[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by ARCHIE

Good question, one which I don't quite understand.
If our pets are on Heartworm why must they be tested yearly?
Does heartworm meds not prevent heartworm?
The test is expensive too even tho it only takes a minute to come
up neg or positive. I have to ask next month about this.

Nothing is 100% so it's best to check once a year to be sure. And I know heartgard has a guarantee that if you keep your dog on it year-round and get yearly tests that they will pay for the treatment if your dog is ever positive for heart worms.

also, most vets require regular heartworm testing because if you dog does have heartwoms, it can be fatal to give them heartworm preventative. So you always want to make sure your dog is negative for heartworms before starting a heartworm preventative.

I don't know about Maine, but here in Texas mosquitos are really bad from Spring-Fall, and even in the winter it's not cold for long so heartworms are a risk year-round. I keep my dogs on a preventative all year to be safe. Heartworms are not something to play around with...they can damage the heart and treatment is very hard and can even be fatal if a dog gets heartworms. I've seen hearts just clogged with heartworms and didn't know how any blood fit in the heart...they were spilling out into the lungs. I know some areas don't have a need for year-round preventative but be sure to test your dog once a year and get them on preventative in the months where mosquitos are present.

Even if you have an inside dog, there is still a risk. Mosquitos can easily fly inside your house when you open the door.