Is Your Dog More at Risk?

PetCareRX Tip: Is your dog at a higher heartworm risk than others? All dogs regardless of sex, habitat, or age are susceptible to heartworm infection. However, some dogs are at a higher risk of contracting heartworms than others. Here is a list of types of dogs that are at a higher risk than others:

• Male dogs are as much as four times more likely to get heartworms than females.
• Outdoor dogs are four to five times more likely to get heartworms than indoor dogs.
• The highest infection rate (45%) is among dogs located within 150 miles of the Atlantic coast from Texas to New Jersey, and along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries.

Although there are differences in the occurrence of infection for dissimilar groups of dogs, all dogs in every endemic region should be taken into consideration. Every dog should be considered at risk, watched, and placed on a prevention program.