With 5 people in our household, it can sometimes be easy to forget about our very first baby – our 8 year old Lab Zoey! Throughout the day, Zoey is pretty laid-back and she likes to stay in her crate. She loves our three kids and lets Olivia and Evie hang all over her. Just like humans, dogs need check-ups with their doctors too – especially because of heartworm disease.
Heartworm disease is one of the most serious and potentially fatal parasites affecting dogs and cats. Pets can contract heartworm disease through a single bite from an infected mosquito! Treatment of heartworm disease in dogs is difficult and painful for the dog, as well as expensive for the pet owner. Heartworm disease can be deadly to cats and there is no approved heartworm treatment in the U.S. for cats today. We were always so careful to keep our cat inside but with Zoey, it’s a bit harder. She loves to run around our backyard and there are just so many mosquitoes out this summer! Luckily, heartworm prevention is easy, safe and affordable. To properly protect pets from heartworm infection, Banfield Pet Hospital recommends annual heartworm testing and year-round preventive medication for both dogs and cats.
Our experience with Banfield Pet Hospital
We were able to take Zoey to our local Banfield Pet Hospital and enroll her into the Banfield Optimim Wellness Plan. The plans can be customized based on the needs of your pet, and combine physical exams, routinely recommended vaccinations and screenings, unlimited free office visits, service discounts and more into one affordable veterinary care package. This is such a great deal because you really never know what could happen to your little furbaby!
Banfield believes in preventive veterinary care as the best way to improve the quality and longevity of a pet’s life by reducing the risk of developing serious, costly and sometimes fatal diseases, such as heartworm disease. Heartworm testing can be administered during a routine office visit. Office visits are always free through Banfield’s Optimum Wellness Plan®, and many plans include annual heartworm tests.
When we brought Zoey in, they were able to run numerous tests on her during her check-up, including a heartworm test. The good news? No heartworm and for her age, Zoey is in really great shape! The bad news? Poor Zoey had a double ear infection!
I absolutely loved her doctor who explained everything about all of the tests that they ran and also how we were going to treat Zoey’s ear infection – they even showed me how to do an ear washing so we could get medicine down her ears!
The rest of the staff was so great to us and everything went very quickly and we were both put at ease. The rooms are also very nice and clean. Plus, we saved so much money! All of the tests were well over $500 but when you sign up for the plan, you’re just paying a low monthly fee.
It’s nice to know that in case of an emergency or just a check-up, they will be there for us!
Heartworm Preventive
Banfield Pet Hospital offers ProHeart® 6, an injectable heartworm preventive that can be prescribed to healthy dogs over the age of 6 months, which delivers six months of protection in a single dose—offering both convenience and peace of mind to pet owners.
Banfield will do a quick blood test to make sure they are free of adult heartworms and then they can get started on ProHeart® 6 which can protect dogs from dangerous heartworm disease by preventing immature worms from maturing into adults that cause damage in the pet’s heart.
If you’re interested in trying out ProHeart® 6 for your pet, download this $10 off a 6-month injectable heartworm preventive coupon!
Thank you to Banfield Pet Hospital for providing information about Banfield’s Optimum Wellness Plan® and ProHeart® 6 – we love it for Zoey!
Connect with Banfield Pet Hospital
– Request an appointment online
Leave a Comment and Help!
Banfield will donate $1 per reader comment (up to 100 comments) to Banfield Charitable Trust! Banfield Charitable Trust is a donor-supported non-profit whose mission it is to preserve the human animal bond by keeping pets with their families who love them. Each year, BCT helps 100,000 struggling families through seven programs ranging from life-saving emergency care to assistance with pet food or other urgent pet care needs.
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One reader will win a free office visit at Banfield Pet Hospital for a dog only to receive a free heartworm test and free 6-months of Proheart® 6.
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Disclosure: The Optimum Wellness Plan and information have been provided by Banfield Pet Hospital®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Xenia @ Thanks, Mail Carrier says
Zoey is so adorable, I’m so glad that Banfield Pet Hospital was such a great place to bring her – hope her ears clear up soon!
Jennifer @ Mom Spotted says
I’m so glad we haven’t needed a pet hospital yet! I’m glad her check up went well! I hope her ears feel better soon! Poor baby!
Katrina says
I have a wolf cross (she’s a big ol mutt) and she gets ear infections too. I think its the droppy ears.
Tiff @ Babes and Kids says
Preventative care is stressed for us, so why not for our pets? I’m glad you’ve had such a positive experience at banfield!
Jamie H says
So good to remind people that preventative care for both us and our pets is the best possible care!
Melissa M says
They get monthly heart worm and flea meds.
Crystal says
We adore our pets, but they really have played second fiddle since all the kids were born. It’s time to pamper them a little more! It’s great to know that Banfield has their wellness in mind, and is providing programs to keep them healthy.
Jesica H says
Well, I’m not a pet person but I know plenty of people who are that would love this info!
Shell Feis says
It’s great to know one low monthly fee can cover all the routine Dr visits. I hope Zoey is feeling better.
Sara P. (@SensiblySara) says
We don’t have dogs (we have cats) but YES! Regular exams for our pets are so important to their well-being!
Wendy says
So glad you have a great pet hospital near you! You dog looks so sweet. We have 3 dogs and 3 cats- and boy, it’s hard keeping track of who gets what, when!
Shop with Me Mama (Kim) says
I am going to tell my mother in law about this. She has pugs and is always taking them to the vet and stuff like that. She is soo good to her doggys!!!!
Mary Happymommy says
We give our dog heartworm prevention medicine.
Sarah Marturano says
I love Golden Retrievers! Banfield looks like an amazing place to take your pet. Great review!
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
Awww it’s a good thing you went and that she doesn’t have hartworms and that they found her ear infections. Hope she feels better soon!
Kat B. says
So adorable! I am glad you were able to get her some help! We have a Banfield near us.
Naomi says
Banfield Pet Hospital sounds like a great place for pets! I love how the focus on wellness as our pets are a part of the family.
Mellisa says
We love Banfield. It’s a great place to take your pet.
Chelle @ Oh Just Stop Already says
We are VERY near needing a hospital on a regular basis with one of our dogs sadly. He has a torn ACL and it’s just getting worse plus add in his gluten intolerance and arthritis.
Elizabeth Ferree says
We don’t have a pet but I know growing up this would’ve definitely helped my parents out with all the pets that came through our house.
Kimberly Grabinski says
Awwww Zoey is so cute! This plan sounds like it can really help save money, which means people will be able to rescue more pets!
HilLesha says
Your dog is so adorable!
Digna D. says
Great way to keep dogs healthy and happy. A yearly vet/vet hospital visit should be a requirement for every dog/cat owner.
Liz Mays says
It sounds like the care was top notch and personalized. I like that they showed you the earwashing technique.
Jenna Z says
We currently use Heartgard Plus year round.
Stephanie Hirsch says
We usually buy heartgard meds through the year.
Heather Dawn says
I prevent heartworms by giving my dogs heartgard!