Heartworm Prevention in Wake Forest, NC, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wake Forest is a vet in Wake Forest, NC, that prescribes heartworm prevention for dogs and cats and helps you pick the right form. In North Carolina, the vet's advice is simple: give it every month, all year.

Why not wait until a dog is sick? Treatment for a dog with heartworm means a series of injections and weeks of strict rest, and for cats there is no approved treatment at all.

Call (919) 891-6444 or book online to start or refill prevention.

Does my pet need heartworm prevention all year?

Yes. At Petfolk Wake Forest, the vet advises prevention every month of the year for dogs, and for cats too. Mosquitoes spread heartworm, and in central North Carolina they can show up in any warm spell, including in winter. So the vet's plan has no gap months.

North Carolina sits among the top ten states for heartworm in the American Heartworm Society's 2025 incidence survey, which also flagged rising cases in the central Carolinas.

What kinds of heartworm prevention are there?

The vet at Petfolk Wake Forest will help you choose from a few common forms:

• Monthly chews or tablets for dogs. Many also cover fleas, ticks and some intestinal worms.

• Monthly topicals applied to the skin, often used for cats.

• A long-acting injection for dogs, given at the clinic and lasting months, so you have nothing to remember at home.

Ask the team which products fit your pet's weight, age, health and routine (and which ones they carry in the on-site pharmacy).

Indoor cats are at risk too

Yes. Mosquitoes get indoors through open doors and screens, and indoor cats can be infected. Cats don't usually carry many worms. One or two is enough to cause breathing problems. There is no approved treatment for heartworm in cats, so prevention is the main protection. Cat parents at Petfolk Wake Forest often use a monthly topical that also covers fleas.

Starting or switching prevention

Before a dog starts prevention, or restarts after a gap, the vet runs a heartworm test. Why test first? A dog that already carries heartworm can react badly to the first dose. Puppies and kittens usually begin in their first months.

The team also checks the dose against today's weight. A puppy who doubled in size since spring may need the next size up.

Have a good plan for my dog.

Michele W., Google review

Tips that keep prevention on track

• Set a phone reminder for the same day each month.

• Give chews with food. Watch your dog eat them.

• If a dose is late or missed, call the clinic before giving the next one.

• Cut mosquito breeding spots at home: dump plant saucers, buckets and kiddie pools after rain, and clear gutters.

Dogs who hike the Wake Forest Reservoir soft trails or splash in Smith Creek pick up more mosquito bites in summer, but every dog here is exposed some of the year.

Fear Free handling makes the long-acting injection or a test quick and calm, with treats and a gentle hold.

What does heartworm prevention cost?

The cost of prevention at Petfolk Wake Forest depends on the product and your pet's weight. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. The on-site pharmacy can fill it during your visit. A wellness exam, which starts at $99, is a good time to set it up.

See heartworm testing in Wake Forest and the on-site pharmacy.

Reaction after a dose?

Most pets have no side effects at all, though a mild stomach upset for a day can happen. If your pet has facial swelling, hives or trouble breathing after a dose, go to a 24-hour emergency hospital such as BluePearl Pet Hospital in Raleigh.

Start protection today

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wake Forest is at 3600 Rogers Branch Rd, Suite 103, Wake Forest, NC 27587. Bring the date of your pet's last heartworm test if you have it; the team can weigh your pet on the clinic scale, so you don't need a current weight.

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