Mon / Tue / Thu / Fri: 9am – 6pm
Wed: 9am – 6pm (farm calls – large animal)
Hickory Hill Veterinary Services provides reliable heartworm testing in Tampa to detect and prevent this life-threatening parasite early, keeping your pets safe and healthy.
Heartworm disease is caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a parasitic worm transmitted through mosquito bites. Once inside a pet, heartworms can grow up to 12 inches and cause severe damage to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Tampa’s warm, humid climate makes year-round heartworm prevention and regular testing essential. A simple blood test can detect heartworm antigen in dogs and microfilaria in cats, allowing for early intervention before serious damage occurs. Early detection dramatically improves treatment outcomes and protects your pet’s long-term health.
Our veterinary team at Hickory Hill Veterinary Services makes heartworm testing quick, accurate, and stress-free for your pet.
Our veterinarians perform a brief wellness check before testing to assess your pet’s overall health and confirm they are ready for the procedure.
A small blood sample is drawn, typically from a foreleg vein. The process takes only a few minutes and causes minimal discomfort.
We run the heartworm antigen test in our on-site laboratory for rapid results, usually available the same day. We also check for other vector-borne diseases when indicated.
Our veterinarian reviews test results with you, discusses prevention options, and develops a year-round prevention protocol tailored to your pet’s lifestyle and risk factors.
Tampa’s subtropical climate means mosquitoes are active nearly year-round, making heartworm a constant risk. Annual or twice-yearly testing is the standard of care recommended by the American Heartworm Society.
Heartworm disease in early stages is treatable. Advanced infections can be fatal or require intensive, costly treatment. Testing annually catches the disease before it progresses.
Heartworm prevention medications should only be given after a negative test, as giving preventives to a heartworm-positive pet can cause serious adverse reactions.
Regular testing and prevention protect not just your pet but contribute to reducing the local heartworm burden in the community.
In Tampa’s year-round mosquito season, heartworm testing is critical for early detection. Heartworm disease can be fatal if untreated, but is highly preventable. Annual testing ensures your pet is heartworm-free and safe to receive preventive medication.
Heartworm testing costs vary by species and whether a full vector-borne disease panel is included. Most appointments take 15–30 minutes. Call (813) 373-5924 for current pricing.
No fasting or special preparation is needed for heartworm testing. Results are typically available the same day. If positive, our team will discuss treatment options and next steps with you.
Heartworm testing detects active heartworm infections and, with expanded panels, tick-borne diseases like Lyme, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma. Prevention medications then protect against future infection.
Call (813) 373-5924 or visit 326 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–6pm.
Protect your pet from heartworm disease with reliable testing in Tampa. Call (813) 373-5924 or visit 326 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL 33613. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–6pm.
