Heartworm Prevention in Sandy Springs, GA, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Sandy Springs is a vet in Sandy Springs, GA, that prescribes heartworm prevention for dogs and cats. In Georgia, the vet recommends giving it every month of the year, because mosquitoes that spread heartworm can be active in any warm spell.

Heartworms are long worms that live in the heart and lung arteries. Prevention is a small monthly step; treatment for a dog that gets infected is long, costly and hard on the body.

Call (678) 673-3977 or book online.

Why is heartworm such a risk in Sandy Springs?

Georgia ranked among the top ten states for heartworm cases in the American Heartworm Society's 2025 incidence survey. Sandy Springs sits along the Chattahoochee River, with creeks, ponds and long, humid summers that suit mosquitoes. One bite from an infected mosquito can pass heartworm larvae to your pet. Those larvae take about six months to grow into adult worms, so a pet can look healthy for a long time after it is infected.

What are the prevention options?

Petfolk Sandy Springs offers a few ways to protect your pet:

• Monthly chewables for dogs: many also cover fleas, ticks and some intestinal worms in one treat. Across Petfolk, 85% of dog parasite-prevention purchases are Simparica Trio, a monthly chew (Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026).

• A yearly injection for dogs: ProHeart 12 protects for 12 months from one shot, given by the vet. About 6% of dog prevention purchases across Petfolk are ProHeart 12.

• Monthly topicals for cats: applied to the skin on the back of the neck. Across Petfolk, 88% of cat prevention purchases are Revolution Plus, which also covers fleas, ticks and some worms.

The vet helps you choose based on your pet's weight, age, health and what you'll remember to give. A dog who hates pills may do better with the yearly shot, and a cat who fights topicals can be a reason to talk through other options.

Does my indoor cat need heartworm prevention?

Yes, the American Heartworm Society recommends it. Mosquitoes get indoors, and there is no approved treatment for heartworm in cats, so prevention is the only protection. At Petfolk Sandy Springs, a monthly topical that also covers fleas is the most common choice for cats.

A test comes first for dogs

Before a dog starts or restarts prevention, the vet runs a quick heartworm blood test. Giving prevention to a dog that already has heartworms can cause a reaction, and it won't cure the infection. After that, dogs get tested once a year. Read more on heartworm testing in Sandy Springs.

Tips that keep protection unbroken

1. Set a phone reminder for the same day every month.

2. Give chewables with food, and watch your dog eat the whole thing.

3. Weigh your pet at each visit; growing puppies may need a bigger dose.

4. Don't stop in winter. A missed month leaves a gap the next dose can't fully cover.

5. Buy prevention through the clinic's on-site pharmacy, so it is the right product and dose.

Fear Free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, which helps for the yearly injection and the blood test.

What does heartworm prevention cost?

Cost depends on the product and your pet's weight. At Petfolk Sandy Springs you'll get an estimate before any test or treatment, and the final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. PetfolkCare, which starts at $199 a year, includes savings on every visit; ask the team what it covers.

Coughing, tiring fast or a swollen belly

These can be signs of advanced heartworm disease, and cats can show sudden breathing trouble or vomiting. Book a sick visit soon. A pet who collapses or struggles to breathe needs a 24-hour emergency hospital such as BluePearl Pet Hospital on Abernathy Rd NE.

Start or refill prevention

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Sandy Springs is at 6223 Roswell Rd, 365A, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. Call (678) 673-3977 or ask about refills at your next visit.

Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Sandy Springs, or see all veterinary services in Sandy Springs.