Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, the maker of Heartgard Plus, is challenging veterinary practices to protect 20 new dogs in each clinic by Jan. 1, 2020.
The campaign, announced at the 2019 VMX conference, followed a report from the American Heartworm Society that found a 21 percent rise in heartworm incidence in three years.
“If every clinic does their part to get 20 new dogs on prevention, that means 583,240 more dogs will be protected from this potentially deadly disease in 2019 than were protected in 2018,” said Sarah Cloud, Heartgard brand director.
Prevention is the cornerstone of any practice’s heartworm management program, said Chris Rehm, DVM, president of the American Heartworm Society.
“Unfortunately, the latest AHS survey found that incidence has been trending up rather than down, with the number of infected dogs per clinic rising by 21 percent in the U.S. and its territories between 2013 and 2016,” he said.
“Heartworm disease is a complex disease, and there are no shortcuts to appropriate treatment.”
To help clinics meet the Heartworm 2020 goal, Boehringer Ingelheim will share tracking and educational tools with team members. Starting in March, each participating clinic can enter the Heartworm 2020 contest for a chance to win prizes.
More information is available at www.heartgardclinic.com.