When the heartworm parasite infects a host animal, it can grow and repopulate within the heart and lungs, eventually causing extensive—and life-threatening—damage to vital organs. Fortunately, if you’re a cat or dog owner, your veterinary clinic can provide you with heartworm prevention medicine that will greatly reduce your pet’s risk of infection. But even with this protection, the American Heartworm Society still recommends having your pet tested annually for the disease.  To highlight the importance of these regular screenings, here are a few top benefits of testing for heartworm disease once a year.

What Are the Benefits of Annual Heartworm Testing?

Avoid Costly & Complicated Treatment

In many cases, cats and dogs will not exhibit any early symptoms if they are infected with heartworm. Without early detection through annual screening, the disease can progress silently, causing extensive damage to the heart, lungs, and other organs.

Treating advanced-staged heartworm disease is not only expensive, but it can also increase your pet’s risk of long-lasting health issues. Luckily, annual testing allows your veterinary clinic to spot the problem in its early stages and provide treatment that is not as expensive or as much of a burden on your animal’s health.

Catch Medication Mistakes Early

Heartworm preventive medication works by killing the parasite in its larval stage. Most medications must be given every month to eradicate any potential infection that may have occurred since the last dose.

While preventive treatments are highly effective, there is always a risk that you may forget to give doses on schedule. In other cases, your animal may fail to swallow the medication without your knowledge. Annual testing from a veterinarian can catch infections so that a medication mishap doesn’t put your pet’s health in jeopardy.

Stress-Free Screening

Often, pet owners will skip routine testing due to a common misbelief that screening is complicated and stressful for the animal. However, testing for heartworm is a fairly simple process that only requires a small—and relatively pain-free—blood sample from your cat or dog. If necessary, additional screening may only require a brief X-ray. Given the potentially serious risks of heartworm disease, opting for this quick preventive screening from your veterinary clinic is worth the investment.

When it comes to heartworm prevention, Clermont Animal Hospital offers all the resources you need. Providing care to cats, dogs, as well as small and exotic animals, this Batavia, OH, veterinary clinic is equipped to perform convenient annual heartworm testing. These caring professionals can also introduce you to preventive medications designed to work for your pet’s specific needs. To learn more about their capabilities, visit this full-service animal clinic online. For appointments, call a friendly staff member at (513) 732-1730.