A yearly blood test should be run to make sure that your dog is heartworm free. Then your dog is given preventative heartworm medication which is usually administered once a month. If a dog is positive for heartworm then it should not be given the preventative medication or it can become very ill. If your dog is positive for heartworm infection, then it must be treated.
Treatment consists of administering controlled doses of medication to kill the worms.
The heartworm treatment itself can sometimes make a dog become very sick and careful monitoring is necessary throughout the procedure. The prognosis for a dog treated for heartworm disease is generally good, but depends on the severity of the infestation and on how much damage has already been done to the heart and lungs. Talk to your veterinarian and he or she will give you their recommendations concerning heartworm disease prevention in your area. All rights reserved.