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, according to Karen S Walsh, LVMT, CFE, CAWA. These recommendations apply regardless of heartworm status and can serve as a foundation for client conversations on basic preventive health care.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Spring 2018. Link.
When counseling clients about travel, the role of veterinary technicians is to ensure our clients understand the pros and cons of animal transportation and relocation, as well as their own responsibilities to protect their pets from heartworm and other infectious diseases.
The best practices include the following steps:
- Testing of all dogs 6 months of age or older prior to relocation
- Relocation delay for heartworm- and microfilaria-positive dogs
- Pre-treatment
- Guidelines for microfilaria testing and retesting
- Guidelines for transport following melarsomine administration
INSIGHTS: Consider this article as a discussion topic for a team meeting. Salespersons may find it useful to start a new conversation at an account or prospect location.