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| Canine Heartworm Anitgen Test |
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| How is it diagnosed?
Unfortunately the heartworms must be at least 7 months old in order to show up on the blood test. Other ancillary tests are often indicated. These include: chest radiographs (X-Rays), ECG, and ultrasound).
Here at Advanced Animal Care Hospitals we use the Solo-step Heartworm Antigen Blood tests (as seen to the left). The heartworm test takes 10 minutes to run and uses a very small amount of blood for the comfort of our patients. The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing for cats and dogs in its 2005 and 2007 Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Heartworm Infection. heartwormsociety.org. After the test has run and the results come back negative it is best to put your pet on a heartworm preventative. | |
Is there prevention?
Yes there is a number of heartworm preventatives available. At Advanced Animal Care Hospitals we trust in Heartgard. Heartgard not only prevents against heartworms it also treats hookworms and roundworms which are contagious to humans. It is a once a month chewable tablet that is made with real beef so your dog is sure to love it. It's easy to give and your pet can stay protected and spoiled.
How early can I start my pet on prevention
In high risk areas, pets may be started as early as 8 weeks of age. Contrary to some myth, maternal milk provides NO antibodies useful against heartworm to the puppy or kitten. For moderate or low risk areas, preventative medication is usually started later.
What if I miss a dose?
There is a wide overlap from the preventative medication. If the lap that is over 3 months in duration, then immediately re-institute prevention therapy and have your pet tested for heartworms in 7 months following the reinstitution of the preventative medication. If the gap is two months or less, just re-institute therapy. This is paraphrased from the American Heartworm Society. For more information please visit them at www.heartwormsociety.org |
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