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Heartworm & Intestinal Worm Treatment

Heartworm & Worm Treatment for Dogs & Cats on the North Shore

Protect your pet from heartworm and intestinal worms with simple, effective parasite prevention.

At The Village Vet, we provide tailored prevention plans for pets across Pymble, Killara and Sydney’s North Shore, helping keep your pet and your family safe and healthy.

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Protecting your pet from worms and parasites

Protecting your pet from dangerous parasites like heartworm and intestinal worms is a crucial part of their healthcare routine.

Around 80% of Australia’s dogs and 75% of cats carry intestinal worms, making regular prevention essential for your pet’s health and your family’s safety.

Many pets show no obvious signs of infection, which is why prevention is far safer and more effective than treatment.

How often should I worm my dog or cat?

Adult dogs and cats are typically wormed every 3 months, while puppies and kittens require more frequent treatment early in life.

The exact schedule depends on your pet’s age, lifestyle, and risk factors. Our team will guide you on the right parasite prevention plan to ensure your pet is fully protected year-round.

Worming schedule for puppies and kittens

Young pets are more vulnerable to parasites and require more frequent treatment.

A typical schedule includes:

Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age
Monthly until 6 months of age
Every 3 months for life (or more frequently for high-risk pets)

Following the correct schedule is essential to prevent reinfection and ensure ongoing protection.

What to Expect from Our Worming Services

Step 1: Tailored Worming Plan

We create a custom worming schedule based on your pet’s age, lifestyle, and risk factors.

Step 2: Safe & Effective Prevention

We provide vet-recommended worming treatments in various forms, including chewable tablets, liquid doses, and topical applications.

Step 3: Ongoing Protection & Reminders

Worming treatments are available in the clinics for easy purchase.
We send reminders when your pet’s next dose is due to ensure consistent protection.

Heartworm Prevention for Dogs

What Is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease is a life-threatening condition caused by parasitic worms living in a dog’s heart and lungs. Over time, the worms block blood flow, leading to heart failure, which can be fatal.

How Is Heartworm Transmitted?

Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, meaning dogs don’t need direct contact with an infected pet to become affected.

Can Heartworm Be Treated?

If left untreated, heartworm disease can be fatal. Treatment is risky and often focuses on managing symptoms rather than removing the worms. Prevention is always the safest option.

Intestinal Worms in Dogs

Dogs can contract intestinal worms through:

Mother’s milk (puppies)
Infected soil, faeces, or contaminated food
Licking or sniffing other dogs
Eating raw or undercooked meat (tapeworm risk)

Common Intestinal Worms in Dogs

Roundworms – Common in puppies, can spread to humans.
Hookworms – Cause anaemia and digestive issues.
Whipworms – Lead to chronic diarrhoea and weight loss.
Tapeworms – Spread via fleas or raw meat consumption.

Recommended Worming Schedule for Dogs

Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age.
Monthly until 6 months of age.
Every 3 months for life (or every 6 weeks for high-risk dogs).

Intestinal Worms in Cats

Cats are at risk of contracting worms from:

Hunting and eating rodents
Contaminated soil, faeces, or fleas
Close contact with other infected cats

Common Intestinal Worms in Cats

Roundworms – Common in kittens, can affect humans.
Hookworms – Cause weight loss and anaemia.
Tapeworms – Often spread by fleas.

Recommended Worming Schedule for Cats

Every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age.
Monthly until 6 months of age.
Every 3 months for life.

The Benefits of Regular Worming

✔️ Prevents deadly heartworm disease
✔️ Protects against intestinal worms that cause weight loss and illness
✔️ Reduces the risk of transmission to humans
✔️ Keeps your pet comfortable and healthy
✔️ Easy to manage with vet-recommended treatments

Why Choose The Village Vet for Heartworm & Worm Prevention?

Expert guidance on the best worming schedule for your pet
Vet-approved, effective worming products
Convenient in-clinic purchase options
Dosing reminders to keep your pet protected
Locally owned and trusted by the community

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The Village Vet

At The Village Vet Clinics, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality vet services. Throughout all stages of your pet’s life, our compassionate and experienced team ensures your pet receives the best possible care. With cutting-edge equipment and a full range of facilities under one roof, you can trust us to offer expert recommendations and treatments tailored to your pet’s unique needs, no matter what your financial circumstances are. We strive to help your beloved pets live life to the fullest.

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Why Choose us as your Vet?

Truly personal, Non-corporate care

Independent, family-owned, and community-driven. No corporate agendas. Just honest, personalised care tailored to each family’s individual needs and budget.

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State of the art facilities

Advanced diagnostic imaging, surgical technology, in-house labs, and everything you’d expect from a much larger hospital. All delivered with genuine warmth and personal attention.

Our Facilities

Fear Free-Inspired Care & Certified Calm Clinic

Every visit is designed to minimise stress and anxiety. Purpose built clinic designs, gentle handling, calming techniques, and a team trained in low-stress care makes all the difference.

About Fear Free Vets

Award winning

Three time Local Business Award winners and recognised as one of Australia’s Top 3 veterinary practices in 2025 & 2026. Our reputation is built on trust, consistency, and authentic client relationships.

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What Pet Owners Say

TRACEY LEE

My elderly cat is 19 years old and has serious heart and kidney health issues. I have taken my cat to this clinic multiple times, and honestly, the service from all the staff is truly five-star. Their love and care for the animals, along with their attention to detail, have deeply touched me. With their help, my cat is getting better every day. Thank you so much!

