Get them their next dose immediately and then we're going to want to recheck that heartworm test in about six months.

It can. It just takes a much longer period of time than the fast kill method that we recommend. So while they're sitting there in that heart during that time, they can actually be causing much more damage.

Yes, I still recommend testing them every year because there are some heartworms that are resistant to these medications.

Heartworm prevention is very effective. As long as the heartworms aren't resistant to the medications, then it will kill all of them.

We usually start puppies at 8 to 12 weeks of age, depending on the type of prevention. Once you adopt a dog, that's when you want to go ahead and get started as well.

Heartworm disease is prevented by using different oral, topical, or injectable medications.

The more time dogs spend outside, the higher their risk of contracting heartworm disease. However, even indoor dogs, especially in areas like Florida, can still come in contact with mosquitoes and are therefore also at risk.

Heartworms are transmitted through mosquitoes. Mosquitoes take a blood meal from a dog, which contains the heartworm larvae, and then they go and drink from another dog where they inject some of that blood with the microfilaria into the next dog.

Canine heartworm disease is caused by heartworms, which are parasites that live in the bloodstream.

The main risk is congestive heart failure leading to death.