How is heartworm prevented in dogs?

Heartworm is prevented in dogs by giving a monthly dewormer that kills the larva in the bloodstream and prevents them from developing into adult heartworms.

The best way to prevent heartworm disease in dogs is by getting a product from your veterinarian, whether it be orally, topically administered by you at home, or injections that can be administered by your veterinarian every six to 12 months.

Heartworms are prevented by an easy oral chewable tablet or an injectable that lasts six months. I prefer the latter because you don't skip doses, you don't have to retest, and you know your pets are getting the prevention they need.

There are many products out there. They're called macrocyclic lactones, that's the class of medication, and they're very safe monthly pills. And many of them treat intestinal parasites as well. There's also an injection called ProHeart. There's ProHeart 6 and ProHeart 12 for people that have trouble remembering to get pills monthly. And there are topical products—Advantage Multi and Revolution are a couple of them out there that we apply topically to kill the worms. Many of these products are also effective against intestinal parasites, and some of them are combined with flea and tick products. The product we choose depends on the individual dog's lifestyle and the owner's needs.

It's pretty easily prevented with one of several different types of prevention. There are chewables that are given monthly, and there are also injections that can be given once every six months or once a year.

Heartworms are prevented by taking a prescribed preventative, which can be administered monthly, semi-annually, or even annually.

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