When should I start heartworm prevention for my dog?

We recommend starting heartworm prevention at eight weeks for all of our patients. So when they come in for their puppy exam, we typically give a first puppy dose of heartworm preventative based on the weight and what the owner wants to do in the long-term as far as giving those preventative, and we discuss the options with you.

Some are labeled for around six to eight weeks, so that first puppy vaccine appointment is a great time for a lot of things.

Every dog, especially in Texas, should start heartworm prevention by eight weeks of age. If your pet's over eight weeks of age, then get them on prevention as soon as possible. Mosquitoes, which transmit heartworm disease, will bite a young puppy and an adult dog, so we need to start them by eight weeks.

As soon as you obtain your dog. Heartworms are something that's deadly, and it's a risk year-round in south Texas because we never get rid of mosquitoes, which is the vector for them.

Most heartworm preventatives are labeled for use starting at eight weeks of age. If you've rescued a dog or if your dog has been off heartworm prevention, it's recommended to start it as soon as possible.

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.