Know the facts about heartworm. For example, that simple preventative your veterinarian keeps recommending costs 15 times less than treatment.
It is very easy to shrug off your veterinarian when she asks if you need a heartworm preventative. What are the odds of your pet getting heartworm anyway?
Well, the answer is, you don’t want to find out. Take these facts to heart before you dismiss another opportunity to protect your pets from heartworm.
Heartworms are a real danger
Heartworms are a very serious threat to a dog health
Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos.
Mosquitos can survive and thrive in many climates and places. They drink three times their weight in blood and spread heartworm larvae as they feed. Mosquitos are very resilient and can survive even though winter.
Mosquito season is impossible to predict
Year-round prevention is essential to ensure protection. It only takes one bite from a mosquito to infect an animal. Mosquitos are more prevalent in warmer weather, however, we diagnose heartworm disease all year round.
Indoor animals are also at risk
Indoor dogs may be at a lower risk for heartworm than outdoor dogs, but there’s no guarantee a mosquito won’t get into your house – and it only takes one bite to do damage! Approximately 25% of dogs diagnosed with heartworm disease are indoor only animals – so year-round prevention is absolutely necessary. Even if indoors.
Heartworm disease is hard to treat and easy to prevent
Heartworm infestation is difficult and expensive to treat in dogs. It takes approximately 6 months after being bitten for a dog to test positive for heartworm, and during this time they can grow more than 30cm in length. Heartworms live in your dog’s heart, lungs or blood vessels for up to seven years. Just one adult heartworm can kill.
Heartworm preventatives are very effective and easy to administer, plus prevention is much cheaper than treatment. Treatments are more than 15 times the cost of a year supply of heartworm preventatives!