Heartworm Disease

Mar 2, 2021

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Heartworm Disease

[/trx_title][trx_title type=”4″ align=”center” color=”#434544″ weight=”700″ bottom=”mini”]by Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH[/trx_title][vc_column_text]

Truth: Heartworms are here and YOUR pet needs protection

Heartworm disease is something I talk about a lot because I am still diagnosing and treating this very preventable disease in dogs. In December I had a five year old dog come in for an annual exam and he tested positive for heartworm disease. This means the earliest he could have been infected was June (6 months prior to the positive test). I hear a lot of people say that in Ohio parasite prevention only needs to be given during the summer months- mostly this is out of fear of using monthly products (usually propagated by false information from a breeder or online chat groups- not medical professionals), or the misunderstanding of disease transmission and heartworm lifecycle. Some people feel that “natural” products, oils, supplements are equally effective- they are not! Or people simple do not see the value in the monthly product because they have been fortunate enough not to have a problem in the past.

Some common scenarios about missed doses revolve around these few instances:

  1. Newly adopted dog from the shelter: People go to the humane society to adopt a new friend and the staff tells prospective parents that the dog is fully vaccinated and does not need to see a veterinarian for a year. Part of this is true, most rescues do a great job of giving adult dog all the vaccines they need to go to a new home. They also keep them on monthly parasite prevention until the dog is adopted. They do not send home monthly prevention. So anytime you adopt a new pet you should make an appointment days within 30 days so medical history can be reviewed, the pet can become established in case an unexpected illness arises, and we can be sure your pet has the prevention it needs.
  2. A pet was ill when monthly prevention was due. One dose was skipped and the following month forgotten. If your pet is ill we may ask you to postpone parasite prevention for a short period of time. If the illness is chronic or potentially a terminal disease you and your veterinarian will discuss a plan. Cancer and advanced age may or may not be a cause to stop monthly prevention. Remember in patients that are ill wellness care (vaccines and prevention) can further protect them- every case is different so it is important to discuss a plan with your veterinarian.

If you know that monthly medication will be hard for you to remember, please discuss longer lasting products with your veterinarian. There are injections that will protect your dog for either 6 or 12 consecutive months! This disease is more devastating than any reaction I have seen to prevention! Please protect your pet year round! We have a plethora of great products, fantastic testing, and veterinary staff that are armed with science based information to give you about the disease. If you have questions ask! We will be happy to discuss any concerns you have, it is certainly better than calling with a positive test result.

[/vc_column_text][/trx_section][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533135180690{margin-top: 40px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1533134942241{background-color: #d9ae4c !important;}”][trx_title type=”2″ align=”left” color=”#f6f2e4″ left=”20″ right=”20″]About Dr. Eileen Savier[/trx_title][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1533135315368{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Dr. Eileen SavierBarks & Recreation is proud to feature Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH as our Veterinary Blogger in our “From the Vet” Series. Currently part of the team of doctors at Keystone Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Savier is a 2012 Graduate of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, She completed her clinical experience at The Ohio State University and after veterinary school she pursued further education and certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Fear Free veterinary visits. Dr. Savier has a special interest in integrative medicine, animal behavior, and internal medicine and is committed to improving animal health care by integrating Eastern and Western philosophies. She enjoys working with fearful & aggressive dogs and cats and she has had additional training in low stress handling techniques and encourages positive reinforcement during exams and procedures. Her clinical interests include pain management, animal behavior, geriatric patient care, and internal medicine. Dr. Savier is a member of the following associations:

Dr. Savier shares her home with two (soon to be three) dogs, two cats, and a toddler. She lovingly refers to her two dogs as Coconut Retrievers as they were rescue dogs she brought home from the island of St. Kitts. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and planning her next Disney vacation.

Join us every month for Dr. Savier’s “From the Vet” series to get more information related to the health and welfare of your furry family members![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]