By Wendy S. Myers, CVJ

You've heard clients say, "Indoor cats aren't at risk" or "Heartworms only affect dogs."

During the last five years, Banfield saw a 47 percent rise in cats diagnosed with heartworms.¹ Replace myths with facts during National Heartworm Awareness Month—and keep conversations going year-round. Here are six ways to elevate feline heartworm disease education:

1) Send pre-appointment education with confirmations

Five days before wellness visits, send cat owners appointment confirmations with educational information about feline heartworm disease. Depending on your client communication platform, you can include a hyperlink, attach a client information sheet, or have a button that links to your webpage on feline parasite protection (Figure 1).

Sharing information about feline heartworm disease in advance lets clients come ready with questions. Get ideas for your pre-appointment education from the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC).

2) Send online health forms

Two days before feline wellness appointments, clients will get another confirmation and an online health form to complete and submit before the visit. Organize questions by category (Figure 2) and keep them heartworm-focused. Ask follow-up questions to clients' answers and assess their knowledge of feline heartworm disease, testing, and protection.

3) Create slideshows that simplify the science

Instead of a TV in the lobby—which adds noise and outside content—display an educational slideshow. Share infographics from the AHS on how heartworms are transmitted, the heartworm lifecycle, testing, treatment, and prevention,² and include local heartworm prevalence maps from the CAPC.³ Feature your preferred brands and explain how they protect pets from multiple parasites, including heartworms.

Put slideshows on exam computers, too. Use slideshows during client conversations and as screensavers when computers hibernate. Repurpose slides as social media posts and website pages.

4) Display products in exam rooms

Place sample boxes of your preferred brands on cabinet countertops or wall-mounted floating shelves. (Tip: Display empty boxes to prevent theft of high-value medications.) Have a frame or laminated card with product prices and in-clinic rebates. This shows why pet owners should buy parasite protection from your hospital. Displays often prompt clients to ask about products or refills before you start conversations about heartworm protection.

5) Write a team script

Have technicians, assistants, and client service representatives work together to craft the message. Consistency will bring clarity and confidence, inspiring client trust and better patient care. Have a few sentences that summarize how cats get heartworm disease, why testing matters, and how to prevent it.

Say, "Mosquitos spread heartworms to both dogs and cats. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it picks up tiny larvae and can pass them to a cat with its next bite. In cats, the immature worms that reach the lungs can cause inflammation known as heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD). Signs can be subtle—coughing, vomiting, or decreased appetite. The AHS guidelines strongly recommend annual testing.⁴ Year-round prevention is essential because there's no treatment for cats. Let me tell you about the prevention <cat name> needs, how to use it, and the cost with our in-clinic rebates."

Encourage staff to share personal stories about their cats' prevention routines. Explain what you like about the brand, how you remember to use it consistently, and why you believe in year-round protection for your cat.

6) Don't give up if clients decline testing and prevention

Keep your response supportive to protect the relationship and leave the conversation open. Provide a brochure or email resources so clients can learn more about feline heartworm disease.⁵

Say, "Thanks for letting me know your decision. Heartworms come from mosquitoes, even indoors, and there's no treatment for cats, which is why we advise testing and prevention. If you want to revisit it or notice coughing, vomiting, or breathing changes, just reach out. We're here to help."

Consider one extra effort. Put the heartworm protection in the client's cart in your online pharmacy, which will trigger an email to the client who can choose to enter payment and place the order or delete it from the cart. It's a non-confrontational way to give clients a second opportunity. Revisit your heartworm conversation at the next visit—repetition gets results!

Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, trains veterinary teams to communicate with clarity and confidence, inspiring client trust and better medical care. Founder of Communication Solutions for Veterinarians, she teaches proven skills through online courses, conferences, and consulting. Myers' experience as a partner in a specialty and emergency hospital gives her insight into practice challenges. Explore her online training at CsvetsCourses.com.

References

1. New pet owner survey suggests common myths fueling significant gap in prevention of deadline parasite for U.S. dogs and Cats. Banfield Pet Hospital. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://www.banfield.com/about-banfield/newsroom/press-releases/2024/survey-shows-common-myths-fueling-gap-in-dog-parasite-prevention
2. https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/infographics
3. https://capcvet.org/maps/#/
4. Feline guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of heartworm (dirofilarial immitis) infection in cats. American Heartworm Society. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://d3ft8sckhnqim2.cloudfront.net/images/AHS_Feline_Guidelines_WEB_08NOV2024_FINAL.pdf?1731438572&1764662055
5. https://www.heartwormsociety.org/resources/66-brochures/813-client-brochure-heartworm-disease-in-cats