Hallowe’en Is Coming! Know What’s Scary?

Heartworm is scary. People often think that with the advent of autumn and winter, they don’t have to continue their pets’ heartworm regimen, because, after all, mosquitoes don’t breed in most parts of the country in winter (mosquitoes carry the heartworm filaria that get into your dog’s bloodstream and wind up in your dog’s heart). Heartworms really are worms, by the way, it’s not like ringworm, which is really a fungus–heartworms are actual worms that live in your dog’s heart and interfere with his ability to do anything that having a healthy, worm-free heart would allow him to do, and that’s up to and including live a nice, long life.

Heartworms used to be limited to warm weather states, but now even Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest states–even Alaska–have heartworm. Check with your vet if you think you are clear to quit giving the heartworm meds in winter, but take it from us–it is SO MUCH better to be safe than sorry when it comes to heartworm,

This Hallowe’en season, don’t open the door to a scary case of heartworm. Keep your pets safe and sound.