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Heartworm Medicine For Dogs And Cats

Both dogs and cats, as well as their cousins in the wild, can be infected by the roundworm parasite that we call heartworms. While it is very rare for this parasite to infect humans, it can be dangerous and even deadly for dogs and cats. While there are a number of pet medications on the market today that can help protect against heartworms, the first step is having your pet tested. During these tests, your veterinarian will determine whether or not your pet already has heartworms. Pets that are already infested will need a different type of treatment than those that have tested negative for heartworms. You will want to remember that just because your pet does not have them does not mean that they do not need heartworm medication. In fact, these medicines are designed to prevent the infestation of these parasites so they should be given immediately upon finding out that your dog or cat does not have heartworms.

The reason that these parasites are considered so damaging is that they affect the lungs and hearts, residing in the blood vessels and causing a great deal of damage that is irreparable. This is why you want to make sure that you are giving your pet their treatment on a monthly basis. You do not want to give the parasites a chance to set in. Year round treatment is the vet recommended approach and since today's heartworm medicines are so easy to give, this is a smart idea. Do not be fooled into thinking that the parasites cannot cause problems during the winter months because they can and do.

You have a variety of high quality name brand heartworm medications to choose from these days. Brands like Heartgard, Advantage, Revolution, Interceptor, Sentinel and more are all proven to be safe and highly effective against heartworms.