Heartworm Prevention in Your Pet
“Prevention is much easier than treatment,” says Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., a veterinarian in FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), because most heartworm preventive products are given to pets only once a month.
Heartworm is a difficult-to-treat and potentially fatal disease in dogs and cats, but it can be prevented with drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Owners have a variety of products to choose from to help keep their pets heartworm-free.
“Prevention is much easier than treatment,” says Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., a veterinarian in FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), because most heartworm preventive products are given to pets only once a month.
“Treatment for dogs is very expensive and potentially toxic, requiring multiple visits to the veterinarian, blood work and x-rays, and a series of injections,” says Hartogensis. “Dogs need to be closely monitored during treatment and for up to 24 hours after treatment.”
Read more about heartworm disease, treatment, and prevention on the FDA web site.
