Why Testing Before Prevention Is Not Optional
Mosquitoes here don't stop. Heartworm Prevention in Windermere, FL is available through our Windermere care center for dogs and cats, and the mosquito season in Central Florida is essentially the calendar.
Why Testing Before Prevention Is Not Optional
Starting heartworm prevention on a dog who already has adult worms can trigger a severe reaction as the microfilariae in the bloodstream are killed rapidly. This is why a negative test is required before any prevention is dispensed, and why it can't be skipped even for a dog who was on prevention at a previous practice. A test that was current a year ago is not current today, especially in Central Florida.
Dogs in the neighbourhoods around Lake Butler, the retention pond edges near Windermere Commons, and any outdoor space with standing water after rain are exposed to a higher mosquito density than most of the country. Heartworm is not a minor inconvenience — treatment is months of strict restriction and considerably harder on an older or already-unwell dog. Prevention is the answer and it requires a current negative test first.
The test is a quick in-house blood panel — results before you leave. Cats are also susceptible, with fewer worms but no treatment option if they contract it, which makes prevention for outdoor and indoor-outdoor cats a real conversation. Call (689) 220-0228 or book online at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Windermere, 4757 The Grove Dr #148, Windermere, FL 34786.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heartworm Prevention