Your dog is a valued member of your family, which is why Clark Animal Care Center of Penfield, NY, recommends bringing them in for regular checkups and preventive care. Unfortunately, many owners underestimate the importance of annual testing, especially for diseases that seem rare, like Lyme disease and heartworm infestations. However, there is a reason animal hospitals worldwide recommend these crucial yearly tests. Here is a little more information about heartworm and tick testing and why you should schedule an appointment for your dog if you haven’t already.    

Understanding Preventive Testing

What Is Heartworm & Tick Testing?

Although many people imagine invasive tests when they think about heartworm and tick testing, both exams are performed through a simple blood test. After a small amount of blood is taken, the sample is tested for the antigens and antibodies heartworms and ticks create in the bloodstream. Both forms of testing are very fast and nearly painless, and results can be obtained in about 20 minutes. 

Why Does My Dog Need It?

Heartworms are an invasive parasite that collect in your dog’s cardiovascular system. Spread by infected mosquitoes, heartworms look like cooked strands of thin spaghetti and cause symptoms such as coughing, lethargy, breathing problems, and a condition called Caval Syndrome, which is usually fatal. Dogs can also contract Lyme disease after being bitten by an infected tick; this health condition causes fever, fatigue, joint stiffness, and loss of appetite. Because even the healthiest animals can be bitten by infected ticks or mosquitoes while outside, regular testing is crucial to prevent worsening symptoms.

If you don’t remember the last time your dog was tested for tick-borne diseases or heartworm, visit Clark Animal Care Center in Penfield, New York, to have your pup screened for these potentially fatal conditions. In addition to offering vaccinations and preventive testing, this professional animal hospital also provides surgical services, dentistry, and emergency care. For more information, visit them online or call (585) 377-1160.