Strict activity restrictions are essential in heartworm treatment for dogs. Success depends on various factors, including safe confinement and welfare.
One of the more challenging aspects of heartworm treatment for dog owners is the need to implement strict activity restrictions before, during, and after adulticide therapy. The American Heartworm Society (AHS) guidelines recommend activity restriction begin for heartworm-positive dogs at the time of diagnosis and continue until six-eight weeks after the last melarsomine injection.1 The goal of this activity restriction is to reduce the inflammation caused by worm death and reduce adverse events, such as pulmonary thromboembolism.
