Does Pet Insurance Cover Heartworm Treatment?

If you have a dog, one of the most important things to do is try to keep them safe from heartworm. Heartworm is a devastating disease that could be deadly to dogs, and the treatment for it can be very expensive.

You may be wondering: Does pet insurance cover heartworm treatment? And the answer is that it depends on when your dog is diagnosed or starts to show symptoms.

Here, we'll review the scenarios where heartworm treatment may or may not be covered by pet insurance, so you know what to expect.

What Is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm Dirofilaria immitis. Worms can grow in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, causing lung disease, heart failure, and death if left untreated. Thankfully, there's preventive medication available for heartworm, and the cost tends to pale in comparison to actual heartworm treatment.

Heartworm Symptoms and Diagnosis

It's important to know what heartworm symptoms look like given the potential severity of the disease. Here are some common signs:

• Cough
• Inability to tolerate walks or exercise
• Lethargy
• Collapse
• Breathing difficulty
• Excessive panting
• Sudden death in extreme cases

To diagnose heartworm, a vet will usually start with an antigen test. Other testing options are a blood smear or modified Knott’s test, which can check for the presence of circulating microfilariae.

If a heartworm diagnosis is confirmed, your vet may recommend additional testing to assess the severity. Your dog might need:

• Imaging to check for heart inflammation
• An EKG to check the heart rhythm
• A blood pressure test
• An echocardiogram
• Urinalysis
• Other blood tests

Dog Heartworm Treatment Cost: Prevention, Testing, and Care

The cost of heartworm treatment for dogs tends to be far more expensive than the cost of prevention. The exact cost of preventive medication, which is generally taken once a month, hinges on the exact product used as well as the size of the dog. As an example, the typical yearly cost of heartworm preventives for a 40-pound dog is $70 to $200.

It's also generally recommended that dogs have a yearly antigen test to check for heartworm disease. The typical cost is $35 to $75.

If your dog needs heartworm treatment, the cost will typically hinge on the severity of the disease, as well as factors like your dog's size and age. Your total cost could range from $600 to more than $3,000, depending on the situation.

Here's an overview of some of the specific costs you may be looking at if your dog needs heartworm treatment:

Is Heartworm Treatment Covered by Pet Insurance?

Most accident‑and‑illness pet insurance policies will cover heartworm treatment if your dog becomes infected after the policy begins and your waiting period is over. However, pet insurance will generally not cover pre-existing conditions. If your dog was showing signs of heartworm infection before you bought your coverage, your insurer may not pick up the cost.

If you have an accident-only plan, you also shouldn't expect your insurer to pay, since these plans cover accidents and heartworm is an illness. Similarly, if you have a wellness-only package, your insurer may cover the cost of heartworm prevention, but not treatment.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Heartworm Testing and Prevention?

Most accident-and-illness pet insurance plans do not cover routine annual testing for heartworm or preventive medication. However, if you have one of these plans, you're beyond its waiting period, and your dog starts to show signs of heartworm, your insurer may cover the cost of testing.

If you have a wellness-only add-on, your dog's preventive heartworm medication may be covered. Annual testing may be covered as well since it's considered routine.

Pet Insurance: Pre‑Existing Conditions and Waiting Periods

Pet insurance policies typically do not cover pre-existing conditions. If your dog shows signs of heartworm prior to being enrolled in your plan or is diagnosed with heartworm before you get a policy, the condition will generally be considered pre-existing.

Additionally, once you buy pet insurance, there's usually a waiting period before your pet is eligible for coverage. Pet insurance waiting periods often last one to 14 days, though some can last longer. It's important to understand what your policy's waiting period looks like.

What to Look for in a Pet Insurance Policy

The purpose of getting pet insurance is to have financial protection in case your pet gets hurt or sick. So, it's important to find the right policy.

As you shop for pet insurance, you may want to specifically look out for the following:

• Illness coverage that includes parasitic diseases like heartworm
• Higher annual limits
• A larger reimbursement percentage (for example, 90% is better than 70%)
• A shorter waiting period
• Transparent, easy-to-understand terms and conditions

Why Prevention Matters

Heartworm prevention is important for a few reasons. First, it could save your dog's life. Heartworm preventives tend to be very effective when they're given on the schedule recommended by your vet (usually monthly).

Secondly, preventing heartworm is much less expensive than treating an infection. And also, many pet insurers require proof that your dog was on preventive medication to pay for heartworm treatment.

Pet Insurance for Heartworm Treatment: The Bottom Line

Most accident-and-illness pet insurance policies do cover heartworm treatment, but not preventive treatment or testing unless you have a wellness add-on. If your dog is diagnosed with heartworm or shows signs of it before you get a policy, you shouldn't expect your insurance to pay.

It's important to keep up with heartworm prevention to protect your dog as well as your finances. If your dog isn't already on heartworm prevention medication or they've only recently been adopted, make sure to schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as possible to get them onto a preventive routine.