Heartworm Disease in Dogs
The Bottom Line
Heartworm disease is serious, costly, and hard on your dog. But it is also one of the most preventable diseases there is. One pill or chew per month, every month, stands between your dog and an infection that could take years off their life.
Test every year. Prevent every month. And if your dog does test positive, know that with the right treatment, most dogs make a full recovery.
Talk to your veterinarian about starting or confirming your dog's heartworm prevention plan today.
What every dog parent needs to know, from prevention to treatment.
Heartworm disease is one of the most serious and preventable health threats your dog faces. Caused by a parasitic worm that lives in the heart and lungs, it can be fatal if left untreated, but with the right prevention, your dog never has to experience it at all.
Prevention
The simplest, most effective thing you can do for your dog is give them heartworm prevention every month, year-round. All FDA-approved preventives belong to a class of medications called macrocyclic lactones, and they work by eliminating any larvae that entered your dog in the previous 30 days, stopping heartworm before it ever has a chance to develop.
Common heartworm preventive options include:
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Monthly chewables: Heartgard Plus, Interceptor Plus, Sentinel Spectrum, Simparica Trio, most also cover common intestinal parasites, and some cover fleas and ticks as well
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Monthly topicals: Revolution Plus, Advantage Multi, applied to skin, good for dogs who resist chewables
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Injectable (vet-administered): ProHeart 6 (every 6 months) or ProHeart 12 (once a year), great for families who struggle with monthly consistency
Ask your vet which product makes the most sense for your dog's size, lifestyle, and the parasites most common in your area.
The Bottom Line
Heartworm disease is serious, costly, and hard on your dog. But it is also one of the most preventable diseases there is. One pill or chew per month, every month, stands between your dog and an infection that could take years off their life.
Test every year. Prevent every month. And if your dog does test positive, know that with the right treatment, most dogs make a full recovery.