Heartworm Testing

At Simcoe Animal Hospital, we provide heartworm testing for your canine companion. Heartworm is a fatal condition caused by parasitic worms that invade a dog’s heart and surrounding blood vessels. Cats can also contract heartworm, but it mainly affects their lungs and heart. Heartworm, as well as other types of internal and external parasites, can make your pet (and in some cases, your family) incredibly sick. With our preventative medicine and comprehensive tests, we can boost your pet’s immunity and ensure if they do have heartworm, they are treated right away. If you suspect your pet has heartworm, please contact our team immediately at 519-426-0111.

What are the signs of heartworm in pets?

Some of the most common symptoms your pet may experience include some, all, or none of the following (as heartworm can cause no visible symptoms in many pets, especially during the early stages of infection):

• Decreased appetite and/or weight loss
• Mild to persistent cough
• Fatigue
• Exercise intolerance

How does a dog or cat get heartworm?

Heartworm is transferred by mosquitoes from infected dogs to uninfected dogs. Your pet can also get these intestinal parasites by coming into contact with soil, infected animal feces, or raw meat.

What are the treatment options for heartworms?

Treatment options are challenging and expensive. For this reason, prevention is the safest and most cost-efficient choice you can make for your pet, so you can both be spared from the physical, emotional and financial burden of an infection.