If my dog is on prevention do they still need a yearly heartworm test?

They do. And the reason is, we want to make sure that we're not letting any heartworms slip through the cracks. We want to ensure that the product is as effective as possible because nothing has a hundred percent guarantee anymore, and we want to try to keep your pet as safe as possible.

There are some rare cases of resistant heartworms. What that means is the potential to get heartworm disease despite being on these medications. Again, that's incredibly rare, and we recommend all dogs are on prevention. Also, missed pills happen, as people are busy. Sometimes owners miss giving the pills, or the dog goes behind the couch and coughs up a pill. With even one missed pill, or if you're six weeks late giving a pill, something like that, your dog still has a risk for heartworm disease. As we've been trying to hit home, we need to catch this disease early, not late. With a dog that we think is on year-round prevention, if somebody missed a pill and the dog got infected with heartworm, we haven't tested this dog for four years. That means the dog could potentially have had worms in it for four years, and that could have devastating consequences to the heart and lungs.

Yes, they should get one once a year for a couple of reasons. One is to make sure that prevention is working. Two, just in case something failed, whether it was that your dog spits out the pill you were giving or to make sure there's no lapse. If it does become positive, a lot of times those companies do help it if you are giving prevention.

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, dogs on prevention still need a yearly heartworm test. There are some resistant strains of heartworm, so it is crucial to ensure that your dog is truly negative and that the heartworm preventative is effective. It is recommended to check twice a year, as that's how long it can take for them to test positive after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Yes, it's crucial to continue with the yearly heartworm test even if your dog is on prevention. This is because some heartworms are resistant to certain medications, and we need to ensure any potential infestation is dealt with promptly.