Mosquito season is upon us and with that comes the dreaded heartworm! Dogs are the natural host of heartworms which means prevention of heartworms is extremely important. Cats can still get heartworms, but they are not the natural host so it only happens in rare cases and I usually don’t recommend preventatives for them.

Heartworm larvae, called microfilaria are injected into the dog’s bloodstream when the mosquito bites the dog. The larvae then travel to the heart and develop into adult worms. For more information on heartworms and their lifecycle, go to Heartworm Basics.

One of the best ways to prevent heartworms is with a commercially available prescription product such as Heartgard. Heartgard contains a very small amount of ivermectin which is a dewormer and will kill the larvae that the mosquito injects into the bloodstream. This can safely be done every 45 days. Most people give it monthly so that they can remember but you can safely give it every 45 days. Current clients can request a prescription through my pharmacy.

I do recommend traditional heartworm prevention for dogs that have a high exposure to mosquitoes. If your dog is mostly indoors or has a thick coat, you may be able to use natural methods of prevention. These methods are not 100% effective but they can be extremely effective, especially when combined.

Things I recommend are using essential oil sprays to keep the mosquitoes off. Products such as Cedarcide, Wondercide, Bug Soother are great options and need to be used regularly. They can also repel fleas and ticks.

You can also use Flea Free in your pet’s food. It contains vinegar and garlic to help repel mosquitoes. This also works greats for fleas.

You can also use a homepathic to help prevent heartworms. I use Heartworm from Professional Formulas. You can request a prescription at my online pharmacy here.

Combining natural products allows for better protection. With the natural products, I do recommend a heartworm test every year to make sure there is no infection.

For more information on heartworm prevention and the products recommended you can contact our office, Animal Healing Solutions in Altamonte Springs, Florida at 407-308-7878 or by email drdeneen@pawromatherapy.com