Heartworm Prevention in Mesa, AZ
Heartworm prevention is an essential part of keeping your furry friend healthy. These parasites can cause serious damage to your dog's heart and lungs, and prevention is much easier than treatment. Talk to your veterinarian about the best heartworm prevention options for your dog, and make sure to keep up with regular check-ups and medication schedules. Your pup will thank you for it!
Year-Round Prevention
AAHA recommends year-round heartworm prevention for dogs, even in areas with seasonal mosquito activity.
Why Prevention is Crucial:
Cost-effective: Preventing heartworm disease is often more cost-effective than treating an infection. Treatment can be expensive, involving medications and sometimes surgery, and may not guarantee a full recovery.
Severity of Infection: The longer an infection persists, the more damage it causes to the heart and lungs. Prevention is a proactive approach to avoid the potentially irreversible consequences of heartworm disease.
Ease of Prevention: Monthly heartworm preventatives are convenient and easy to administer. This is a simple way to protect your pet from a potentially devastating disease.
Overall Health: Heartworm preventatives often protect against other intestinal parasites, providing comprehensive protection for your pet's overall health.
Peace of Mind: Knowing that your pet is protected from a serious and potentially fatal disease allows you peace of mind.
Testing
Annual heartworm testing is recommended, even for dogs on continuous preventive medication. This helps ensure early detection and treatment if needed.
Preventive Medications
Several safe and effective heartworm preventive medications are available, including monthly oral tablets, topical applications, and injectables.
Starting Prevention
Puppies should start heartworm prevention by 8 weeks of age. Adult dogs not on a preventive regimen should be tested before starting medication.
Compliance
Consistent and timely administration of heartworm preventive medication is crucial. Missing doses or giving them irregularly increases the risk of infection.
Who heartworm prevention is for
Heartworm prevention is recommended for every dog and cat, including indoor pets, because mosquitoes easily get inside homes. Heartworm disease damages the heart, lungs and blood vessels, and treatment for dogs is long, costly and hard on the body. For cats, there is no approved treatment at all. A simple monthly preventive protects your pet, and we will help you choose a chewable, topical or other option that fits your routine. Setting a monthly reminder on your phone is an easy way to make sure no dose is missed.
What happens at the visit
- Your veterinarian performs a physical exam and reviews your pet's prevention history.
- Dogs get a quick blood test to confirm they are heartworm-free before prevention starts or continues.
- We recommend a preventive that fits your pet and your routine.
- We set reminders so doses are not missed and plan the next yearly test.
How often to come in
Dogs should be tested for heartworm once a year, even when they take prevention every month, because a missed or late dose can leave a gap in protection. Puppies and kittens can start prevention early in life, and prevention is given every month of the year. Bring your pet in sooner if you notice coughing, tiring easily on walks or trouble breathing.
Why choose Apache Trail Veterinary Services
Heartworm testing is run in our in-house lab, and we combine prevention visits with Vaccinations and Annual Lab Work, so your pet gets complete preventive care in one visit.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, and mosquitoes are present in Arizona, especially after rain and near water. Prevention is much safer and easier than treating an infection.
An infected mosquito bites your pet and passes on tiny larvae. Over several months the larvae grow into worms that live in the heart and lungs. Pets cannot catch heartworm directly from each other.
Year-round prevention is recommended because missed months leave gaps in protection. Many preventives also protect against intestinal parasites. Ask us which option fits your pet best.
Yes. Cats can get heartworm, even indoor cats, and there is no approved treatment for cats. Monthly prevention is the best protection.
Prices depend on your pet's needs. Call us at 480-986-9050 for a quote.
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