Heartworms are a risk anywhere there are mosquitoes.  However in places up
north the risk is much less.  The best thing to do it contact a couple vets
in your area and see how many cases of heartworm typically show up.  Talk
to them about the risk factors.  It may help to say you're wondering
whether to put your dog on such a preventative.  Since if a dog needs it so
does a ferret and not all vets see ferrets obviously.  I would imagine that
you wouldn't need to use a preventative or if you did jut but a few months
of the year.  Here in Texas we have to use it year round as the weather is
fickle and you never know how the winter is going to be and if it will
kill the mosquitoes.  This year the extreme heat has actually help in that
department, it was actually too hot to have much of a bug problem.  Even
the bugs can't live here, not that's bad!  :-)
 
Matthew a.k.a. Krazy Kritter
 
Kozy Kingdom Halfway House and Rescue, Grand Prairie, Texas
VP Membership & Public Relations, Ferret Lovers' Club of Texas
http://kozykingdom.com ICQ: 279754 AIM: KrittersK
[Posted in FML issue 2416]