Heart worm is transmitted from an infected canine host (including the huge coyote population around Phoenix) by a single mosquito, and then transferred to a recipient host (our pets). Contrary to what many people think, dogs and cats can pick up heart worm even when they live mostly inside a home. Mosquitos know no boundaries – they will fly inside our homes and can infect pets while resting, eating, playing and being loved by us. With Monsoon season upon us again this year, we usually see a rise in the mosquito population around Phoenix. Last year, there were over 600 cases of positive heart worm dogs in Arizona. Every year that number increases. An adult female heart worm can cause sudden death in an animal, and at the very least can cause irreparable heart damage in our pets. There is treatment available for dogs that test positive for heart worm, but it is relatively expensive and no assurance of success. PREVENTION is the key to maintaining a heart worm free pet. So please ask us about heart worm prevention …. we are happy to help you place your beloved pets on a preventative protocol to keep them disease free from these nasty parasites!
