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.