They are the fastest and most convenient way to test for heartworms, but no test is perfect. False positives and false negatives are possible. That is why positive tests are always confirmed with another method of testing. Usually, a positive antigen test is confirmed with presence of microfilaria in the blood. 24 авг. 2018 г.
What happens if heartworm test is positive?
After a dog receives a positive result on the heartworm antigen screening test, further testing is required to confirm actual heartworm infection. These tests include additional blood collection with the samples subjected to any of the following analyses: A different manufacturer's heartworm antigen test.
Can a dog recover from being heartworm positive?
No one wants to hear that their dog has heartworm, but the good news is that most infected dogs can be successfully treated. The goal is to first stabilize your dog if he is showing signs of disease, then kill all adult and immature worms while keeping the side effects of treatment to a minimum.
What does a slight positive heartworm test mean?
Your dog should currently be a heartworm preventative every month like Heartgard. Most heartworm tests are actually looking for antibodies in the bloodstream, so when they come up positive (even light positive, this means that your dog has antibodies or that your dog has been exposed.
How accurate are heartworm antigen tests?
Depending on prevalence, the positive predictive value of the heartworm antigen test ranged from 15 to 54% and negative predictive value from 99 to 99.9%. For a hospital testing 1,000 dogs per year, false-positive test results may vary from 24 to 27 dogs.
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