Holly Springs, NC—Persistent underdiagnosis and undermanagement of heartworm disease in cats, along with more robust data on prevention, testing and treatment, recently led the American Heartworm Society (AHS) to update their Feline Heartworm Guidelines for veterinarians. The update, completed after a thorough scientific review by experts from the fields of parasitology, cardiology, and clinical practice, includes updated advice on heartworm screening, mosquito control and treatment options for heartworm-positive cats. The guidelines can be found on the AHS website at heartwormsociety.org/guidelines.

Heartworm tests for dogs are routine but essential diagnostic tools that veterinarians use to screen for heartworms in dogs. Because heartworms live in a dog’s blood vessels, testing requires a small blood sample, usually taken during an office visit.

To understand how heartworm tests in dogs work, it’s helpful to first understand the heartworm’s life cycle.

Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes, which are primarily considered outdoor pests. But if you’ve assumed that your indoor cat isn’t at risk for heartworms and heartworm disease, it’s important to understand what risks your cat is still exposed to even if they are only indoors.

Here’s why your couch-surfing kitties needs the protection of a heartworm preventive, regardless of whether they spend time outdoors.

“Heartworms Unraveled” provides comprehensive, staff-oriented education on heartworm management

Holly Springs, NC  — Whether their goal is to provide comprehensive staff training on all things heartworm-related—or to simply adopt client-friendly talking points on heartworm diagnosis, prevention and treatment —veterinary practices can now access the American Heartworm Society (AHS) “Heartworms Unraveled” for their clinical staff members. 

“Heartworms Unraveled” is a series of five video-based training modules created to provide comprehensive staff education on heartworm biology, heartworm life cycle and epidemiology; heartworm testing; heartworm prevention; heartworm treatment; and feline heartworm disease. The video faculty includes specialists and practitioners from the AHS board of directors, as well as AHS board member and certified veterinary technician Paola Dominguez-Lopez, who provides client education tips at the conclusion of each training module. 

“We see clinical training that equips veterinary technicians and other staff members to confidently speak with clients about the importance of heartworm management as one of our top priorities,” says AHS President Jenni Rizzo, DVM. “Heartworm disease is a serious and complex disease in dogs and cats, and veterinary staff members play an invaluable role in educating clients about it. Not only do staff members interact with virtually every client in the practice, but as committed pet owners themselves, they have the passion—and the credibility—to talk about heartworm disease in ways that resonate with pet owners.”

The training modules, which range from 25 to 45 minutes in length, can be accessed by veterinarians and staff members once they register for the course at https://bit.ly/3W72kr8. The AHS is making the training modules available to veterinarians and staff members free of charge but asks practices that can afford to do so to make a small donation to the organization to defray program costs. 

About the American Heartworm Society

The mission of the American Heartworm Society is to lead the veterinary profession and the public in the understanding of heartworm disease. Founded during the Heartworm Symposium of 1974. The American Heartworm Society aims to further scientific progress in the study of heartworm disease, inform the membership of new developments and encourage and help promote effective procedures for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of heartworm disease. 

Resource provides latest strategies to prevent and treat heartworm disease

The American Heartworm Society (AHS) published on April 9 an updated version of its Canine Heartworm Guidelines on heartworm prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education blog, we discuss the updated American Heartworm Society Guidelines.

American Heartworm Society Announces Updated Guidelines on Management of Canine Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is more prevalent in warmer southern states, but it’s becoming more common in Oregon and Washington as temperatures rise

More dogs and cats are becoming infected with heartworms in Oregon and Washington, as the parasites thrive in warming temperatures brought on by climate change.

Heavy rainfall in the spring combined with warmer summer temperatures have fueled mosquito outbreaks locally.

AHS updates its veterinary guidelines and includes spectrum-of-care advice.

The American Heartworm Society’s newly updated canine heartworm guidelines provide spectrum-of-care advice for veterinarians treating dogs under less-than-ideal circumstances.

American Heartworm Society Announces Updated Guidelines on Management of Canine Heartworm Disease

Holly Springs, NC (April 9, 2024) – The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has published an updated version of their Canine Heartworm Guidelines on heartworm prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The update, available on the AHS website, was completed after a thorough scientific review by a team of authors from the fields of parasitology, cardiology, and clinical practice. The revisions were based on the latest research and understanding of heartworm management, while also addressing questions frequently posed to the AHS by veterinary practitioners. The guidelines can be found at heartwormsociety.org/guidelines.

The American Heartworm Society is providing new practice guidance for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of parasitic infection in dogs

The Canine Heartworm Guidelines by the American Heartworm Society (AHS) has been newly revised. These published guidelines, which address heartworm prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, were last updated in 2020. The revised version also includes a new section on spectrum of care.