Annual heartworm tests are a must to ensure your dog is heartworm free BEFORE you start a preventative medication.

The reason is simple: Pets can have a life-threatening reaction if given heartworm preventive medications when they have an active heartworm infection, so we want to be sure that your pet does not have a heartworm infection before prescribing a heartworm preventive medication. You may have accidentally missed a dose, or your pet may have spit the heartworm medication out or vomited it up, leaving your pet unprotected for a period that you were unaware of. Combination tests for heartworms in dogs also help your veterinarian check for other diseases like those transmitted by ticks, such as Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis.

For more information on this topic or if you have other concerns regarding your pet, contact us at 236-2311, at http://www.camdenvet.com/ and LIKE us on Facebook for tips, photos and contests

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