Heartworm Testing and Prevention

We offer on-site heartworm testing with a result in only 10 minutes.

What Is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease is a serious illness that can rob your dog of its health and even its life.

Heartworm larvae are transmitted by infected mosquitoes that bite the dog and deposit heartworm larvae on the dog’s skin. The larvae migrate through the tissue and into the bloodstream of the dog, where they continue developing. By the time clinical signs of heartworm disease appear, the disease can already be in its advanced stages.

Heartworms spend their adult lives in the right side of the heart and the large blood vessels that connect the heart to the lungs. The adult worms block the heart and major blood vessels leading from the heart to the lungs, liver, and kidneys and can grow up to 12 inches long.

Valley Vetco specializes in heartworm disease detection and prevention for dogs.

Is Heartworm Disease Treatable?

Treatment is risky, expensive, and may not be effective. The approved treatment involves the use of a product containing arsenic, your dog will be kept inactive during treatment, and you will have to keep your dog inactive for weeks afterward – and despite these measures, treatment may not be successful.

Is There Heartworm Disease in Albuquerque?

Although New Mexico has a dry climate, mosquitoes thrive after monsoon rains and anywhere standing water is present. Dogs in Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia counties test positive for heartworm every year. Even one mosquito bite can transmit heartworm disease, which is why veterinarians recommend year-round heartworm prevention and annual heartworm testing for every dog.

Valley Vetco proudly carries:

HEARTGARD PLUS CHEWABLES, TRI-HEART PLUS CHEWABLE TABS, Sentinel Spectrum, and PROHEART 6 injectable heartworm prevention in our clinic, and a variety of brands on our online pharmacy.

Does Every Dog Need To Be On Prevention?

At Valley Vetco, we believe every dog should be given heartworm prevention year-round. Heartworm disease has been reported in all 50 U.S. states, and Albuquerque has populations of mosquitoes all year long. CLICK THE MAP TO VIEW

Can I Purchase Prevention Online?

Any dog being put on heartworm prevention should be tested for heartworm disease prior to being put on heartworm prevention and even at regular intervals while on prevention to avoid potentially fatal reactions. At Valley Vetco, Annual heartworm testing is recommended to help protect your pet.

Advantages of purchasing prevention from Valley Vetco:

Valley Vetco offers manufacturer rebates on 12-month packs of prevention so you save even more money (manufacturers will not honor rebates on products purchased from online retailers because they are not authorized to sell their products.)
Valley Vetco also sells tablets month-to-month, so you don’t have to invest a lot of money at once.
Heartworm prevention manufacturers only sell to licensed veterinarians and therefore only guarantee products that are purchased through veterinarians.