Recognizing that policies on heartworm testing and treatment of dogs and cats up for adoption differ among shelters and that not all animal shelters have the financial resources to test and treat heartworm disease, the Heartworm Disease Resource Task Force, a collaboration between AHS and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), has produced a series of educational brochures on heartworm for people seeking to adopt a shelter animal. The five free, downloadable brochures completed to date cover the following scenarios:
What You Need to Know About Heartworm Disease and Your Newly Adopted Cat
Adopting a dog from a shelter that does not test for or treat canine heartworm disease
Adopting a dog from a shelter that tests but does not treat canine heartworm disease
Adopting a dog that has tested positive and been treated for canine heartworm disease