Heartworm Prevention

“Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in pets in the United States and many other parts of the world. It is caused by worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels of affected pets, causing severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs in the body.” –quoted from the American Heartworm Society 

To learn more about heartworms, please visit the American Heartworm Society‘s page for some useful information.

AVC offers several options for heartworm preventative.  An up to date annual exam and heartworm test are required after 1 year of age to acquire heartworm preventative.

The ProHeart 6 injection is an injection given as a preventative for heartworms and intestinal parasites. One injection lasts for 6 months.  The injection must be administered in clinic and an up to date annual exam and heartworm test are required.  Patients receiving the ProHeart 6 injection must be at least 6 months of age.

Interceptor Plus is a prescription heartworm and intestinal parasite preventative.  It is a chewable tablet that is given once monthly.  An up to date annual exam and heartworm test are required to purchase this preventative.  Interceptor Plus can be administered as early as 6 weeks of age.

Simparica Trio is the first drug of its kind, in that it offers flea and tick protection along with Heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention in 1 monthly chewable.  In order to obtain Simparica Trio, your pet must be up to date on an annual exam, heartworm tested annually after 1 year of age, and at least 8 weeks old.

ProHeart 12 is an annual injection that protects your canine friends from heartworm infection and many intestinal parasites for an entire 12 month period.  It is great for those hard to pill pets!  Patients receiving the ProHeart 12 injection must be at least 1 year of age.  ProHeart 12 can only be administered in clinic and requires an up to date annual exam and heartworm test.