A small, Florida-based questionnaire exposes the relatively poor understanding owners may have of the biology and risks for heartworm transmission. Claiming veterinarians as their primary source for information about heartworm, respondents did not realize that yard vessels capable of holding water also serve as mosquito-breeding sites.
. . . only 61% of dog-owning and 18% of non-dog–owning respondents knew that heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes.
Source: Clinician’s Brief, August 2019. Link. Ray Kaplan, DVM, PhD shares these key pearls to put into practice:
- Pet owners should be encouraged to engage with opportunities to improve heartworm education . . .
- Public messaging could be improved to emphasize the importance of mosquitoes as disease vectors and to motivate mosquito-reduction efforts.
- Improved veterinarian–pet owner communication may help improve heartworm preventive compliance rates.
Also see: Pet owner compliance a barrier to heartworm prevention, AAHA NEWStat, Zoetis Petcare, 8/1/2019. Link.
INSIGHTS: Study after study indicates the heartworm message still falls on deaf ears. EVERY animal health pro needs to help tie mosquito presence to heartworm in dogs and cats. Make it part of social gatherings, family discussions and volunteer activities. Talk with local media and human medicine colleagues, as well.
Sales representatives – Consider listening to the dialogue in veterinary clinics during calls. Identify the heartworm discussions and share your observations with the practice manager or owner. Instead of dropping off posters and point-of-purchase materials, help set them up to ensure they get used.