Heartworm Disease in Dogs: Why Prevention Is Critical (Especially in Texas)

Heartworm disease is one of the deadliest yet most preventable conditions in dogs. If you live in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, or any other mosquito-heavy state, your dog is at daily risk. Heartworm prevention isn’t optional—it’s a life-saving necessity.

What Is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite spread by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it picks up microscopic larvae and passes them on to the next dog it bites. Over the course of six months, those larvae grow into long worms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

This has nothing to do with diet, kibble, or raw feeding. Any dog can get heartworms from a single mosquito bite.

What Happens If You Skip Prevention

Without protection, your dog faces:

• Persistent coughing and difficulty breathing

• Fatigue and weight loss

• Irreversible organ damage

• Heart failure and death

Even if a dog survives treatment, the damage to their lungs and heart often lasts a lifetime.

At Dogslanding, we see this far too often in rescue work—especially with dogs that partially or fully live outdoors. Outdoor dogs are exposed to far more mosquitoes, and without consistent prevention, many of them arrive to us already suffering from heartworm disease.

Heartworm Treatment vs. Prevention

Treatment: Expensive and Risky

• Requires multiple injections of a harsh arsenic-based drug

• Strict crate rest for months to prevent clots

• Complications and even death are possible

• Costs between $1,000–$2,500+ depending on severity

Prevention: Safe and Affordable

• Monthly chewables like Heartgard (ivermectin)

• Generic ivermectin (ask your vet)

• ProHeart injections that protect for 6 or 12 months

Prevention usually costs $5–$15 per month—a fraction of what treatment costs, with none of the risks.

Why Texas Dogs Are at Higher Risk

Texas is one of the top states for heartworm disease. Warm weather and year-round mosquitoes make prevention critical. Skipping just one or two months of protection can leave your dog vulnerable.

In rescue, we regularly intake dogs from rural areas or outdoor living situations where prevention was skipped. Sadly, many of these dogs arrive already infected, and the long road of treatment and recovery begins.

If you live in the South, year-round prevention is non-negotiable.

Talk to Your Vet, But Educate Yourself Too

Always consult your veterinarian for the best prevention option for your dog. But don’t stop there—educate yourself. There is no natural or dietary alternative to heartworm prevention. Oils, supplements, or raw feeding will not protect your dog from this deadly parasite.

Protect Your Dog—And Support Our Mission

At Dogslanding, we rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome dogs—many of whom come from situations where they were left unprotected against preventable diseases like heartworm. We believe education is just as important as rescue work.

If you found this guide helpful, consider supporting us so we can keep saving and protecting more dogs. Join our community on Patreon for behind-the-scenes updates, training tips, and rescue stories:

👉 www.patreon.com/dogslanding