Heartworm Preventives – “Why My Dog Requires Year-Round Protection?”

With mosquito season wading off, most pet parents neglect the crucial aspect of treating their pet with heartworm preventatives. With fall and cooler months coming forth, pet parents think that their furry friends are safe from heartworm infection.

Is it so? Let’s see what experts have to say.

Even in colder months, mosquitoes can make their way inside and infect your pet. It takes only one bite from an infected mosquito to spread heartworm disease to a pet. And, it takes approximately 6 months for the infection to disseminate as the larvae mature and migrate to the dog’s heart and lungs, where they cause the maximum damage.

Hence, your pet may be infected with heartworm disease at any time throughout the year.

As the dog can be infected at any time of the year, experts and veterinary association suggest uninterrupted, year round protection against these worms. Regardless of where you live it is essential that you treat your furry friend with heartworm preventives.

It’s crystal clear that you shouldn’t stop heartworm treatment now that summer is all over retrieving its warm rays. Heartworm prevention is much less expensive than treatment. Heartworm treatment can be costlier. It can cost 15 times more than the preventatives. Moreover, it’s very challenging to treat a heartworm infection; on the contrary, a year round heartworm prevention program for dogs is simple, easy and has no side effects.

Why Year Round Treatment Is Important?

Owners should be well aware that administering heartworm preventive year round is essential. It is not only essential during the summers when the mosquitoes are at their worst but also during the winters when even one bite from an infected mosquito can play havoc on your pet’s health.

Heartworm preventatives work efficiently by killing immature stages. It eliminates larval stage and controls heartworm infections. Holding on the treatment during the winter means you are exposing your pet to the danger of heartworms and leaving your dog defenceless against the growing infection. The added advantage of heartworm preventive is that along with heartworm infection, it also shields your dog against various parasites such as intestinal worms including hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms. Some treatments even protects against fleas.

Useful Tips – A Small Step Helps You Protect Your Furry Pal Year Round

• Take suggestion from your vet about when and how often to test for heartworms in your pet.
• Talk to your vet about which heartwormer is best and highly effective. Which is the best suitable for your dog according to its health condition and medical history?
• Some heartworm medications also treat internal worms. Check with your vet does your dog require this product according to their medical history and health conditions.
• Do not stop treating your pet during the winter. Continue the treatment year round
• If you missed a dose more than a month, then it is better to talk to your vet.
• If it has been one or two days, you can immediately start the heartworm preventive treatment.