Heartworm Prevention & Treatment in Olivette, MO
Request an AppointmentMy Best Friend Veterinary Center encourages year-round heartworm prevention for dogs throughout Olivette and Creve Coeur, MO, from the first puppy visit through senior wellness care. Missouri's fluctuating winter temperatures mean mosquitoes (and the heartworm larvae they carry) can survive later into the season than many pet owners expect.
What Is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworms are blood parasites that live in the heart. They spend part of their lifecycle in mosquitoes, and get passed to dogs during mosquito bites. This is when they migrate to the heart and live there until they reach adulthood. Heartworms can grow to 10 to 16 inches long and wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system.
According to the American Heartworm Society, almost 300,000 dogs get heartworms each year in the U.S., which includes several cases per year here at My Best Friend Veterinary Center. Treatment for a heartworm positive dog takes months, is painful for the dog, and is expensive. An untreated heartworm infection is fatal– this is why we perform a heartworm test every year, even if you give heartworm prevention year-round.
Heartworm Prevention in Olivette and Creve Coeur, MO
As part of our annual wellness exam, we recommend that all dogs get a simple and affordable blood test to check for heartworms. This blood test also tests for tick-borne diseases. Heartworm testing is often done during the same visit as pet vaccinations.
We recommend all dogs that live here in the St. Louis area stay on a heartworm preventative medication year-round. These medications prevent the disease by killing the microscopic larvae before they get a chance to grow into the adult worms that cause problems.
Some owners think it’s safe to stop giving prevention in the winter. However, our winter temperatures fluctuate so much and so rapidly, that mosquito larvae are never fully eliminated in the environment.
Heartworm Prevention Options
There are many different heartworm preventatives available, but all of them are prescription medications. They come in:
- Injectable medications administered by your veterinarian and provide protection for 6 to 12 months, making them a good option for owners who have a hard time remembering monthly oral doses.
- Topical medications, such as Revolution®, that are applied to the skin monthly. These are good for dogs who are not candidates for oral or injectable prevention.
- Oral medications, such as Heartgard®, are chewable, treat-like tablets given monthly. Most of our clients choose this option because dogs take them easily.
Choosing the right medication can depend on your dog's lifestyle, age, health history, breed and current medications.
Besides preventing heartworm disease, most of these medications also prevent or treat intestinal parasites, some of which can pass to people. When used as directed, they are safe and effective.
Heartworm in Dogs vs. Cats
Although we mainly worry about heartworm disease in dogs, it can occur in cats as well. Cats are not as susceptible to heartworms because their bodies often can control and get rid of a heartworm infection on its own. Despite this fact, sometimes cats can develop a severe or fatal heartworm infection.
Testing for heartworm in cats is not reliable, so for cats that spend time outside, we recommend a monthly preventative that covers heartworms, fleas and ticks. Cat heartworm medications are usually topical since giving oral medications to cats can be challenging. For more on how the disease shows up differently in cats, see our guide on heartworm disease in cats.
What Heartworm Treatment Involves
When a dog tests positive for heartworms, treatment is a multi-month process that requires close veterinary supervision.
We start with confirmation bloodwork to make absolutely certain the dog is positive. We then administer a series of injections between the vertebrae. The injections kill heartworms at a specific stage in their lifecycle, so the timing of these injections must be very exact. The injections are accompanied by strict activity restriction because the worms stress the cardiovascular system as they break down. Several rounds of follow-up testing is used to check whether the infection has cleared.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is heartworm disease curable?
Heartworm disease can be treated, but the process takes several months and requires close veterinary supervision. Prevention is far simpler, safer, and less costly than treatment, which is why year-round prevention is recommended for every dog in our area.
How much does a heartworm test cost?
A heartworm and tick-borne disease blood test at My Best Friend Veterinary Center is $57. We recommend this test annually for dogs, even if they show no symptoms, since heartworm disease often has no visible symptoms in its early stages.
Do indoor pets need heartworm prevention?
Yes. Mosquitoes can get inside through open doors, windows, and screens, and it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to transmit heartworm larvae. We recommend year-round prevention for indoor and outdoor pets alike.
Is heartworm prevention needed in the winter in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri's winter temperatures fluctuate enough that mosquito larvae are not reliably killed off, so gaps in prevention during colder months still carry risk.
What is the difference between heartworm prevention and heartworm treatment?
Prevention is an ongoing monthly or long-acting medication that stops heartworm larvae from developing into adult worms. Treatment is a multi-month medical process used only after a dog has already tested positive for adult heartworms. Prevention is the safer, simpler, and far less expensive option for most pets.
Schedule Heartworm Prevention at My Best Friend Veterinary Center
If your dog or cat is not currently on a heartworm preventative, the veterinarians at My Best Friend Veterinary Center can run a quick blood test and help you choose the right medication for your pet's lifestyle. New and current patients throughout Olivette and Creve Coeur are welcome, and most of our preventatives come with a manufacturer guarantee when purchased through our clinic.
