Veterinary Medicine - August 2008 - (Page 422c)

Parasite Council recommend annual testing for canine heartworm infection for a variety of reasons; however, some clinics and hospitals currently do not test dogs annually. In Dr. Bowman’s 2006 survey, only two of the 11 states had more than 50% or more of their responding clinics test dogs annually for heartworm infection (California 50% and Colorado 51%). Dr. Bowman says the rapid pace at which heartworm disease has spread throughout the West may account for the low percentages. “It has happened so quickly that some areas may not be aware it has reached them,” Dr. Bowman says. For that reason, Dr. Bowman encourages veterinarians throughout the West to increase testing. “If you’re not testing, or even if you are testing and just seeing low numbers, that doesn’t mean your community is not at risk,” Dr. Bowman says. “You don’t want to wait until you see a lot of heartworm disease.” References 1. Bowman DD. The case for year-round parasite control. Companion Animal Parasite Council. The members speak out page. Available at: www. capcvet.org/default.asp?p=MembersSpeakOut_ Article02&h=0&s=6. Accessed May 20, 2008. 2. Nelson T. What’s new in heartworm disease (American Heartworm Society Heartworm prevalence 1980 map). Western Veterinary Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., Februrary 2008. 3. American Heartworm Society. Download-able graphics page. Available at: www.heartworm society.org/download/incidencemap.jpg. Accessed June 23, 2008. 4. Sacks BN, Caswell-Chen EP. Reconstructing the spread of dirofilaria immitis in California coyotes. J Parasitol 2003;89:319-323. 5. Bowman DD, Torre CJ, Mannella C. Survey of 11 western states for heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection, heartworm diagnostic and prevention protocols, and fecal examination protocols for gastrointestinal parasites. Vet Ther 2007;8:293-304. Figure 1. Canine heartworm cases in the United States Concluded from data collected by the American Heartworm Society, the following maps illustrate the increase in reported heartworm-positive canine cases throughout the United States during the last 28 years.2,3 Figure 1a. Estimated heartworm incidence 1980 Figure 1b. Heartworm incidence 2005 http://www.capcvet.org/default.asp?p=MembersSpeakOut_Article02&h=0&s=6 http://www.capcvet.org/default.asp?p=MembersSpeakOut_Article02&h=0&s=6 http://www.capcvet.org/default.asp?p=MembersSpeakOut_Article02&h=0&s=6 http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/incidencemap.jpg http://www.heartwormsociety.org/download/incidencemap.jpg

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - August 2008

Veterinary Medicine - August 2008 Contents Editors' Note Leading Off ClinQuiz Idea Exchange Practical Matters Diagnosing and Treating Canine Copper-Associated Hepatopathies Canine and Feline Demodicosis CE Form Advertiser Index Product Preview Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - August 2008

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