Heartworm prevention has always been important, but since there is no longer any treatment available for heartworm disease at this time; it has become absolutely essential to keep your dogs and cats safe.

You may ask why is there no treatment available at the present time. The manufacturer of Immiticide, the agent needed to treat heartworm infection in dogs, has been distributing the drug on an ‘as needed’ basis for the last few years due to the limited production of the compound. That limited amount of the drug has now been used up. Therefore, until there is more of the drug being produced, dogs who are diagnosed with heartworm disease must be treated with agents that will ease their discomfort and sustain their life until more of the Immiticide is available.

These facts make the prevention of heartworm disease essential. In the Mississippi valley, which includes the St. Louis area as well as Illinois, is a danger zone for the development of this deadly disease. It has long been recommended that dogs living in this area should be on heartworm preventatives every month for the life of the pet starting as puppies.

The most popular preventatives are easy to administer, monthly and also protect against troublesome intestinal parasites as well as heartworm disease. Many of these products also offer discounts and programs designed to reduce the financial burdens associated with use of the products. It is tremendously less expensive to prevent a disease than it is to treat it. As stated earlier, there is no treatment currently available.

Please call today if you have additional questions about this or any other veterinary matter concerning you about your pets. We are always eager to educate our clients about their pets’ needs and the availability of products and services available to care for them.