Affordable Pet Labs is inviting dog owners in 52 cities to join a nationwide study. Participating dogs receive a free standard heartworm test at home, but the new needle-free test is still being studied. It is not available to buy, and it is not a substitute for veterinary care.
For many dogs, the annual heartworm test is more than a routine step. It can be the barrier between a dog and the prescription prevention that helps protect them. Affordable Pet Labs (APL) is conducting a study to evaluate whether a new at-home sample method could, if validated, make that annual check easier to access.
Here is what participation looks like, who may qualify, and what you should know before applying.
Why can the annual heartworm test be a barrier?
Heartworm disease is devastating and preventable. In most states, a prescription is required for heartworm prevention, and getting that prescription generally requires a negative heartworm test every year. When testing feels difficult to arrange, costs too much, or is stressful for a dog, a pet parent may put it off. Dogs that go untested may go unprotected.
That access challenge is why APL is studying another way to collect a sample. The study was announced October 21, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona. APL is a direct-to-consumer veterinary laboratory serving pets in 52 cities with 124 technicians. It added 16 cities in the past 12 months.
The study will collect more than 1,500 samples to compare a new, patent-pending sample method with the standard heartworm blood test veterinarians rely on today. For participants, that means an at-home visit and a free standard heartworm test. It does not mean the new test is already proven or available.
“We are accelerating this because we know how many pets are not on prevention simply because the annual test is out of reach. If the barrier is testing, the answer is to fix testing. We have the field network to do that, and we are asking independent researchers to hold us to the standard.”
Dr. Joseph Menicucci, APL co-founder
For more background on why timing matters, see Heartworm Test for Dogs: Why Timing Matters More Than You Think.
What happens during the home visit?
If your dog is enrolled, you schedule one visit at your home. A licensed APL technician will be there for about 15 minutes. You must be present during sample collection.
During the visit:
- The technician draws a blood sample for the standard heartworm test. This test checks for antigen, a substance associated with heartworms, and microfilariae, the immature heartworms that can circulate in the blood.
- The blood sample is analyzed in APL’s lab. This is the study’s test of record, meaning it is the result used for your dog’s heartworm testing and follow-up.
- At the same visit, the technician collects the additional non-blood sample for the new, needle-free method being studied.
It is important to understand the difference: the new method’s sample is collected without a needle, but the standard test included in the study still requires a blood draw.
Before collection, you will read and sign a consent form. It covers the blood draw, the additional sample, and the de-identified use of samples and results for test development and publication. “De-identified” means your dog’s information is used without identifying you or your pet in published study materials.
You will also complete a brief history questionnaire. It asks about your dog’s age, heartworm prevention history, travel, previous heartworm testing, and recent medications, including antibiotics.
Who may qualify to participate?
Your dog may be eligible if they:
- Are at least 7 months old.
- Live in one of the 52 APL cities. Check whether your city is included and apply.
- Have not been treated for adult heartworms with melarsomine (Immiticide) in the past 12 months.
- Have not received doxycycline in the past 60 days.
- Do not have blood in their urine or an active urinary problem at the time of the visit.
The questionnaire also asks about other recent antibiotics and medications. Dogs who receive monthly heartworm prevention and dogs who are not on prevention are both welcome and needed. Dogs recently diagnosed with heartworm disease who have not yet been treated are especially valuable to the study. APL also welcomes rescue and shelter partnerships.
An application does not guarantee enrollment. APL reviews the information and will contact you about eligibility and scheduling.
What do participating dogs and pet parents receive?
For each enrolled dog, APL provides a complete standard heartworm test at home, including antigen and microfilaria testing, free of charge. Results go to you and your dog’s veterinarian within 2–3 business days after the lab receives the sample.
Participants may also receive:
- The option to add basic blood work at the same visit for a discounted price.
- A credit for a free at-home heartworm test if the new service launches.
- A credit toward other future APL testing.
If the standard blood test is positive, APL refers your dog to their veterinarian for follow-up. You and your vet will not make prevention or treatment decisions based on the new test’s study results. Those results will be shared with participants only after the study is complete.
What does the study promise, and what does it not promise?
This is a validation study, not a product launch. The needle-free test is not available for purchase and is not a substitute for a veterinary visit. Its performance has not yet been established. It may not prove as effective as the current gold-standard blood test.
Independent researchers set the study’s acceptance thresholds and review the results. That independent review matters: a test must meet clear standards before anyone can know whether it is reliable enough for the intended use. If the new method does not meet those thresholds, APL says it will report that outcome and continue offering its existing in-home and at-home blood, fecal, and urine testing.
The standard blood test remains the test of record during the study. The new test will not guide a participant dog’s prevention or treatment decisions.
If validated, APL plans to roll out the service nationwide through at-home collection kits and its 52-city technician network. Pet parents could complete an annual heartworm check from home, share results with their veterinarian, and seek a prevention prescription, including through telehealth where state law allows. That is a possible future, not a service available today.
For a more detailed overview of the study, read We’re Testing a Needle-Free At-Home Heartworm Test, and We Need 1,500 Dogs to Help.
How can you check your city and apply?
Enrollment is open until the study reaches its target. To see whether your city is covered and apply, visit AffordablePetLabs.com/HWT. You can also call 602-847-9123 with questions.
Taking part is a practical way to support research into a potential future testing option. And for your dog, it includes a free standard heartworm test with results shared with you and your veterinarian. The study is asking an important question, and it is designed to accept an honest answer, whatever the results show.
