Heartworm prevention nonadherence prevalent in the U.S., study finds

A new paper published in Frontiers of Veterinary Science reveals finds less than 40 percent of dogs in the longitudinal Golden Retriever Lifetime Study were on preventive heartworm medications at baseline. This is an alarming finding as heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition that is preventable in dogs.

The study, funded by Morris Animal Foundation and conducted by researchers at Lincoln Memorial University, looks into the factors associated with a reduced likelihood of dogs being on heartworm preventatives, including those in the highest quartile of height, sexually intact dogs, and those receiving supplements. Additionally, dogs receiving other vaccines or diagnosed with an infectious disease or an ear, nose, or throat health condition during their health checkups in the last year were likelier to receive heartworm preventives.

“This data can help inform how veterinarians talk to clients,” says Lauren Wisnieski, associate professor of Public Health and Research at Lincoln Memorial University and the study’s principal investigator. “It can also help identify populations that have risks of nonadherence. Prevention is a cheaper alternative to the financial burden of treating heartworm disease later.”

Dr. Wisnieski emphasizes the scarcity of studies examining the prevalence of prophylactic use in dogs, adding how the recent project is especially crucial as climate change has extended mosquito season in certain states, making year-round vigilance imperative.