Anne

Wonderful team of vets, nurses and admin staff. They’ve looked after our two dogs and two cats with genuine, deep care, and sound and pragmatic advice, for many years. They always go above and beyond, providing support and wisdom.

Fya I

Both my cat and dog receive their check-ups here, and the staff are truly wonderful! They genuinely love animals and are very patient in explaining the causes of my dog’s illness and the treatment process. They are also very responsible and respectful of pet owners’ opinions. I highly recommend this clinic and hope that more people and their pets can benefit from such a caring and professional place.

Jenny Hafeez

I’ve been taking my cat to The Village Vet for many years now and would highly recommend their practice (both Pymble and Killara) to anyone. We regularly see Martine, who is amazing, but have also seen a number of the other vets as well who have also all been equally amazing. All the staff are so helpful and caring and go out of their way to provide advice and assist in any way possible. They are all extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and they clearly all really love animals – my cat is always treated with the greatest care and respect. Excellent service, excellent staff – wouldn’t go anywhere else!

Nina

The team at The Village Vet Killara has been exceptional for our dog, Kona. They’re welcoming, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable. We always feel confident knowing he’s in the best hands!

Mayna

The staff were friendly, and the vet was so patient with my older dog, Sunny, who’s extremely anxious about his appointments. Highly recommend The Village Vet Killara if you need expert care and support for your pet!

Sarah Bost

I cannot recommend The Village Vet enough for anyone looking for a caring, professional, and trustworthy place for their pets.

They have been looking after my puppies so beautifully, and every visit has been such a positive experience. The environment is very warm, calm, clean, and welcoming, and all the staff are incredibly friendly, kind, and professional.

From the moment you walk in, you feel comfortable and confident that your pets are in safe hands. They genuinely care about animals and take the time to communicate properly, answer questions, and provide support whenever needed.

I also really appreciate their helpful reminders, follow-ups, newsletters, and updates, which show how organised and caring they are with pet care and customer service.

Thank you to the whole team for always making Dela and Dora feel loved and well looked after. Highly recommended!

Sue and David Joseph

We joined W Pymble veterinary practice twelve years ago when we first acquired our Cavoodle, Dexter, and have been very happy with the care he has received in that time. There have been a few health concerns along the way, one in which we feared we might lose our beloved boy, he was so sick. Excellent treatment along with a true commitment to Dex’s recovery saw him returned to us as his usual beautifully natured, healthy self. I would recommend this practice to anyone who has a pet.
Sue and Dave Joseph, Wahroonga

Dharsh

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommend The Village Vet Pymble

The Village Vet Pymble is our new vet, and I couldn’t be happier after our first visit with my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Hunter.

Like all fur mums, I’m always anxious about whether my babies are truly in good hands.(We changed our vets) Hunter means the world to me, so trust and kindness matter just as much as medical care.

From the moment we arrived, Hunter was treated with such gentleness and respect. Dr Gene Torre was incredibly kind, patient, and thorough. She took the time to explain everything clearly and made both Hunter and me feel calm and supported. It honestly meant so much to see how genuinely caring she was with my boy.

I left feeling reassured, confident, and grateful that we’ve found a clinic where my dogs are not just treated as patients, but truly cared for.

Thank you to Dr Gene Torre and the team at The Village Vet Pymble for taking such beautiful care of Hunter. We’re so happy to have found you. 🐾💙

Jo Smith

My review will not do this vet practice justice – I wish I could give Village Vet 10 stars!
We could not be more impressed by the care that we and our pets have received by Doctor Martine and all her wonderful staff. We appreciate their expertise, honesty, integrity, and empathy on every visit.
We are extremely grateful that we found this vet clinic.

David Bradbury

Wonderful people! My cat was in there for a week for treatment and I got a text message EVERY day with an update. Plus they sent me a picture. They did not need to do that and it completely put my mind at ease.
Exceptional experience.

James French

Have been using Pymble Veterinary Clinic for many years, all my dogs have been looked after by the team here, and even though I have moved further away, I still take my dog here. The staff are great, have the utmost respect for them.

Would not go anywhere else.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Heartworm & Intestinal Worm Treatment

Does my pet need worming if they stay indoors?

Yes! Pets can still contract worms from contaminated environments, fleas, or even their humans bringing in eggs from outside.

Can humans catch worms from pets?

Some intestinal worms can be transmitted to humans, especially children. Regular worming protects both your pet and your family.

What worms can dogs and cats get?

Dogs and cats can get roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and tapeworm. Some of these can be transmitted to humans, making regular prevention important.

What is heartworm and how do dogs get it?

Heartworm is a life-threatening parasite spread by mosquitoes. Once inside the body, it affects the heart and blood vessels and can cause serious damage.

How do I prevent heartworm in my dog?

Heartworm prevention is given monthly or as an annual injection. Consistent protection is essential to keep your dog safe.

Do I need flea, tick and worm treatment for my pet?

Yes. Most pets require protection against fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and heartworm. Many treatments combine these into one product.

How often should I worm my dog?

Adult dogs should generally be wormed every 3 months, while puppies require more frequent treatment early in life. Your vet will recommend the best schedule based on your dog’s lifestyle.