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Yes—if your practice treats parasite prevention and testing as year-round, individualized care, and routinely checks local risk rather than relying on historical maps. CAPC’s 2026 forecasts point to changing geographic patterns for several canine diseases, but they estimate test-positive results among dogs tested in veterinary clinics—not every infection in a community and not an individual patient’s diagnosis.
What parasite risks should practices watch in 2026?
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) forecasts canine Lyme disease, heartworm disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis in the contiguous United States. Its maps estimate the proportion of dogs tested in veterinary clinics expected to test positive for heartworm antigen or antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia spp., or Anaplasma spp. They are useful for understanding trends, not a census of all infections or a substitute for evaluating a patient. CAPC’s 2026 forecast includes county-level projections; its prevalence maps show observed test results.
Lyme disease
CAPC describes Lyme risk expanding into parts of the Midwest and South, alongside established risk in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. The forecast is a broad regional signal; check the patient’s home county, travel destinations, and current local observations before applying it to a clinic or patient.
Heartworm disease
The forecast identifies elevated risk in the Southeast, continued spread into central and eastern parts of the country, and increasing risk in northern California. Heartworm risk is not limited to historically high-risk areas, so a low-risk map designation should not be treated as proof of no exposure.
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Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
CAPC describes ehrlichiosis as a continuing concern in parts of the Southeast, Southwest, south-central, and Atlantic regions, with forecast increases in some western states. Anaplasmosis remains a concern in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, with growing West Coast risk and forecast increases in parts of the Ohio Valley and Southeast.
CAPC says shifting patterns reflect interacting host, vector, pathogen, and environmental factors, including land use, climate trends, wildlife populations, movement of pets and people, urbanization, and surveillance. These are factors associated with changing risk; they do not establish that any single factor caused a change in a particular county.
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How should a practice use forecasts without overreading them?
Use forecasts as an early-warning and discussion aid, then place them in the context of actual local test results and each patient’s circumstances. CAPC’s March 23, 2026 announcement reports more than 10 million veterinary diagnostic test results per disease per year and a historical 94% forecast-accuracy figure. CAPC also describes its historic forecasts as exceeding 94% accuracy for four monitored diseases across the United States. These are CAPC-reported measures, not an independent guarantee; forecast performance does not make the maps universal surveillance or patient-level predictions. CAPC’s 2026 announcement links to its forecast tools.
- Review county-level forecasts and observed prevalence for the areas where patients live, travel, or have recently arrived from.
- Consider exposure, species, age, health, lifestyle, and preventive history; canine forecast maps should not be used as feline risk maps.
- Revisit protocols when local forecasts or observed clinic and laboratory results change.
- Explain to clients that low forecast risk is not zero risk and does not remove the need for individualized prevention and testing decisions.
Which prevention and testing routines should be in place?
CAPC’s General Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, last updated April 24, 2025, advise preventive examinations every 6 to 12 months. They call for routine year-round heartworm prevention in dogs and routine parasite control. Product selection and prescribing remain veterinary decisions; discuss consistent, correct use with each client.
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Dogs: heartworm and tick-transmitted pathogens
CAPC recommends annual heartworm testing in dogs and annual testing for tick-transmitted pathogens, especially in endemic or emerging regions. A practice’s protocol should account for local exposure and travel history as well as the patient’s preventive history and clinical circumstances.
Cats: heartworm and individualized testing
CAPC recommends testing cats before starting heartworm prevention and thereafter as indicated. Do not extend canine forecast patterns or canine testing assumptions to cats; assess feline patients on their own species-specific circumstances.
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Fecal examinations by age and risk
CAPC recommends fecal examinations at least four times during the first year of life and at least twice yearly for healthy adult animals. Adjust frequency to the animal’s health and exposure, including outdoor access, travel, lifestyle, and contact with other animals.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should a clinic choose fecal diagnostics?
CAPC lists centrifugation flotation, fecal antigen testing, PCR, and AI methods. These are options, not a universal ranking: the appropriate method depends on the suspected parasite, specimen, clinical signs, and the clinic’s or laboratory’s capabilities.
- Centrifugation flotation: an option for fecal examination; whether it fits depends on the suspected parasite and case.
- Fecal antigen testing: an option when the target and clinical question call for antigen testing.
- PCR: an option where molecular testing fits the suspected parasite and specimen.
- AI methods: another method listed by CAPC; use depends on the case and available clinic or laboratory capability.
CAPC’s guidance does not establish head-to-head accuracy or cost rankings among these methods. Choose based on the diagnostic question and arrange follow-up when the result, signs, or exposure history warrants it.
Quick Recap
A practical practice-readiness check
- Review local risk: check CAPC county-level forecasts and observed prevalence, including counties connected to patient travel.
- Check schedules: make sure preventive examinations, annual canine heartworm testing, and appropriate annual tick-pathogen testing are incorporated into workflows.
- Plan fecal testing: apply the age-based minimums and individualize for exposure and health.
- Match the test to the case: select among fecal methods according to suspected parasite, signs, sample, and diagnostic capability.
- Reassess and explain: respond to changing local signals and help clients understand that forecasts inform—not replace—individual veterinary decisions.
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