Heartworm Treatment In Short Supply!
The medication veterinarians have used to treat heartworm infections in dogs, called Immiticide, will no longer be manufactured in the United States. Some suppliers in Europe are making this medication available to US veterinarians, but this means that veterinarians will have limited access to this specific treatment for heartworms should your dog contract the infection from mosquitoes.
What does this mean for your dog? For dogs currently receiving heartworm prevention year-round in Texas, hopefully the preventative should do its job and you shouldn't have to worry about ever treating your dog for heartworms. We have many clients, however, who get a 6 month supply of heartworm prevention at their yearly wellness exam, neglect refilling it, and allow their pets to go without heartworm prevention for the next 6 months until their yearly checkup again. We also have clients who decline heartworm prevention at all. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR DOG OR CAT BE ON MONTHLY PREVENTATIVE TO AVOID INFECTION!
Dogs that are not on a monthly, year-round heartworm preventative are at risk for contracting heartworms (for more information on heartworm disease look under the Diseases and Conditions of Companion Animals heading). Heartworm disease is usually fatal if not treated - but now we will have only a limited supply of the treatment! So it becomes even more important for you to keep your dog on a consistent heartworm preventative - WE CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!
If your dog turns up heartworm positive, we may now have only limited options to help kill off the heartworms. One option includes giving a heartworm preventative more frequently, giving rounds of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. It typically takes 1-2 years on this "slow kill" heartworm treatment method for your dog to become heartworm free. During this time, damage can be done to the heart that can cause permanent problems (including overt heart failure) and a shortened lifespan for your pet. Unfortunately, if we cannot get a ready supply of heartworm treatment from overseas, this may be our only option to treat your pet.
The take home message we want our clients to know is that it is extremely important for your dog or cat to be on a monthly heartworm preventative, to never skip any doses if you live in Texas, and to have your dog checked yearly for heartworms with a heartworm test. It could mean the difference now between life and death for your pet.
What does this mean for your dog? For dogs currently receiving heartworm prevention year-round in Texas, hopefully the preventative should do its job and you shouldn't have to worry about ever treating your dog for heartworms. We have many clients, however, who get a 6 month supply of heartworm prevention at their yearly wellness exam, neglect refilling it, and allow their pets to go without heartworm prevention for the next 6 months until their yearly checkup again. We also have clients who decline heartworm prevention at all. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOUR DOG OR CAT BE ON MONTHLY PREVENTATIVE TO AVOID INFECTION!
Dogs that are not on a monthly, year-round heartworm preventative are at risk for contracting heartworms (for more information on heartworm disease look under the Diseases and Conditions of Companion Animals heading). Heartworm disease is usually fatal if not treated - but now we will have only a limited supply of the treatment! So it becomes even more important for you to keep your dog on a consistent heartworm preventative - WE CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!
If your dog turns up heartworm positive, we may now have only limited options to help kill off the heartworms. One option includes giving a heartworm preventative more frequently, giving rounds of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. It typically takes 1-2 years on this "slow kill" heartworm treatment method for your dog to become heartworm free. During this time, damage can be done to the heart that can cause permanent problems (including overt heart failure) and a shortened lifespan for your pet. Unfortunately, if we cannot get a ready supply of heartworm treatment from overseas, this may be our only option to treat your pet.
The take home message we want our clients to know is that it is extremely important for your dog or cat to be on a monthly heartworm preventative, to never skip any doses if you live in Texas, and to have your dog checked yearly for heartworms with a heartworm test. It could mean the difference now between life and death for your pet.