It is critical to have your pet tested yearly for heart worms even if they are on a monthly preventative. No medication is 100% and sometimes we forget a dose or our pet just spits it out when we are not looking. Our animal hospital in Tampa has recently had a heart worm positive dog, identified on it’s yearly testing, that has been on monthly preventatives. Right now, the dog is symptom free, but without this test, we never would have know he had a problem until it was to late!
Living in Tampa, FL, mosquitoes are a constant annoyance. They present problems to humans but are the way heart worms are spread from dog to dog as well. Our veterinarians currently recommend having your dog tested on a yearly basis to make sure that the preventative they are on is working. We currently carry many different heart worm preventatives to meet your pet’s needs. Making sure that they get them monthly is important, but as our current case illustrates, yearly testing is also an important safety net. As with many medical conditions, early detection is the key to successful outcomes. For more information about heart worms, check out https://beachparkanimalclinic.com/pet-health-resources/pet-health-articles/articles/?rid=773
As always, if you have any veterinary questions in Tampa, contact our animal hospital at 813-289-3925 or [email protected]
