By Dr. Courtney Knott - Country Village Animal Clinic
Q: Dear Dr. Knott, I am confused about heartworm prevention and testing for my dog. Do I need to keep her on prevention even in the winter? Does she need to be tested every year?
A: Veterinarians strongly recommend keeping animals on heartworm prevention all year long. Heartworm is a parasite transmitted by mosquitos. Every winter seems to be different so it is very hard to say when to "stop and start" prevention. Heartworm disease is very dangerous to your pet and is extremely costly to treat. We also recommend testing your pet on a yearly basis as no prevention is 100 percent effective. Most heartworm prevention medication also treats and prevents some of the most common intestinal parasites. March is National Heartworm Prevention Month. Country Village will be offering reduced prices on heartworm testing throughout the whole month. We will also be holding our annual Rabies Vaccination Day/Heartworm Testing Day on March 24. The city of Centerville will be present that day to license your pet. Call for an appointment today.
Thank you for your questions. Please send them to dr.courtneyknott@gmail.com or 20120 Highway 2, Centerville.
Country Village Animal Clinic
20120 Hwy 2
Centerville, IA 52544
