Heartworm Testing
A heartworm test is a small blood sample that tells you whether your dog is infected, often long before any signs show. Our Sugar Land clinic near Highway 6 and Southwest Freeway runs the test in our in-clinic lab at your dog's wellness exam.
It's the step that makes prevention safe to start, and the yearly check that confirms it's working.
Call (346) 436-6295 or book online.
When it's an emergency: Go straight to a 24-hour emergency hospital for sudden collapse, labored breathing, or coughing up blood. We're open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and we don't provide overnight care.
Who Needs a Test
Every dog, once a year, including dogs already on prevention
Dogs starting prevention for the first time, or restarting after a gap
Newly adopted dogs, or dogs with an unknown history
Dogs that missed doses or switched products
Dogs with a new cough, tiring on walks, or weight loss
The American Heartworm Society recommends annual testing for all dogs, even those on year-round prevention, because doses get missed, spit out, or given late.
Adopting From Sugar Land Animal Services or a Local Rescue
Sugar Land Animal Services and Houston-area rescues place a lot of dogs with families here. Many of those dogs come with little or no prevention history, and some were strays through a Gulf Coast summer.
Bring any shelter or rescue paperwork, including test dates and results.
If the shelter already tested your dog, the doctor may still recommend a repeat test later. A recent infection can take months to show up on a test.
Start prevention only after the doctor confirms the plan.
“We did have to bring our rescue dog Skyler in to see Dr. Krueger. Her old vet moved... Dr. Krueger greeted her so kindly and patiently...”
— Brooke P., Petfolk client.
How the Test Works
The team draws a small blood sample, and the test runs in our in-clinic lab. It looks for proteins made by adult female heartworms. You stay with your dog, and no sedation is needed. The doctor will go over the result with you.
Because the test detects adult worms, it can't catch an infection picked up in the past several months. That's why timing matters after a gap or a move.
What a Positive or Negative Result Means
A negative test means no adult heartworms were found today. It's the green light to start or continue prevention, not protection for next month.
A positive result is usually confirmed with a second, different test. If it holds up, the doctor walks you through treatment, which includes weeks of strict rest. The doctor will explain what treatment involves and whether a specialist referral makes sense.
When You Don't Need a Separate Visit
For a healthy dog on schedule, the test fits into the yearly wellness exam. There's no need to book it on its own unless your dog has a new cough or a known gap in prevention. Cats are tested differently, and only when the doctor thinks it will help.
What Heartworm Testing Costs
Most dogs are tested at their wellness exam. A wellness exam is $99, or included with PetfolkCare.
The test itself is a lab charge, and you'll see it before the sample is drawn. PetfolkCare is $199 a year and takes 10% off labs and preventives. A confirmation test or follow-up tests add to the total only if needed.
Test Once a Year, Protect All Year
Pair your dog's yearly test with the wellness exam. Call (346) 436-6295 or book online.