Dirofilaria immitis, also known as canine heartworm, is arguably the most important parasite of dogs in North
America. Heartworm has a worldwide distribution, but as a general rule is most severe in tropical and warm/humid areas of the world. As of 2020, heartworm-positive dogs had been reported in every state in the continental United States. Due to the large number of dogs that are diagnosed every year, and the resulting expense of treatment, this disease is of huge economic importance. In fact, millions of dollars are spent on heartworm prevention, diagnosis and treatment each year. Because of the endemic nature of heartworm and the expense of treatment, it is imperative that everyone, even those in historically non-endemic regions, be knowledgeable of the heartworm life cycle; in turn, this allows one to understand treatment and prevention strategies of which there are a variety of thoughts.

Recorded on 10/24/2020

1 CE Credit Hour