No, prevention should not be used to treat a heartworm infection. Once a dog has been diagnosed with a heartworm infection and its stage is determined, it is recommended that dogs undergo specific treatment with a medication called melarsamine or midicide, as recommended by the American Heartworm Society.

Yes, even if your dog is on heartworm prevention, they still need a yearly test. This is because heartworms have developed resistant strains that can sometimes evade preventive measures. Additionally, there's a human factor – pet owners may forget to give the preventive medication as directed or may be late in providing the necessary injections. Regular testing ensures early detection and treatment of heartworm disease if it does occur despite being on preventive measures. If your dog is on heartworm prevention, we’re screening them annually, and they still end up getting heartworm disease, we’re here to help you. We have some wonderful treatments, which we can discuss if your pet gets heartworm disease.

Yes, if your dog tests positive for heartworm disease, additional tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis and determine the stage of the disease. These tests may include a complete blood count, urine tests to check for organ damage, chest x-rays to assess the lungs and heart size, and potentially a heart ultrasound.

Your dog should be screened for heartworm disease every year during their annual wellness checkup. This ensures that any possible infections are caught early and appropriate treatment can be initiated.

Your dog is tested for heartworm disease annually, ideally during their wellness checkup at the veterinarian. Veterinarians across North America recommend this testing, which is done through a blood test.

There are dental chews. We have some here with enzymes that help prevent that bacteria from attaching, which starts the cycle of dental disease forming. So again, if you can't brush your dog's teeth, using these chews can sometimes be a good alternative. I hope this has given you a little bit of information about brushing your dog's teeth and what you can do at home. None of these things will make it to where we never have to clean your dog's teeth. Unfortunately, it's a fact of life, just like with us. We have to have our teeth cleaned to keep everything healthy.