Heartworms can cause serious disease in dogs. Not only that, the cost of treatment can be devastating to a pet owner's pocketbook. In many cases, treatment can easily exceed $1000, and that doesn't include any extra expenses resulting from treatment complications. The good news, though, is that treatment for heartworms can be made affordable.

Here are five ways to do that.

1) Shop Around For The Best Price

Heartworm disease is so prevalent in many parts of the country that treatment pricing has become very competitive within the veterinary community. Furthermore, the cost of treatment is affected by your geographic location as well. For instance, if you live in a big city, the price may be higher than if you live on the outskirts of town (although this is not always the case). Check prices with those vets situated in the suburbs or outlying rural areas. Be sure to compare apples to apples. For instance, are recheck appointments and follow-up tests included in the price? Does it cover complications if they occur? Does it include preventive medication after the treatment is finished? Be sure to research these questions before coming to a decision.

2) Have Your Dog Treated Sooner Than Later

Heartworm disease is a progressive disease and the longer those parasites stay within a dog's system, the more damage they can cause. Patients exhibiting signs of heartworm disease, namely coughing, exercise intolerance, weight loss, etc. will need a different (and more costly) treatment approach than those patients not exhibiting symptoms. Even is a dog isn't showing any symptoms, the risk for complications increase the longer you delay treatment and that can increase the cost as well. As a result, as soon as your dog is diagnosed with the disease, it's a good idea to start price shopping.

3) Decline Overnight Hospitalization

When the treatment estimate is presented, check to see if fees for overnight hospitalization are included. If so, request that these fees be taken off since you would like the dog to stay with you during the treatment. There's a good reason for this. Most veterinary facilities do not have overnight personnel who stay with their hospitalized patients. As a result, it doesn't make sense to pay for overnight hospitalization. In these instances, you want your pet home with you in case treatment complications arise so you can take prompt action and get your dog emergency care. And that won't happen if your dog runs into problems while all alone in the hospital.

4) Know Which Treatment Protocol Your Vet Is Planning To Use

Find out if your veterinarian prefers the two-injection protocol or the three-injection protocol for treating heartworms. The former protocol is the one recommended by the drug's manufacturer for dogs with mild to moderate infestations, whereas the latter is generally recommended by the American Heartworm Association and most veterinary schools, who deem it safer and more effective than the two-injection protocol. Why is this important? Considering that each injection will cost $75 to $200 depending on the size of your dog, the protocol selected will ultimately affect the cost of the treatment.

That said, in the otherwise asymptomatic, healthy patient with a light worm burden, the two-injection protocol can yield excellent results in a safe, effective manner. It'll also save you lots of money. Ask your veterinarian to explain the pros and cons of each protocol and see if your dog would qualify for the less expensive one.

If your vet feels your pet is suffering from severe or advanced heartworm disease and may be at higher risk, then don't skimp. Go with the three-injection protocol. But if this is not the case, the two-injection protocol should remain an option.

5) Be Sure Your Dog Is Pre-Treated

Heartworm patients should receive the antibiotic doxycycline and the steroid prednisone for at least two weeks prior to the first injection of melarsomine, the drug used to kill the adult heartworms. Most veterinarians do this automatically, but some don't.

Doxycycline serves to kill a certain type of bacteria found within the worms themselves. If  the bacteria are viable when the treatment is performed, they can cause severe inflammation when released into the dog's tissues as the worms die. As an added benefit, doxycycline can also boost your dog's blood platelet levels and help prevent secondary pneumonia.

Pre-treatment with a steroid anti-inflammatory like prednisone reduces the incidence of severe reactions and primes your dog's system to handle the intense inflammation caused by the dead and dying worms.

There you have it! Five ways to lower the cost of heartworm treatment. It's no secret that this disease is a burden to both dog and owner. However, when faced with treatment decisions, take these five recommendations to heart and discuss them with your veterinarian. And by the way, once the heartworms have been treated and your dog is parasite-free, be sure to keep her on heartworm preventive medication for the rest of her life, for this is definitely one disease where an ounce of prevention is worth many, many pounds of cure!