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April is National Heartworm Awareness Month

Did you know that April is National Heartworm Awareness Month.  Is your pet protected? Prevention is the key to avoiding a painful treatment, prolonged recovery, or possible death from heartworm disease.

How do dogs and cats get heartworm disease?  There's only one way - through an infected mosquito bite.  It cannot be spread from one pet to another.  Mosquitoes become infected by biting an animal that has the disease.  The infected mosquito then bites a dog or cat and passes microscopic, infective larvae to them.  If the pet is not on a heartworm preventive all year, the larvae mature and multiply, causing damage to the heart and lungs.

We have been asked if indoor pets can get heartworm disease, the answer is yes.  Mosquitoes can get inside a home, particularly in South Florida as your family and pets are in and out of the home enjoying the beautiful weather.  If only takes one bite for a cat or dog to become infected.  Any exposure to mosquitoes, inside or outside, can put a pet at risk.

The best way to prevent this potentially fatal disease is to use and keep your pet on preventive medicine all year.  It's also important to have your pet tested once a year.  Talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions about heartworm disease and how best to protect your pet or contact Colonial Gateway Veterinary Center for more information.