One of the most common questions we are asked is "why does my dog need to be on monthly heartworm prevention all year long?" Well there are many reasons. Due to seasonal variation, areas like Ohio generally do not have a mosquito population during the cold winter months. However, we all know that Ohio weather is not predictable and warm weather can occur at any time. This unpredictability can lead to lingering mosquito populations and risk of infection to your dog if he is not on heartworm preventative year round. Heartworm preventatives can also treat and prevent some intestinal parasitic diseases like hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm infestations. Visit heartwormsociety.org for more information.