April is Heartworm Awareness Month!
Amy Samson
Each year, FOJA likes to remind everyone that April is Heartworm Awareness Month and of the importance of heartworm prevention.
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in pets. It is caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs and blood vessels, causing severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs in the body. Heartworm disease affects our pet dogs, cats and ferrets.
Our pets get heartworms from mosquitoes. Here in Florida, we have lots of mosquitoes which means our pets are in danger year-round. Once our pets are infected, treatment is costly and very difficult on the animal. FOJA urges everyone to give their pets heartworm preventive each and every month. If you can’t afford medicine for your pet, visit our resource page for options in the Jacksonville FL area.
30% of the dogs that enter the shelter system are heartworm positive.
FOJA provides life-saving medication so these shelter dogs can be treated in-house at the shelter or through an adopter assistance program with seven participating veterinary practices throughout the Jacksonville area.
FOJA’s mission is and will always be to do anything we can to get these infected dogs treated so they can move on to a healthy and happy life. With wonderful supporters like you, we are able accomplish this. As always, thank you to all of our very generous donors for being a part of Team FOJA!
When you donate to FOJA, you’re helping save the lives of these dogs!
To date, over 3,300 dogs have been treated thanks to your donations!
Did you know…
A single dog can be infected with as many as 250 heartworms.
A heartworm can live up to seven years inside a dog.
A heartworm can live up to three years inside a cat.
Approximately 30% of the dogs that come through Jacksonville's Animal Care and Protective Services each year are heartworm positive. Your donations allow us to provide treatment opportunities to shelter dogs making them healthy and more adoptable. Please help us continue our mission of treating heartworm positive shelter dogs and educating the public on this deadly, but preventable disease. Your donation saves lives!