We have had a lot of dogs test positive for heartworm lately at the Nevada County Animal Shelter. The good news is that heartworm is treatable. The frustrating part is that it is also very preventable.

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Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes. That means a dog doesn’t have to be around an infected dog to get it, and dogs in Nevada County absolutely can and do get heartworm.

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When one of our shelter dogs tests positive, treatment begins. And I want to give Nevada County credit here. The County has committed to paying for heartworm treatment for dogs in its care. That is a significant commitment, both financially and to each dog. Sammie’s Friends works alongside the shelter to help support these dogs through treatment, foster and adoption.

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The treatment itself is no small thing. It can take months and includes medication, injections and, maybe hardest of all for many shelter dogs, very restricted activity. Imagine being a young dog who has already landed in a shelter and then being told you can’t run, play or get your energy out for weeks. It’s hard on them.

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And this is where I hope we can make a difference simply by talking about it.

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Heartworm prevention is easy. It is generally a monthly medication, and your veterinarian can help you figure out which option is best for your dog. If you aren’t sure whether your dog is protected, ask. If you’ve gotten behind on prevention, ask your vet what you need to do to get started again.

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There’s no judgment here. We see dogs come into the shelter from every imaginable circumstance. Some have had excellent veterinary care. Some have had very little. We meet the dog where they are and take care of what needs taking care of. But if sharing what we are seeing at the shelter causes a few more people to check their dog’s heartworm prevention, that matters.

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While a heartworm-positive dog can recover and go on to have a perfectly wonderful life, we would just much rather prevent another dog from having to go through it in the first place.

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So this month, check your dog’s heartworm prevention. One small thing, a very big difference.