Heartworm, a type of parasite, is transmitted through mosquitoes. The parasites directly go to the pulmonary artery and heart of a dog. The symptoms are often severe and require urgent medical care and hospitalization. Most dogs need months of care and rest to get back to normal after treatments. This is why dog parents need to take preventative measures against heartworm infection.

Here are some of the commonly used heartworm prevention medicines for dogs:

• Simparica Trio®This is one of the most popular heartworm preventive medicines for dogs. Simparica Trio is used for the prevention of multiple infections. Along with preventing heartworms, this medication can be used to treat stomach worms, hookworms, and roundworms. This is a chewable tablet. The preventive treatment with Simparica Trio usually begins with pups as young as eight weeks old.

• Heartgard PlusHeartgard Plus, one of the top choices for heartworm prevention in dogs,  is an oral medication. Its popularity is because of the flavor that it comes in–beef. This medication has two major ingredients: ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate. Both of these are effective in the treatment and prevention of various common infections that affect dogs. These include heartworm, hookworm, roundworms, among others.

• Tri-Heart® PlusThis heartworm prevention medicine for dogs is often a generic alternative to most other medications, including Simparica Trio. Moreover, Tri-Heart is one of the most popular medications against heartworms in dogs. This medication, which is known to be safe and effective for all breeds of dogs, is quite affordable than most others. In addition to heartworm, it can be used to prevent roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.

• Iverhart PlusSimilar to Simparica Trio, Iverhart Plus is also known for its effectiveness in the prevention of heartworm. It also offers protection against a host of other parasites, including hookworms and roundworms. This chewable tablet is often easy to give to dogs due to the flavors it comes in, such as pork liver. In most cases, the tablet is generally given once a month. Make sure to consult a vet to avoid any side effects.

• ProheartThis is an injectable heartworm prevention medication for dogs. Proheart is usually recommended when it is not possible to give monthly prevention chewable tablets to a dog. One of the major ingredients of this medication is moxidectin, which protects against heartworms and hookworms. Injectables such as this medication are given only in rare cases due to their potential side effects.