This might be one of the most crucial pieces of advice we can give here on Q&A with Dr. Q.: your pet needs heartworm prevention!
Heartworm disease is a mosquito-borne illness, mostly seen in dogs, cats, and ferrets. It occurs primarily in warmer seasons and climates, where mosquitoes will bite an infected animal (it could even be a wild animal) and transmit the infected blood by biting another animal (potentially your pet!). The parasites will travel through the animal's bloodstream, settling in the heart where they grow into larger worms, reproducing dramatically. This leads to lung and heart disease and can be fatal to pets.
When you get your annual checkup for your pet, the veterinarian will usually recommend a heartworm test. This is a simple blood test, and is important to get. The test will read the antigens or chemicals released by the heart in the presence of the heartworm parasite, so this is a case where you're hoping for a negative result. Once you're in the clear, it's time to talk prevention!
Your vet can prescribe a heartworm medication that is either a pill or a topical liquid applied to the skin. You may not need to give your pet heartworm medication year round; in Ontario, for instance, the time frame for heartworm prevention has traditionally been between June and November. As we're seeing warmer weather in the fall and winter, though, you might need to give your pet the medication for longer. And if you live in regions where it's warm all year, you'll probably need 12 months of heartworm prevention!
If your pet does have heartworm, it can be treated if caught quickly. But it is still dangerous and definitely expensive, not to mention traumatic for your beloved pet. Prevention is always the best way to keep them safe, healthy, and happy!