Heartworm

Question
Hello, I currently have a boxer pup going on 8 months, I was curious when I should put her on heartworm preventative. Previously my vet said that she would be ok for now because it takes a few months for the larvae to develop if infected. I just moved cities and have not found a vet yet. Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Hugo,

Whether or not you put your dog on heart worm preventative is something that should be discussed between you and your new vet.  Most vets will have information regarding numbers of cases in their area and will make a recommendation based on those statistics.

You'll also want to ask if your vet suggests year round preventative or only during the warmer months (this will depend on where you live).  For instance, I live in Ohio and my dogs are only on preventative April-October...if you live in a State where mosquitoes are active for longer periods you may want to treat year round.