Mosquito season means increased risk of heartworms

Summertime may officially start on June 21, but mosquito season never ends in Florida. Our subtropical climate provides near ideal conditions for mosquitoes much of the year.

Warmer temperatures and our increasingly-frequent afternoon showers in the rainy season bring back many unwelcome pests in larger numbers. These include fleas, bufo toads mosquitoes and more. In this blog, I want to specifically talk about mosquitoes, dangerous enemies to your pets because they are capable of spreading heartworm disease. This disease is one of the most serious diseases we see and treat.

Heartworm disease is a pulmonary disease that attacks your pet’s heart and lungs. If left undetected and untreated, it could take years off of your pet’s life. That’s why we recommend testing your pet every year for heartworms and keeping them on heartworm prevention year-round.

How many times have you invested in heartworm prevention for your pet, then forgotten to give it to them? Recent studies have shown that close to 60% of pet owners forget to give it routinely- so if you forget- you’re not alone. It’s important that your pet remain protected 365 days a year here in Florida, as mosquitoes never completely go away, even in the . If you have a hard time remembering, here’s a simple tip. Put it on a calendar. Whether your preference is a wall calendar, a day planner, or a calendar on your smartphone- write it down for the next 12 months- on the same day of the month. I like the smartphone calendar- because you can add all 12 months at once, and have it alert you when your pet is due for their next dose.

If you still have a hard time remembering to give their monthly dose of heartworm prevention, a great alternative is an injection of ProHeart- which protects your pet against heartworms for 12 full months. No worrying about calendars or missing a dose.

How is Heartworm Disease spread?

Rather than describing how heartworms are spread- I’ve found this great video that speaks in plain language how heartworms are spread to dogs- and why it’s important for your pet to be protected year-round.

Tips on mosquito control

Mosquitoes require water to reproduce. The best way to keep your environment mosquito-free is to eliminate standing water in your yard or environment. If you have a yard, ensure that there are no areas of standing water. Remove any receptacles that can collect or retain water. This includes buckets, empty planters, tires or anything where mosquitoes can breed. Even if you have a pest control company that sprays for bugs- mosquitoes will quickly return if there’s standing, stagnant water.