Why Does My Pet Need Heartworm Prevention Year-Round?

Many pet owners are trying to save money any way they can.  One way they do this by only giving their pet heartworm prevention during the summer months.  Their rationale is usually that in the winter it is too cold for mosquitoes, so there is no risk of transmission of heartworm disease.  Does this sound like you? If so, read on.

First of all, if you are employing the method of seasonal heartworm prevention, when do you start giving the prevention again? On the first warm day of the year? What temperature constitutes a warm day? There is no exact date or consensus on when it would be appropriate to restart heartworm prevention. Also, in the Lilburn area, the temperatures can be quite sporadic during the winter months. It can be 35 degrees one day and 75 degrees the next. Additionally, female mosquitoes do what is called overwintering. This is when they find somewhere protected from the cold to spend the winter months. One such place can be your house! Most people turn on the heat in the winter to keep their house at a comfortable temperature.  If you are comfortable, the mosquito is likely comfortable as well.  When will that overwintering mosquito awaken to find a blood-meal (a.k.a. your pet)? No one knows the answer to that question.

Sure, you can save a few dollars by only giving heartworm prevention a portion of the year, but is it worth risking your pet’s life? The cost of treating heartworms far outweighs the cost of year-round prevention. There is too much uncertainty in seasonal heartworm prevention in the metro-Atlanta region. Find other ways to save money and keep your pets on heartworm prevention every month of the year.

Star Gregory is a veterinarian and owner of Zutilla Veterinary Housecalls, a Lilburn based mobile veterinary practice.