Your Dog is Relying on You to Prevent Heartworm

Your Dog is Relying on You to Prevent Heartworm

Are you doing everything you can to prevent your dog from contracting heartworm? This parasite is avoidable, but too often dog owners are not doing their part in preventing it, leading to problems for a dog’s heart, lungs, blood, and overall well-being. 

Transferred by infected mosquitoes, all dogs are at risk for contracting heartworm. The warmer the climate, the higher the chance of contracting heartworm meaning dog owners in southern states need to be extra cautious. Whether your dog spends all day outside or only a couple of minutes for bathroom breaks, your dog is at risk and deserves to be protected, regardless of the climate you live in. 

Contracting heartworm comes with a range of symptoms from coughing and shortness of breath to fainting and heart failure. Waiting until your dog has heartworm to treat it is not fair to your dog and will decrease their quality of living. Heartworms can live inside your dog’s body for up to 5-7 years. Similar to when a human goes through chemo treatment, treating heartworm puts a lot of stress on a dog’s body which can lead to your dog suffering a heart attack. 

No dog should have to go through the pain of treatment when heartworm is preventable. Not only should you provide preventative medication for the sake of your furry friend, but it’s also a smarter decision for your wallet. Compare the $5 - $15/month in preventative heartworm treatment to the $500 - $1,100+ of risky treatment that comes with a heartworm diagnosis. The cost of keeping your dog safe is much lower than choosing to risk your dog’s overall health.

Being a dog owner means providing the proper care for your pet at all times. If your pup is not already on heartworm medication, it’s time to call your vet and get a prescription today.  

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