It’s important to note that early detection and treatment of heartworm and tickborne diseases is essential to ensure the best possible outcome for your dog. Regular testing and preventative measures, such as tick and flea control, are also important to help reduce the risk of these diseases.

We will take 3 drops of blood for the blood sample from your dog. The blood sample is then tested for the presence of heartworm antigens using an antigen test. This test detects proteins produced by adult female heartworms. We also test for the presence of antibodies to tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease, Anaplasma, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis, and Ehrlichiosis – the result will show your dog’s immune response to the tickborne disease.

If the Heartworm antigen test is positive, further testing may be required to confirm the presence of heartworms. This may include blood tests to detect microfilariae (the larval stage of heartworms) or imaging tests such as X-rays or ultrasounds to visualize adult heartworms in the heart and lungs.

If the tickborne antibody test is positive, further testing may be required to confirm the diagnosis. This may include PCR testing to detect the presence of the tickborne disease organism or blood tests to assess organ function and determine the severity of the disease.