The 7 Best Heartworm Preventative Medications and Products for Dogs in 2024, Recommended by Vets

Published Jun. 21, 2024
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All products in this article have been reviewed by our trusted vets and experts. PetMD is owned by Chewy.

Heartworm disease is a serious disease caused by internal worms growing inside a dog’s blood system and heart, spread by a mosquito bite. Heartworm disease can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, and more seriously, high blood pressure and heart failure.

If your dog contracts heartworm disease, it can be expensive and time-consuming to treat. Canine heartworms can impact dogs in any state, no matter the location, and the number of dogs currently affected by the infectious disease has risen to roughly a million across the United States.

The dangers of contracting heartworms, the complex treatment process, and the high cost of treatment make heartworm prevention the safest form of defense against the disease.

Whether you’re searching for cost-effective prevention or medications that are combined with other preventatives, the best heartworm medicine for dogs won’t just prevent pups from contracting a dangerous disease, but they also provide pet parents with peace of mind and protect savings accounts from a big hit.

Talk with your vet to determine how you can best protect your pup by taking preventative measures against heartworms.

All heartworm prevention requires an up-to-date heartworm test on file, so you won’t be able to snag the best heartworm for dogs without a vet prescription. And remember, heartworm medication only works when given as directed.