Keeping your pets on heartworm prevention year-round is crucial in our region. Heartworm disease is a potentially life-threatening disease that is spread to pets only by mosquitoes.
The good news is that we have a variety of different heartworm preventions to choose from. For years, we’ve had several once-a-month chewable tablets as well as a monthly topical liquid (applied to the skin). However, if you are not aware, we have had available for more than a couple of years an injection that provides 6 months of protection (ProHeart 6), and more recently an injection that gives 12 months of protection for dogs (ProHeart 12).
While available and effective for any dog, we generally find that ProHeart 6 and 12 are the perfect choice in certain situations:
- Your dog is fussy about taking its once-a-month medication
- You tend to forget to give the monthly heartworm medication as directed
- Your dog won’t take the monthly medication, and you personally don’t like using the topical liquid
- You simply like the convenience of getting the ProHeart 6 or 12, and not having to worry about your dog being protected for months to come
A frequent question about ProHeart 6 and 12 is flea control, and quite simply, NO ! ProHeart does NOT provide flea control, but it can safely be used with Bravecto, Simparica and Activyl.
Another common question is if ProHeart is better than other heartworm preventions. No ! ProHeart just gives you an additional choice or option for providing your dog with protection against heartworm disease. And with that in mind, another common question we hear is “which is the best heartworm prevention ?”, to which I must say, the BEST heartworm prevention is the one that you give to your pet as directed. Essentially, all heartworm preventions are equally effective. So pick one that your pet will like, and that you’ll give when it’s meant to be given. Simple as that.
If you have any questions, please contact us Monday – Friday (8am til 5pm) at 704.288.8620; or email us at info@cvpet.com.
All the best
Dr Bob Parrish & The Carolina Value Pet Care Team