Heartworm Resource Center

Why does severe weather create a perfect storm for heartworm transmission?

Veterinary cardiologist Dr. Clarke Atkins explains how heartworm epidemics can occur as fallout from hurricanes.

Talking to dog owners about rest and recovery during heartworm treatment

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Deb Horwitz provides easy tips owners can follow to keep their dogs mentally engaged but physically calm during heartworm treatment.

Keeping dogs mentally stimulated but physically quiet during heartworm treatment

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Deb Horwitz provides easy tips owners can follow to keep their dogs mentally engaged but physically calm during heartworm treatment.

Handling bathroom breaks for dogs on cage rest

Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Deb Horwitz addresses the question of how owners can safely handle taking their dogs outside for bathroom breaks during heartworm treatment.

Three Models of Care: Expanding Options for Treating Heartworms

Three specialists in shelter medicine explain how they are managing the medical, logistical and financial challenges of treating heartworm infection in patients.

Heartworm Life Cycle for Pet Owners

An overview of the heartworm lifecycle, with an emphasis on the importance of prevention.
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Heartworm Life Cycle for Professionals

An in-depth overview of heartworm life cycle and prevention that is useful for students, new staff, and veterinary professionals.
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Do Cats Get Heartworms?

Yes, cats get heartworm disease and need heartworm prevention.

19 Dilemma of the Missed Dose (Clarke Atkins)

Dr. Clarke Atkins, DACVIM, discusses how veterinary professionals should treat the "missed" dose of heartworm preventative. Pet owners can accidentally forget to dose their pet. What is the impact or risk to the pet when this occurs? How should veterinarians and veterinary technicians better educate pet owners to prevent this from happening?

18 Why Prevent Heartworm in Non-Endemic Areas (Matthew W. Miller)

Pet owners can accidentally forget to dose their pet. What is the impact or risk to the pet when this occurrs? How should veterinarians and veterinary technicians better educate pet owners to prevent this from happening? Dr. Clarke Atkins, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses how veterinary professionals should treat the "missed" dose of heartworm preventative.

17 Why Do We Remind to Test and NOT Prevent? (Tom Nelson)

How should veterinarians and veterinary technicians be handling heartworm disease in non-endemic regions? Should pets still be treated? Dr. Matt Miller, DACVIM (Cardiology) discusses why it's important to prevent heartworm in non-endemic areas of the United States.

16 Diagnosing Heartworm Disease/Infection in Cats (Matthew W. Miller)

Dr. Tom Nelson, veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in Alabama, discusses why we are often taught to "test" for heartworm more than we are taught to "prevent" heartworm disease.

15 Dog in a Box But Not Bored (Debra F. Horwitz)

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians living in an endemic area must feel comfortable accurately diagnosing feline heartworm disease. Dr. Matt Miller, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses how to diagnose heartworm disease/infection in cats.

14 Repellency: Does it Really Prevent Heartworm Transmission? (John W. McCall)

Dr. Debra Horwitz, DACVB of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St. Louis, Missouri, discusses the importance of appropriate client communication with the pet owner in the heartworm positive dog. By addressing the pet owner's concerns, addressing the pet's concerns, and still providing the heartworm positive dog with certain types of exercise, veterinary professionals can work with pet owners to ensure the best outcome for heartworm positive dogs that must be exercise-restricted. Dr. Debra Horwitz, DACVB of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St. Louis, Missouri, discusses the importance of appropriate client communication with the pet owner in the heartworm positive dog.

13 There Goes the Neighborhood: The Potential Impact of 1 Heartworm Positive Dog (Matthew W. Miller)

Dr. John McCall, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses how repellency and insectile efficacy can help prevent heartworm transmission in dogs and cats. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians must be aware of the best ways to help minimize the risks of heartworm to their patients.

12 Treating Heartworm Disease: Why Use the AHS Protocol (Tom Nelson)

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians, along with those who help rescue and place dogs throughout North America, must be aware of the impact of heartworm in their locales. Dr. Matt Miller, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses the impact of just ONE positive heartworm dog and how it impacts your neighborhood or town.

11 Minimizing Complications of Melarsomine (Stephen L. Jones)

Why is it important to use the American Heartworm Society heartworm treatment protocol? Dr. Tom Nelson, veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in Alabama, discusses what veterinarians should do when a patient is diagnosed as heartworm positive.

09 Thoracic Radiography and Feline Heartworm Disease (Clifford R. Berry)

Cats often have thickening of their pulmonary arteries as part of age-related changes, making thoracic radiographic interpretation of heartworm positive cats more difficult. Dr. Clifford Berry, DACVR, radiologist at University of Florida, reviews thoracic radiographic findings associated with feline heartworm disease.

08 Echocardiography: Is it Needed in Heartworm-Positive Animals? (Matthew W. Miller)

Should veterinarians be referring all heartworm positive dogs and cats for echocardiography prior to beginning treatment for heartworm? Dr. Matt Miller, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses the use of echocardiography in the heartworm positive patient.

07 Doxycycline: The Role in Heartworm Treatment, Prevention, and Transmission (Matthew W. Miller)

Dr. Matt Miller, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses the role of doxycycline, the commonly used antibiotic, in the treatment of heartworm disease. Should veterinarians routinely be using doxycycline to help prevent resistance in treating heartworm? If your patient was just diagnosed as heartworm positive, find out if you should use doxycyline or not.

06 Heartworm in Nontraditional Species (Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!) (Bianca Zaffarano)

While most pet owners are aware of the dangers of heartworm in dogs and cats, it turns out heartworm are opportunist and can affect other species. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians must be aware of the other species that can be affected, in order to best help educate pet owners about heartworm. Dr. Bianca Zaffarano discusses how heartworm can affect nontraditional species such as humans, sea lions, and seals.

05 Thoracic Radiography and Canine Heartworm Disease (Clifford H. Berry)

In this American Heartworm Society video, Dr. Clifford Berry, DACVR, radiologist at University of Florida, reviews thoracic radiographic findings associated with canine heartworm disease. Veterinarians practicing in a heartworm endemic area must be able to accurately interpret chest radiographs.

03 Why Not Slow Kill? Patient-Focused Reasons (Clarke Atkins)

If your canine patient was just diagnosed with heartworm, find out if it is indicated or contraindicated to use slow-kill protocols. Not only is slow kill slow, expensive, and potentially dangerous, but it can result in pulmonary emboli and secondary vascular damage. Dr. Clarke Atkins, DACVIM (Cardiology), discusses the controversy of "slow-kill" for canine heartworm disease.

02 Heartworm Testing: The WHY and HOW of Heat-Treating Samples (Susan E. Little)

As a veterinarian or veterinary technician, should you be performing an antigen heartworm test or a microfilaria test? What test should you use in your canine patient? When should we be performing the process of "heat-treating?" Due to the formation of antibodies against heartworm antigen, the process of heat-treating samples may be necessary in your samples? Dr. Susan Little, clinical parasitologist from Oklahoma State University, discusses the process of heat-treating heartworm samples in dogs.

Dr. Lynn Buzhardt & Dr. Byron Blagburn: Options for Heartworm Testing