Courtesy of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society

The world’s deadliest animal isn’t a lion, tiger, bear, or venomous snake. It’s a tiny but bloodthirsty insect: The mosquito. And the assumption of many pet lovers that mosquitoes are just a seasonal threat may be putting their four-legged family members at risk.

Mosquitoes harbor and transmit a variety of life-threatening diseases to people and their pets, thus earning the “world’s deadliest” designation. One of the most serious and prevalent mosquito-borne diseases in pets is heartworm disease, caused by foot-long worms that obstruct the lungs and arteries, leading to symptoms ranging from coughing and vomiting to severe breathing problems and heart failure.

Pitfalls of “Seasonal” Heartworm Prevention

While heartworms can be easily prevented with medications prescribed by veterinarians, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) notes that more than a million pets in the United States have heartworms. A recent survey conducted by the organization revealed that a leading reason is that many pet owners stop giving their pets heartworm preventives during the fall and winter, unknowingly putting their pets at risk. In fact, while more than 9 in 10 veterinarians surveyed by the AHS reported they recommend year-round heartworm prevention, 7 in 10 cited the failure of pet owners to follow this recommendation as a leading cause of heartworm infection.

The mistake many owners make is to assume the risk of mosquitoes transmitting heartworms ends with the change of season. The following are three reasons this thinking is flawed:

  • Weather patterns are warming and unpredictable. In recent years, winter temperatures have reached the 60s—and occasionally even the 70s—in cold-weather regions like the Midwest and Northeast. While mosquitoes are dormant during cold weather, they can become active again on warm days.
  • Mosquitoes come indoors and continue to feed on pets. Like us, these insects know to come in from the cold. They often congregate near doorways or in garages, waiting for their chance to sneak inside. Once in your house, female mosquitoes—which feed on blood to reproduce—can survive for up to a month or more.
  • Urban and suburban areas foster the development of protected “heat islands,” where temperatures can be up to 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside. Buildings, vehicles, and concrete surfaces trap heat during the day, keeping temperatures well above normal. This allows mosquitoes to stay active and dangerous well into the cool-weather months.

Rather than asking pet owners to guess when the world’s deadliest animal is no longer “in season,” the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society recommends giving pets heartworm prevention year-round. It’s a simple step that can make a life-and-death difference. If you have any questions, consult with your local veterinarian. To learn more about recommendations of the American Heartworm Society, visit https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/american-heartworm-society-guidelines.

The Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society consists of 75 small animal hospitals and 200 practitioners in Erie and Niagara counties. Learn more at www.nfveterinarysociety.org.