Heartworms are spread by the mosquitoes prevalent in the Wilmington, DE area. They are a potentially life-threatening parasite for our dogs and cats. However, they can be safely and easily prevented! At our hospital, we carry a trusted line of heartworm prevention products to protect both cats and dogs. These include the tasty oral chewable, Heartgard, for dogs and the topical product, Bravecto Plus, for cats. Heartworm protection products are also available on our online store through Vetsource. Each of these FDA-approved medicines is prescribed by our veterinarians specifically for your pet and is backed by the manufacturer's assurance of safety and effectiveness. To ensure effectiveness and maintain the manufacturer's guarantee, we require blood testing of all dogs before starting heartworm prevention and annually thereafter. We use a thorough lab test that detects not only Heartworm, but also Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Analplasma. These tests are not required for cats but are encouraged.