April is Heartworm Awareness Month

You may be well-informed about the dangers of heartworm disease, but are your clients? Many of them likely underestimate the condition, and now is the time to educate them.

The American Heartworm Society and Merial have launched an educational initiative, declaring April as Heartworm Awareness Month. According to a 2008 Merial survey of about 1,000 dog owners, 35 percent of owners who bring their dogs to veterinarians for annual exams fail to give their pets heartworm preventives. And many pet owners grossly underestimate the cost of treating the disease-65 percent of those polled believe the cost of treatment to be less than $250.

The weather is warming up, mosquitos are biting, and pets are at the highest risk for contracting heartworm disease. So make sure your clients are informed and taking a proactive approach to keeping their pets safe from infection.