Keeping your furry friend safe is especially key as a common pest starts to reappear along with the warmer weather.
According to Orkin Pest Control, North Carolina's mosquito season begins in April and runs through October. Janet Raczkowski, a veterinarian at Adams Farm Animal Hospital in Greensboro, says mosquito season is especially dangerous for pets.
"Our incidence of heartworms is very high. It's over 92 or 93 percent, so if they're not receiving the preventative consistently, there is a very high risk they are going to get exposed to it," Raczkowski says because the condition can be caused by mosquito bites.