Heartworm tests

Ah the buzz over heartworm tests!! Heartworms are actual worms that form in the heart 6 months after an
infected mosquito infects your dog (and sometimes cats!) Therefore wherever there are mosquitoes there
are heartworms. Dogs who are not on heartworm preventative once a months DO have a more likely chance
of heartworm infection and the preventatives are almost 100% effective so I believe it would be most foolish
to NOT give heartworm preventative. In addition that one monthly pill also prevents most intestinal parasites.
What a bargain! Really! As far as testing, unfortunately there are occasional veterinarians who prey upon the
fears of the public and recommend too many tests. Once a year is plenty and sometimes ( dogs in Alaska for example) can go two years. I live in the mid Atlantic states where we have plenty of heartworm disease.
IF a client is confident they have given the pill without fail for the past 12 months, the liklihood of heartworm
developing is near zero and I will let them go two years. I have not been wrong yet in 35 years. The problem is some vets won't give you a prescription for the preventative unless you have had the test at their recommendation. I think this is highway robbery but there isn't much you can do about it unless you change vets.