Ticks and heartworms don’t take time off

Find out why annual screenings and preventative medication matter.

Every pet parent knows that creepy bloodsuckers are the enemy. Ticks are becoming more widespread and carry potentially deadly diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma, while heartworm disease is also deadly and has been found in all 50 states. But what most people don’t know is that fighting parasites during peak outdoor season is not enough. These little monsters never go on vacation, and that’s why your pet needs to be on preventative prescription medications.

Worried about the money? You’ll actually be saving it in the long run, not to mention sparing you and your pet a whole lot of stress. Diseases like Lyme disease and heartworm disease require extensive (and expensive) treatment. While year-round tick and heartworm prescriptions aren’t necessarily cheap, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to weeks in the hospital or caring for a chronic condition.

To get a prescription, you’ll need to have your pet screened annually. This may sound like a pain, but it’s actually great—tests catch all the things you can’t. After all, heartworm disease has zero symptoms in its early stages and tick-borne illnesses need to be caught as quickly as possible to prevent complications like chronic kidney disease.

In the end, it’s better to test your pet, not your luck. If you’re ready to schedule your pet’s heartworm disease and tick-borne illness screening, check out our Mobile Vet Clinics. And remember, while puppies don’t need testing, they can still start preventative medication.