Heartworm Prevention in the Winter
During a visit this week, the topic of heartworm prevention in the winter came up. My vet has always advised that heartworm treatment continue year-round. However, because I’m occasionally suspicious of “money-making” advice, I decided to do a little independent research.
Bites cause heartworms from infected mosquitoes that carry tiny, invisible larvae, into the bloodstream. But, something I didn’t know after an infected mosquito bites your pet, it takes up to six months for worms to grow to adulthood inside your pet’s lungs.
Heartworm preventatives don’t prevent infections; they kill the parasites your dog picked up during the previous month. Therefore, if your Doodle contracts heartworms in October and you fail to give the November dose at the appropriate time, you are leaving your pet open to infection. If you’re using a combination flea/tick/heartworm medication figuring out when to start and when to stop each product or combo formulation can be tricky.
Stopping the medications will leave your pet open to these problems during the winter months. If we lived in a state with a severe winter, stopping the drug might not matter. Once in a while,, we’re blessed with a few wonderful warm sunny days in the middle of winter, and for climates with these fluctuations, year-round treatment is more important. Year-round treatment is especially beneficial if your pet has contact with other animals in boarding facilities, doggy daycare centers, at the groomers, etc. My conclusion is that it’s better to protect your Doodles from heartworm disease by limiting exposure and providing preventive treatment year-round, even during those chilly winter months.
- Eliminating mosquito breeding grounds is key to preventing infestations too. Areas to consider are birdbaths, plant trays, old tires; you get the idea, a mosquito doesn’t need a lot of stagnant water.
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