Dog Gets Heartworms After Missing Preventive Doses

Recently MyPetsDoctor.com posted an article about why one’s dog needs to be tested for heartworms after missing one or more doses of heartworm preventive.

We explained there that restarting heartworm preventive without a test is a dangerous proposition, and could even result in a reaction that could kill your dog.

Sheba might not have seen tomorrow if she had not had a heartworm test today
Sheba might not have seen tomorrow if she had not had a heartworm test today

Well, just this morning, it happened.

No, not a reaction, but a dog, Sheba Lee, who had missed two months of heartworm preventive, tested positive on the Heska® test pictured.

Had Sheba simply re-started her heartworm preventive without today’s test, she might not have seen Wednesday.

Your pet’s doctor knows what he’s talking about when he makes recommendations about your pets’ care. If something comes up that conflicts with logic, obtain a second opinion.

Just don’t dismiss what his advice without an abundance of caution and a lot of professional guidance.

The practice of medicine, human or veterinary, is extremely complicated. It is far more complicated than the explanations we give day-to-day, which we often simplify for the layman.

In this case, following our recommendations saved Sheba Lee’s life.

The blue line by "C" (for control) means the test worked properly, the red line by "T" means Sheba has heartworms.
The blue line by "C" (for control) means the test worked properly, the red line by "T" means Sheba has heartworms.

See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.

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