Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes prevalent in the Wilmington, DE area. They are a potentially fatal parasite for our dogs and cats. A significant rise in risk is posed by the many pets who were adopted from out-of-state shelters during the pandemic, most of which were not tested or treated for heartworms. Dogs from shelters after natural disasters had a 14.6%-48.8% positivity rate. Once relocated, they can spread heartworms if not tested and treated immediately.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council provides quite accurate forecasts of heartworm prevalence by county. Live maps are available on their website. You may also sign up for monthly local updates.
Heartworm disease can be safely and easily prevented. We encourage all pet owners to share the responsibility for keeping their own and others' pets safe through annual heartworm/parasite testing and regular preventative medication. Sadly, we have had to treat a number of dogs for heartworms in the recent past. Symptoms may not develop for many months and include persistent cough, fatigue, and rapid breathing. At our hospital, we carry a trusted line of heartworm prevention products to protect both cats and dogs.
ProHeart is an injectable heartworm prevention treatment, administered at our hospital, which affords a full year of continuous protection. This is a good option for those worried about missing doses and is safe and 100% effective for dogs 12 months and older. ProHeart is eligible for the Zoetis Rewards program, which offers generous rebates that may be redeemed at your veterinarian's office. For those who prefer monthly treatments, we recommend the tasty oral chewable, Heartgard, for dogs.
For cats, we recommend the topical product, Bravecto Plus, which also protects against fleas, ticks, roundworms and hookworms. 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 Anaplasma. These tests are not required for cats but are recommended.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council provides quite accurate forecasts of heartworm prevalence by county. Live maps are available on their website. You may also sign up for monthly local updates.
Heartworm disease can be safely and easily prevented. We encourage all pet owners to share the responsibility for keeping their own and others' pets safe through annual heartworm/parasite testing and regular preventative medication. Sadly, we have had to treat a number of dogs for heartworms in the recent past. Symptoms may not develop for many months and include persistent cough, fatigue, and rapid breathing. At our hospital, we carry a trusted line of heartworm prevention products to protect both cats and dogs.
ProHeart is an injectable heartworm prevention treatment, administered at our hospital, which affords a full year of continuous protection. This is a good option for those worried about missing doses and is safe and 100% effective for dogs 12 months and older. ProHeart is eligible for the Zoetis Rewards program, which offers generous rebates that may be redeemed at your veterinarian's office. For those who prefer monthly treatments, we recommend the tasty oral chewable, Heartgard, for dogs.
For cats, we recommend the topical product, Bravecto Plus, which also protects against fleas, ticks, roundworms and hookworms. 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 Anaplasma. These tests are not required for cats but are recommended.
