito to infect your puppy. Heartworm prevention should be started as early as 6 weeks of age. Talk to your veterinarian about which heartworm disease preventive is right for your puppy.
April is Heartworm Prevention Month, and there are important reasons veterinarians across the United States promote heartworm prevention this month and throughout the year. While the risk of heartworm is more prevalent in spring and summer when there are more mosquitos, a pet can get heartworm any time of year.
A. There's no question that heartworm disease is more common in some areas than others, and the states with the highest percentages of positive cases continue to be in the Southeastern and Gulf Coast regions, where the climate creates ideal conditions for heartworm transmission.
Black Walnut Hull works to cleanse a dog's system, including the digestive system and bloodstream. It kills the heartworm parasite before it has time to grow to maturity.
Unlike other vinegar, apple cider vinegar increases the alkaline levels in the intestines of the dog. As a result, it creates an inhospitable environment for worms and other parasites. You can add ¼ to 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar in your dog's water daily.
Heartworm Prevention Is the Best Treatment
There are monthly topical and monthly chewable products, as well as every six-month injection. Our vet staff can help you choose the right treatment for your beloved dog, depending on the specifics of its health and requirements.
Heartworm Prevention? Your pet may have become infected with heartworm larva during the unprotected months. If you missed less than 6 months of prevention we suggest you start giving the heartworm preventative immediately. Bring your dog in for a heartworm test 6 months from the first missed dose.
However, if you do miss a dose, give it as soon as you remember. Then, adjust the dosing schedule so that the next dose is 30 days after the new dose. Never administer two doses at once or give extra doses.
They're not visible. It's not like any worms that you could see in the poop or the stool, sometimes when dogs do have internal intestinal parasites, as this is one that lives in the bloodstream. The only way to really visualize them is with the use of imaging like x-rays or ultrasound.
A blood test performed by your vet is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of heartworm disease. If you have concerns, please contact your vet immediately.
Stage 1 — This is when a dog is infected but doesn't yet show symptoms. The heartworms are present in the heart even if there are no detectable antigens. Stage 2 — In stage 2, a dog will start to have less exercise tolerance and be more lethargic. A dog may also develop a dry cough.