--- title: Heartworm Prevention for Boarding Dogs | Happy Paws, Dixon url: https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/heartworm-prevention/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Vaccines](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/) - Heartworm prevention in the Delta # Heartworm prevention for boarding dogs Happy Paws Kennels recommends heartworm prevention for dogs, though it is not required for a stay. Heartworm is spread by mosquito bites, and there is no heartworm vaccine. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Heartworm is the one item on the recommended list that is not a vaccine at all. This page explains the difference and what to bring up at your next vet visit. ## What the kennel says The kennel's vaccination page recommends heartworm prevention, describing heartworm as a parasitic roundworm transmitted through mosquito bites that can be deadly to dogs. It suggests asking your veterinarian about the need for monthly prevention. It is not required for boarding and no record is needed to book a stay. ## How heartworm works The American Heartworm Society explains that heartworm disease is serious and potentially fatal in dogs, cats and ferrets. The worms live in the heart, lungs and nearby blood vessels and can grow to about a foot long. A mosquito that bites an infected animal can pass the larvae to the next pet it bites, and the larvae need about six months to become adult worms. The society says heartworm has been diagnosed in all 50 states and that indoor and outdoor pets are both at risk. ## Prevention, not a vaccine There is no commercially available heartworm vaccine for dogs or cats, according to the American Heartworm Society. Prevention is a monthly or injectable medicine prescribed by a veterinarian, and the society advises giving it twelve months a year and testing every twelve months. A late or missed dose can leave a pet unprotected. That is why heartworm sits on the recommended list: the protection is a routine you keep at home, and a kennel stay should not interrupt it. ## Bringing it up with your vet Mosquitoes are part of life near fields and water in the Sacramento Valley, and your veterinarian knows the local picture better than any kennel page can. Ask whether your dog is on prevention, when the last test was, and whether a missed dose needs a recheck. If your dog takes a monthly pill, mark the calendar so the dose does not fall in the middle of a stay. Medications are given at the kennel at no extra charge; the [medication FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/medications/) has details. ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [Happy Paws Kennels vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) - [American Heartworm Society: heartworm basics](https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics) ### Before your first stay - [Vaccination records](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) current through pick-up day - A signed [boarding agreement](https://happypawskennels.com/boarding-contract/) - Pets 16 weeks or older - [Bring nothing but your pet](https://happypawskennels.com/what-to-bring/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [Vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) - [Medications and health](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/medications/) - [Flea & tick prevention before boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/flea-and-tick-prevention/) - [Leptospirosis vaccine](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/leptospirosis/) - [Boarding a dog on medication](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/boarding-a-dog-on-medication/) - [Vaccines](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/vaccines/) ## Is my pet ready? Who is staying? Dog Cat Both Pick-up date Dog vaccines (three required, one recommended) Rabies Good until Distemper/Parvo (DHPP) Good until Bordetella (kennel cough) Good until Canine Influenza (H3N2 - H3N8) - recommended, not required Good until Cat vaccines (required) Rabies Good until FVRCP Good until Tick each vaccine your pet has had. Add the date it runs out to check it against your pick-up day. This checks our boarding requirements, not your pet's health. Your veterinarian decides which vaccines your pet should have and when. Upload records to your [ProPetware account](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin), email them, or bring a copy at check-in. ## Read next - [Flea & tick prevention before boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/flea-and-tick-prevention/) - [Kennel cough](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kennel-cough/) - [Kennel cough symptoms](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kennel-cough-symptoms/) - [How long is kennel cough contagious?](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/how-long-is-kennel-cough-contagious/) - [Canine respiratory illness outbreaks](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/dog-respiratory-illness/) - [Puppy vaccine schedule](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/puppy-vaccine-schedule/) - [Adult dog vaccine schedule](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/adult-dog-vaccine-schedule/) - [Kitten vaccine schedule](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kitten-vaccine-schedule/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### Is heartworm prevention required to board? No. It is recommended, as is canine influenza. The required dog vaccines are rabies, distemper/parvo and Bordetella. ### Is there a heartworm vaccine? No. The American Heartworm Society says no commercially available heartworm vaccine exists for dogs or cats. ### Can the kennel give my dog's monthly pill? Yes. Medications are given at no extra charge. Bring them with written instructions. ### Do cats get heartworm? Yes, cats can too, according to the American Heartworm Society. Ask your veterinarian.