| PennysMum | 06-28-2009 07:49 AM |
Just as an aside, regarding regional pockets without HW disease--
I live in an area like that. We don't have many mosquitos here, and the temperatures dip low enough year round to prevent the disease from being an issue. The vet I work with told me that in ten years they have only treated one dog for heartworm disease, and that was a transplant from Louisiana.
HOWEVER...
Penny is on heartworm preventative. I use one of the broader spectrum meds that protects against heartworms as well as other types of worms that she is at higher risk of contracting. We may not have heartworms right here, but if we drive a few hours in any direction, she would be at risk. Beyond that, if somebody were to come in from a heartworm area and a mosquito bit their dog and then bit her, she could still be infected.
I really do think it is something that ALL dogs should be on, even if the incidence where they live is low. Most of us travel at least a little with our animals, and if you aren't a traveler, odds are that somebody in your neighborhood is. It only takes ONE dog and ONE mosquito. | 