Heartworm disease doesn’t make headlines often, but it should. It’s a serious, potentially deadly condition that affects dogs and cats, yes, even indoor pets, and it’s completely preventable. Yet every year, thousands of pets suffer because they weren’t on regular heartworm prevention.
Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito bites your pet, it can deposit tiny larvae that travel through the bloodstream and eventually settle in the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels. These worms can grow up to a foot long and cause massive damage.
The disease progresses silently at first. You won’t notice any symptoms early on. But as the worms grow, they begin to cause coughing, fatigue, weight loss, and difficulty breathing. By the time most pets show signs, the disease is already advanced and very dangerous.
What Heartworm Treatment Looks Like
Treatment for heartworm disease is not only expensive, it’s tough on your pet. The process can take months and involves injections, activity restriction, and medications to kill the worms slowly without causing complications.
For dogs, there’s a multi-step regimen that can cost hundreds of dollars. Cats, unfortunately, don’t tolerate heartworm treatment well, and there is no approved cure. Prevention is the only safe option for them.
Why Prevention Is So Important
This is one of those cases where a little goes a long way. Monthly preventatives are easy to administer and work by killing off immature heartworm larvae before they can grow into adults.
It’s not just about convenience, it’s about protection. Preventing heartworms is far safer, easier, and less expensive than treating them. Skipping even a single dose puts your pet at risk.
Common Myths About Heartworm Disease
Let’s clear up a few misunderstandings:
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“My pet stays indoors, so they’re safe.” Mosquitoes get inside all the time. Indoor pets are still at risk.
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“I don’t see mosquitoes in my area.” It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to transmit heartworms to your pet. While heartworm disease is not contagious to humans, pets are vulnerable even if they only encounter a mosquito once. With mosquito populations increasing and expanding their range due to climate change, the risk is higher than many pet owners realize.
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“I’ll just watch for symptoms.” By the time symptoms appear, your pet may already have permanent heart or lung damage.
What About Testing?
At Pinnacle Veterinary Clinic, we recommend yearly heartworm testing even for pets on prevention. The test helps confirm that no heartworms have developed and that prevention is doing its job. Because heartworm preventatives don’t kill adult heartworms, testing ensures your pet didn’t become infected before starting prevention or during a missed or delayed dose. Annual testing helps us catch any issues early and keep your pet on the safest, most effective care plan.
Dogs should start prevention by 8 weeks of age. Cats, too. Don’t wait until your pet is exposed to start protecting them.
Heartworm Prevention Options
Not sure which type of prevention is best for your pet? At Pinnacle Veterinary Clinic, we offer monthly chewable tablets that are simple, effective, and easy to give.
Many of these also protect against other parasites like fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms, making them a double or even triple win for your pet’s health.
Your Pet’s Heart Matters
Heartworm disease can seem scary, and it is, but the good news is, it’s entirely avoidable with the right care. At Pinnacle Veterinary Clinic, we make heartworm prevention simple, affordable, and personalized.
Whether you need to start prevention, get a refill, or schedule an annual test, we’re here to keep your pet heartworm-free.
📞 Call Pinnacle Veterinary Clinic today to book your pet’s heartworm screening or prevention appointment. A few minutes now could save their life later.