Heartworm testing in dogs and cats is required for prescription refill

Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Mesa are areas in the Valley with the highest incidence of heartworm infection. The long-term risks for dogs with heartworm disease are very great. But it is nearly 100% preventable.

Heartworm testing

We generally perform the Heartworm test “in-house” with results in as little as 10 minutes. The cost for this test is $25.25.

Why do I need to test if my dog has been on Heartworm prevention?

This is a common question. An  understanding of the method of transmission and treatment for heartworm disease is needed. When a pet takes Heartgard, a couple of the larval stages of heartworm disease are treated. This is a time-sensitive process. If Heartgard is given too late, and if an infected mosquito bites your pet at just the right time, the medicine will not be effective in preventing a full-blown infection. Missed or delayed doses of medicine are quite common. Even some of our extremely compliant clients have found an extra dose or two at the end of 12 months, causing them to wonder how the medication was missed. The current recommendations of the American Heartworm Society are that pets be tested annually. We recognize their guidelines as the most authoritative in our profession. In addition, if a pet ever does develop heartworm disease and the client has been following our protocol faithfully (monthly dosing and annual testing), the cost of treatment for the infection is primarily borne by Merial, the manufacturer of Heartgard and Frontline. Even though this is unlikely, it gives us peace of mind that they stand behind us and your pet.

There are a few other things to mention regarding this offer (and dispensing Heartgard in general).

State law and our practice standards require that we have a valid “doctor-client-patient” relationship prior to prescribing any medication to pets. By definition, that means that we can’t prescribe medications to pets that have not had a thorough physical exam within the previous 12 months.

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