Heartworm testing, prevention and treatment

Heartworm disease can be fatal if not prevented or treated.

Prevention is easy with medication given once a month, year round that the owner can give by mouth. Medication is extremely effective, and when administered properly in a timely manner, heartworm infection can be completely prevented.

Monthly Heartworm preventative tablets
We suggest giving Heartgard tablets orally once a month to protect against heartworm infection. Heartgard also kills some intestinal parasites.

Heartworm Treatment
Heartworm prevention is safe, easy and inexpensive. While treatment for heartworm disease in dogs is possible; it is a complicated and expensive process, taking months for infected animals to recover.

Heartworm treatment includes killing adult heartworms using an adulticide drug that is injected into the muscle through a series of treatments. Twenty four to forty eight hour hospitalization is strongly recommended during the treatment period. When the dog is sent home, exercise should be limited to leash walking for the duration of the recovery period (1 to 2 months).