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Heartworm testing I have yet another new vet question. Our old vet told us that as long as we keep our dogs on heartworm preventative year round they didn't need to be tested for heartworms. Our new vet says it doesn't matter. We need to test every year. Which one is right? |
Depends on the vet. Some say give meds year-round and never test. Some say give meds year-round and test yearly. Some say it is okay to give 9 months a year and test yearly in cold climates. I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer. It is possible that if your dog get heartworms while on a preventative, the company will pay for treatment. There are restrictions though and yearly testing might be one of those for some companies to pay. I give it 9 months a year and test yearly but I think we will go to year-round and continue testing. Since it takes 6 months for the worms to go to the heart though, I never understood yearly testing. Couldn't it be too late by then? I'm not sure anyone has a good answer on this so I just go with a fair protocol. |
I guess you are right. And it wouldn't hurt. |
We test year round because I'm incredibly forgetful and skip doses all the time. Even if I didn't, I would test anyway. I think it's important to be safe. Plus we do a yearly blood panel and they since they've already drawn the blood, I don't see why not. :) |
My vet tests once a yr |
You are suppose to test before you put them on the heartworm meds...I have peanut tested once a year |
once per year...it is not an expensive test and it is better to be safe than sorry IMO :) plus my vet says yearly and i trust him! :D |
My vet insists that they be tested yearly before prescribing heartworm preventative. She said they have even seen cases of heartworm in dogs when one month was skipped. If your dog does have heartworms and you give him the preventative, it could kill him as the dead worms can clog the heart. Better to be safe than sorry and get him tested. |
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