Emancipet offering low-cost heartworm treatment at Central Austin and Houston locations
Heartworm treatment costing 50-70 percent less than the national average of $1,000 is now available at Emancipet Central Austin and will be available at Emancipet Houston beginning in July. The typical cost of heartworm treatment is not affordable for all pet owners, sometimes resulting in pets turned in to shelters or not surviving the disease. Emancipet’s pricing ranges from $225-$495 depending on the size of the dog, and can be split into two payments.
“A million households each year are forced to give up their beloved pets, mostly for financial reasons,” says Emancipet CEO Amy Mils. “Removing the income barrier, and bringing these critical services to communities where they are needed most, keeps pets healthy and at home with families who love them.”
Emancipet follows the American Heartworm Society’s recommendations for heartworm disease by treating adult heartworm infections with three injections of a drug called Immiticide. This treatment kills the adult heartworms quickly and reduces the amount of damage they inflict on the heart and lungs.
Heartworm evaluation exams are currently available by appointment only at Emancipet’s Central Austin and Houston branches. Heartworm preventives are currently available at all Emancipet clinics during regular hours. Heartworm treatment for pets that have received a positive heartworm test is currently available by appointment only at Emancipet’s Central Austin branch and will be available by appointment at Emancipet’s Houston branch beginning in July.
Texas pets have a higher risk of heartworm infection than many other states because of its warm climate. According to the American Heartworm Society, Texas has the fourth highest number of heartworm disease incidences in the U.S.
Emancipet Central Austin, 5129 Cameron Road, is open Monday through Saturday. Healthy pet services (including heartworm evaluation exams) are available on a walk-in basis from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Heartworm treatment is performed by appointment only.
Emancipet Houston, 910 South Wayside Drive, is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Healthy pet services (including heartworm evaluation exams) are available on a walk-in basis from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Heartworm treatment will be performed on Thursdays, by appointment only, starting in July.
Emancipet’s mission is to make veterinary care affordable and accessible to all pet owners. To do this, Emancipet is building a national nonprofit low-cost veterinary care system, with clinics in underserved areas of Austin, Houston, Killeen, and Pflugerville Texas; and its newest clinic in Philadelphia. Emancipet advocates for public policy that improves the lives of pets in underserved communities, and recently launched Emancipet New School, which equips and inspires animal welfare professionals in becoming change makers. Since it was founded in 1999, Emancipet has spayed or neutered more than 275,000 dogs and cats and will serve more than 100,000 pets and their families this year.
For more information about Emancipet’s heartworm treatment for dogs, visit http://emancipet.org/services/heartworm-treatment-faq/.
