[dawn27]

I keep my pups on Heart Guard all year round. At one time a few years back I started only giving them half of the chewable chunk to cute back on the cost and of course because there are no mosquitoes out in the winter. Once my vet found out they said that if one of them would contract heartworm that Heart Guard Co. would not cover the cost of treatment unless they were on the medication all year round with proofrovided by the vet. He also said that they need the entire chunk because the medication may not be evenly distributed in the HG chunk. Not sure that I belive that or not, but they are now all getting the entire HG chunk year round.

I just dont get why if I treat my dog year round than why do they make me get them tested every year?

Does everyone else's vet test for heartworm once a year?

I actually lost a dog to heart worm. There was so much that was still not know about it and we just didn't think it would ever happen. He was being seen for an expended belly when we found out that he had a ruptured spleen and heart worm that same day. Knowing that I was partially responsible by my lack of knowledge about HW and my choice in leaving him un treated lead to his passing is one of the worse feeling ever.