In an ideal world, any dog diagnosed with heartworms would undergo adulticide treatment and recovery prior to travel with an owner or being transported for purposes of adoption. In the real world, delaying travel is not always possible for heartworm-positive dogs, especially for rescued dogs in need of rehoming. To help guide veterinarians, shelter personnel and others on the front lines of animal rescue, the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) have issued a new set of joint recommendations designed to safeguard the health of infected dogs while ensuring that infected animals do not become vectors for heartworm transmission.

Transportation recommendations clarify heartworm testing and treatment protocols

The AHS and ASV originally issued recommendations for transport of heartworm-positive dogs in 2017 following a season of devastating hurricanes in the southern U.S. With thousands of homeless pets needing to be rehomed, the transport recommendations provided critical information for veterinarians and rescue organizations dedicated to saving the lives of abandoned and homeless pets.

The AHS and ASV recently refined these transport recommendations to better address (1) the timing of heartworm testing prior to transport; (2) the use of doxycycline prior to transport; and (3) the expansion of treatment options to ensure heartworm-positive dogs do not become transmission reservoirs.

“After three years of implementation and evaluation, the AHS and ASV reviewed the transportation guidelines for scientific accuracy, clarity and feasibility of use,” explains Brian DiGangi, DVM, ABVP (Canine & Feline Practice, Shelter Medicine Practice), a past president of the ASV who currently serves as an officer on the board of directors for the AHS and also serves as Senior Director of Shelter Medicine for the ASPCA. He notes that heartworm disease is a complex disease, requiring multiple steps to ensure that adult heartworms are safely eliminated, complications are minimized and community transmission is avoided.

The principles of the new recommendations for dogs being transported include the following:

• Test all dogs greater than 6 months of age for microfilariae and heartworm antigen. Knowing the health status of dogs undergoing transport—whether they are homeless dogs being relocated, pet dogs that accompanying an owner or caretaker on a vacation, or a show dog traveling for exhibition or competition—is essential.

• Determine which steps of the heartworm treatment protocol should be performed before and after transport. Because some medications used to treat heartworm infection can be associated with side effects and/or complications, the timing of administration and transport is critical. Meanwhile, dogs that are exhibiting clinical signs of heartworm infection should not be transported.

• Once heartworm-positive dogs have been safely transported, complete heartworm treatment according to the AHS Guidelines. Ensuring dogs with heartworm infection are treated as soon as possible helps ensure the best possible outcome. The AHS heartworm treatment protocol is detailed in their canine guidelines on heartwormsociety.org.

“While the best-case scenario for an infected dog is to remain in place in order to administer treatment medications and facilitate post-treatment rest, many source organizations lack the resources to provide such treatment. In such cases, the ultimate survival of infected dogs may be dependent on responsible relocation,” Dr. DiGangi explains. “The AHS/ASV recommendations provide practical recommendations that veterinarians and shelter personnel can follow to help ensure patient safety and avoid further heartworm transmission.”

The AHS/ASV recommendations can be downloaded at both the AHS website and the ASV website.