Heartworm Prevention & Testing in Dunwoody, GA
If you live in the Atlanta area, you already know - mosquito season never truly ends. And where mosquitoes thrive, heartworm disease follows. Heartworm is a serious, potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms that live in your pet's heart, lungs, and blood vessels. The good news? It's almost entirely preventable. At Dunwoody Animal Medical Center, we recommend year-round heartworm prevention for every dog and cat in our community - because in Georgia, there's no safe month to skip a dose.
Why Year-Round Prevention Matters in Georgia
Georgia's warm, humid climate means mosquitoes can be active well into fall and sometimes through mild winters. The American Heartworm Society recommends 12-month prevention for pets in the Southeast — and we strongly agree. Skipping even a month or two creates a window of risk that simply isn't worth taking. Prevention is safe, affordable, and far easier on your pet (and your wallet) than treating an active heartworm infection.
Heartworm Testing — Why Your Dog Needs One Every Year
Even if your dog is on monthly prevention, an annual heartworm test is essential. Here's why:
- Prevention only works when given correctly. A pill that's spit out, vomited, or given late can leave your dog unprotected without you knowing it.
- Testing catches problems early. If an infection has occurred, earlier detection means simpler, safer treatment.
- Most preventatives require a negative test first. Giving heartworm prevention to a dog that already has heartworms can cause a dangerous reaction.
We include heartworm testing as part of your dog's annual wellness visit - a simple blood draw that gives us results in minutes right here in our in-house lab.
Heartworm Prevention Options We Offer
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Our team will help you choose the right product based on your pet's lifestyle, health history, and your preferences. Options generally include:
- Monthly oral chews — flavored, easy to give, and often combined with intestinal parasite control
- Monthly topicals — applied to the skin, some also protect against fleas and ticks
- Combination products — many of our favorites protect against heartworms, intestinal parasites, fleas, and/or ticks all in one, which simplifies your prevention routine
We'll walk through what's right for your dog or cat at your next visit. And if you use our online pharmacy, you can conveniently reorder refills with a prescription on file.
What Happens If a Pet Tests Positive?
Heartworm treatment is possible, but it's intensive, expensive, and hard on your dog. Treatment involves a series of injections, strict rest (often 6–8 weeks of severely restricted activity), and careful monitoring. Cats have no approved treatment — management is focused on supportive care. This is exactly why prevention is so much better than treatment. A monthly preventative costs just a fraction of what treatment runs, and your pet is spared a difficult recovery.
Schedule a Heartworm Test or Pick Up Prevention in Dunwoody
Whether your pet is due for their annual test, you've run out of prevention, or you've just moved to the Atlanta area and want to get your pet established on a protection plan — we're here to help.
As an AAHA-accredited, locally owned veterinary clinic, we take parasite prevention seriously — and personally. Our team is happy to answer any questions about heartworm risk, product options, or getting your pet tested.
Heartworm FAQs for Dunwoody Pet Owners
How often does my dog need a heartworm test? Once a year, ideally at their annual wellness exam. Dogs starting prevention for the first time or returning after a lapse should also be tested first.
Can I buy heartworm prevention without a vet visit? Prescription heartworm preventatives require a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). We make it easy — once your pet is established with us and tested, refills are simple either in-clinic or through our clinic or online pharmacy.
My dog missed a dose. What should I do? Give the missed dose as soon as you remember, then resume the regular monthly schedule. If your dog has missed more than one or two doses, call us — we may recommend a heartworm test before continuing prevention.
Is heartworm prevention safe? Yes. When used as directed, FDA-approved heartworm preventatives have an excellent safety record. Our team can discuss any breed-specific sensitivities (such as in some herding breeds with the MDR1/ABCB1 gene mutation) if relevant to your dog.