05/11/2026
Heartworm is still a risk! Our most recent heartworm positive dog lives in Gananoque, did not travel outside of our area and was not on prevention. We've seen other similar posts from other Veterinary clinics in Ontario as well.
When you are in for your annual exams with your dogs and we talk about 4DX testing to test for heartworm disease and 3 diseases that are spread by ticks; people often disregard the risks of heartworm because ticks, Lyme Disease and Anaplasma are rampant in our area and we all know dogs and people alike who have suffered from most of these diseases. Heartworm is still here and is spread as simply as by a mosquito bite and it can be deadly to dogs. It's also very easy to prevent. There are many great heartworm products available, but our clinic uses mostly Interceptor Plus as it is a broad spectrum dewormer (yes, our dogs can carry intestinal parasites that can be a risk to humans, especially children), it's a great heartworm preventative and it can be a great tool in preventing the risks of Echinococcus multilocularis (the fox/coyote tapeworm) that can affect both dogs and humans and be life threatening. Interceptor Plus is an easy to give, once-per-month oral flavoured tablet. Most dogs like the taste.
We're happy to help answer any questions that you may have, so contact the clinic and ask! 613-382-2900
Preventing heartworm disease is much more simple and far less costly than treating the disease.
