Is it OK to skip heartworm medicine?

A: Give the dose you missed immediately, then continue giving the medication on the day you’ve always given it. If the missed dose is more than 2 weeks late, your dog should be tested for heartworm again in six months (click here to learn why).

Is heartworm medication really necessary?

One of the most common questions heard by our veterinarians during an annual wellness exam is, “Does my pet really need heartworm prevention?” To put it simply: yes! Even if your pet is considered “indoors-only,” all cats and dogs should be on a heartworm prevention medication.

What happens if you skip a month of heartworm prevention?

If it has been less than two weeks since the missed dose, give your dog the dose immediately. If it has been over two weeks since the missed dose, contact your vet, who will likely advise you to resume normal dosing next month and have the dog tested for heartworm in six months.

Do I really need to give my dog heartworm medicine every month?

Heartworm disease can be prevented in dogs and cats by giving them medication once a month that also controls various internal and external parasites. Heartworm infections are diagnosed in about 250,000 dogs each year. 1 But there is no good reason for dogs to receive preventives all year; it is just not needed.

Do dogs need monthly heartworm pills?

Does my dog need heartworm medicine in the winter?

That’s one reason veterinarians often recommend that pets receive heartworm prevention medication all year long. Although there are a fewer number of mosquitoes in the winter, there is still a risk that an animal could contract heartworms if the owner stops giving medication during this season.

Can a dog skip a month of heartworm?

Despite their best intentions, even the most attentive and diligent pet parent can occasionally forget to give their dog their monthly heartworm preventative.

Do dogs poop out heartworms?

Although many worm types, such as roundworms and tiny hookworms, are shed in your pet’s feces, heartworms do not live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and are not found in feces.

Is there a natural way to prevent heartworms in dogs?

They can be controlled naturally with citrus oils, cedar oils, and diatomaceous earth. Dogs needing conventional treatment may benefit from herbs such as milk thistle and homeopathics such as berberis; these minimize toxicity from the medications and dying heartworms.

What happens if you don’t give your dog heartworm medicine?

One reason is, there’s already a serious problem with people forgetting to give their dogs the heartworm preventatives. It’s a universal problem. Now if you use it year-round, and you miss a month, your dog will probably still be protected. But if you miss more than one or two months your dog could become infected.

How did my dog get heartworm?

I named him Bailey. Both dogs lived without any major health problems, until my mom and stepdad stopped giving Maxi and Bailey their heartworm preventive in 2008. Heartworm disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Initially veterinarians tended to prescribe heartworm prevention medicine based on where you lived.

Can a mosquito bite give a dog heartworm disease?

And the bite of just one mosquito infected with the heartworm larvae will give your dog heartworm disease. Heartworm disease has not only spread throughout the United States, but it’s also now found in areas where veterinarians used to say “Oh, we don’t have heartworm disease.”

When should I get my dog tested for heartworm?

They will also advise that you get your dog heartworm tested in 6 months; because it takes about 6 months for heartworm larvae to mature into adults, the test will not be effective until at least 6 months after your dog has been infected with heartworms. Heartworm is a serious but preventable disease.