My dog's heartworm test had a faint positive line. What does it mean?

Question

Hi There! Today at the vet my dog tested negative for heartworms but there was a faint line for positive? This has happened in the past when we first adopted him but came back fully negative when sending it off for further testing. Help! Pet's info: Dog | Schnoodle | Male | neutered | 3 years old | 20 lbs

Rodrigo Roca, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, sorry to hear about Saint. There are multiple potential causes for this, some of which could be test error. One could be straightforward and include an error when mixing the sample prior to depositing it into the snap test. Another can be from prolonged sit time before the test was read. Faint lines across the positive could indicate a true positive result but it is difficult to be 100% sure. Given the uncertainty and the limitations of the snap test it would be wise to confirm the negative results by sending the test out. In the interim, you should monitor Saint for any signs of coughing or exercise intolerance. My suspicion is that Saint's test is indeed negative since the line was faint. Speak with your veterinarian about resubmitting a sample or re-running another test to confirm the negative results. Hope this helps and best of luck.

My dog's heartworm test had a faint positive line. What does it mean?

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