They definitely can die from heartworm disease. That's generally the end stage of that heartworm disease, and that's why we're so adamant about keeping your pets on heartworm prevention.

We generally do a series of three injections. We start them on some oral medications before that first injection, and then we wait about a month between the second and third injections. We give those second and third injections about 24 hours apart. Then from there, it's about keeping your dog on heartworm prevention, finishing out their oral medications, and doing some things like activity restriction as your dog finishes out that treatment.

It will be an in-depth consultation, where we explain everything and every step of the procedure. We'll get your pet on a heartworm preventative to kill the larval stage of that heartworm, the microfilaria, and then walk you through. It's generally about a six-month process from start to finish. That doesn't mean that your dog will be in the clinic every day for six months straight, but it is a lengthy process to get those heartworms treated.

The following recommendation is going to be getting your dog set up for heartworm treatment. There is a recommended protocol from the American Heartworm Society that we here at Advanced Animal Care and Advanced Animal Care Berea follow pretty strictly. Your dog is going to be on some oral medications and often steroids. We put your pet on steroids to help reduce and prevent any inflammation that may result from the treatment or the death of the worms. We may also put your dog on some antibiotics, recommend doing some pre-treatment, either x-rays or blood work. Then we schedule your pet for their serial injections of the heartworm treatments.

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors by water sources, such as rivers, ponds, lakes, things like that versus desert areas, that could increase their risk since mosquitoes spread heartworm. But the best protection you can offer your pet is keeping them on prevention.