Does your puppy need to be on heartworm medication? YES-YES-YES! Heartworm is one of the most deadliest diseases in dogs (can we say HEART-WORM? Yes that's WORMS living in your dogs's HEART). It is very expensive to treat. And at the same time--it is also one of the easiest diseases to prevent.
Heartworm is a disease that is transmitted via mosquitoes. And it only takes ONE bite from an infected mosquito to infest your puppy. All dogs including puppies should be on a heartworm preventative monthly. Depending on where you live your veterinarian may recommend using heartworm preventative only during certain months of the year.
However, many veterinarians recommend using heartworm preventative all year because many products (like Heartgard Plus and Interceptor) worm against many intestinal parasites as well as heartworm. This is a bonus because some of these intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans. If you have small children keeping your puppy and/or dog on heartworm preventative year-round is a wise choice! You will not believe some of the awful stories I've heard. Let's just say that veterinarians know a lot more about intestinal parasites than human doctors do!
Depending on when your puppy was born she may need to be tested before starting heartworm medication. Please consult with your veterinarian.
Heartworm can sometimes be a confusing topic for many pet owners--especially puppy owners who have never had to give heartworm medication before. Please post any questions you might have about heartworm medication here.
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