{"id":3035,"date":"2018-04-09T17:35:54","date_gmt":"2018-04-09T17:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phosdev.com\/todaysveterinarynurse\/?post_type=articles&p=3035"},"modified":"2022-09-06T16:31:41","modified_gmt":"2022-09-06T16:31:41","slug":"have-dog-will-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/parasitology\/have-dog-will-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Have Dog, Will Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Heartworm Hotline<\/strong> column is presented in partnership between Today\u2019s Veterinary Nurse and the American Heartworm Society<\/strong> (heartwormsociety.org<\/strong>). The goal of the column is to communicate practical and timely information on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heartworm disease, as well as highlight current topics related to heartworm research and findings in veterinary medicine.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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No question: dogs are on the move. Whether it\u2019s a homeless dog being relocated following a major hurricane event, a canine companion accompanying his owner on vacation or a show dog traveling for competition or exhibition, road trips can be life-enhancing\u2014or even lifesaving\u2014for dogs.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, travel is not without risk for dogs, and chief among these risks is the spread of infectious diseases. For diseases such as canine heartworm, the risk may be heightened when traveling through or from geographic areas with warm, humid climates or water sources where mosquito populations thrive. Meanwhile, mosquitoes feeding on a microfilaria-positive dog that was rescued or moved from one region to another can quickly become heartworm vectors for other unprotected dogs.<\/p>\n

To help veterinary professionals protect the health of their patients and their pet communities, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) have formulated evidence-based best practices for minimizing transmission of heartworms in relocated dogs (FIGURE 1<\/strong>). These recommendations are applicable regardless of heartworm status and can serve as a foundation for client conversations on basic preventive health care.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The best practices include the following steps:<\/p>\n