Running a successful practice requires attention to a lot of details, from maximizing client appointments and staff schedules to inventory management and more. But when something is so key to an animal’s overall welfare as heartworm disease prevention, it’s easy to assume clients are following well-established recommendations — especially ones that your clinic staff have given directly — and protecting their pets. They come into the clinic regularly, they respond to your reminders about wellness check-ups and vaccinations, so they are on it. Aren’t they?
Sadly, compliance for heartworm disease prevention specifically isn’t what it used to be. According to recent data from the American Heartworm Society, incidence rates of heartworm disease are increasing across the United States. In fact, there has been as much as a 21 percent increase in positive heartworm disease tests per clinic when comparing 2013 incidence rates to 2016 rates from the surveys.
So what can practices do? First, communication is always key. Make sure your clients truly understand the importance of prevention, through all effective methods, and the potentially deadly consequences — even if it seems obvious. Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel), has also launched an initiative to help more dogs receive the protection they need. The Heartworm 2020 campaign is challenging veterinary clinics to get 20 new dogs on heartworm disease prevention by Jan. 1, 2020. If each clinic does its part, this effort will add up to 583,240 more dogs on heartworm disease prevention by the year 2020.
It’s not a challenge to be taken lightly, and Boehringer Ingelheim understands that the effort needs support. At HeartgardClinic.com, practices can find valuable education materials for clinic staff as well as clinic tracking tools to support your Heartworm 2020 efforts. There are also incentives for owners, which help drive compliance. This not only protects more patients, but also helps your bottom line with in-clinic purchases.
And if helping more patients avoid an easily preventable disease isn’t enough, the Heartworm 2020 initiative includes a contest for participating clinics. Get new dogs protected, track them on your downloadable tracking poster and, once it’s completed, take a photo and upload it at HeartgardClinic.com. It’s that easy, and you have the chance to win monthly prize giveaways including an Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro, an Arlo Pro 2 four-camera indoor/outdoor camera system, a Sony 49-inch Smart 4K Ultra HD TV and much more.
Important Safety Information
HEARTGARD Plus is well tolerated. All dogs should be tested for heartworm infection before starting a preventive program. Following the use of HEARTGARD Plus, digestive and neurological side effects have rarely been reported. For more information, please see full prescribing information or visit www.HEARTGARD.com.