Heartworm Test At The Vet?

[Athena GSD]

The newer test kits will only detect adult female worms, not microfilaria.

The heartworm products can be dangerous if adult worms are present. They are killed and move within the heart and into the lungs causing blockages to vessels and blood clots can form as the body reacts to the worms as they are broken down.

Much of the problem is the sheer size of the adult worms.

Animals can sometimes have an anaphylactic reaction as the worms are killed. This happens in animals that have a hugely exagerated response to breaking down the dead worms.

[Ons]

When FlashBazil arrived as a foster I took him to the vets for a checkup and his vaccinations. He was also heartworm tested, the vet took a sample of blood, went out the back and then came back in after a few minutes to say it was negative. I was also told to bring him in in six months time for him to be retested as the larvae can incubate for that long (something like that anyway). He was started on heartworm treatment from the first visit. This all was done in June last year. I need to take him for that second test :D

It seemed a simple test and from memory was not too costly at all.