Review outlines ultrasound assessment for dogs with heartworm disease

Point-of-care ultrasound can help assess dogs with clinical signs associated with heartworm infection, particularly when severe cardiopulmonary disease is present, according to a review in Parasites & Vectors. The article focuses on the parasite Dirofilaria immitis and describes ultrasound approaches ranging from a rapid fluid check to more comprehensive examinations using standardized views.

Heartworm infection is estimated to affect more than 1 million dogs in the United States. While many infected dogs have no symptoms or only mild clinical signs, some develop life-threatening cardiopulmonary disease. For dogs showing clinical signs, ultrasound is commonly used to investigate cavitary effusions, in which fluid collects within body cavities, and to identify intracardiac heartworms.

The review distinguishes a quick “fluid check” from more extensive point-of-care ultrasound examinations. A fluid check can establish the presence of cavitary effusions, while comprehensive examinations may employ standardized ultrasound views to locate heartworms within the heart. The article presents these applications as ways to assess the cardiopulmonary condition of symptomatic dogs rather than as a single, uniform ultrasound protocol.

With more advanced training, ultrasound can also identify interstitial abnormalities in the lungs and evaluate the morphology of the right side of the heart. These capabilities extend the assessment beyond fluid detection and the visualization of intracardiac heartworms, but the evidence presented is a review rather than a report of a new clinical trial. The supplied article was published as an open-access, peer-reviewed review on 21 October 2026 and was identified as an early version that remained subject to further edits before replacement by the final Version of Record.

Subject of Research: Point-of-care ultrasound for assessing heartworm-related cardiopulmonary disease in dogs

Article Title: Point-of-care ultrasound in dogs with clinical signs due to heartworm disease

Article References: Ames, M. K. (2026). Point-of-care ultrasound in dogs with clinical signs due to heartworm disease. Parasites & Vectors. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07720-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s13071-026-07720-7

Keywords: heartworm disease, dogs, point-of-care ultrasound, Dirofilaria immitis, cardiopulmonary disease, intracardiac heartworms, cavitary effusions, interstitial lung abnormalities, right-heart morphology, veterinary diagnostics, Point-of-care, ultrasound