Heartworm Disease in Cats Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease in pets.
Not exact matches
Heartworm disease in cats is primarily a respiratory
disease.
For this reason,
cats can have the
disease in the absence of adult
heartworms.
Heartworm testing: Both dogs and cats are susceptible to heartworm disease, though they are more commonly diagnosed
Heartworm testing: Both dogs and
cats are susceptible to
heartworm disease, though they are more commonly diagnosed
heartworm disease, though they are more commonly diagnosed
in dogs.
Feline
heartworm disease differs from the canine version
in that
in cats it affects primarily the lungs and, to a lesser extent, other soft tissues and thus is not really a «heart»
disease.
Carried by mosquitoes, feline
heartworm disease has been
in the literature for decades, but since veterinarians were looking for «dog - like» symptoms
in cats, the severity of the feline version of the
disease was only recognized recently.
There are other heart
diseases that occur
in cats:
heartworm parasites, congenital malformations, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and dilated cardiomyopathy.
The bottom line: if you live
in an area where
heartworm disease in dogs is prevalent, your
cat should get preventive medication, too.
Heartgard prevents
heartworm infection and
heartworm disease in dogs and
cats by terminating
heartworm larvae
in the tissue stage.
There's currently no treatment to cure
heartworm disease in cats.
Heartgard & Heartgard Plus pet meds prevent
heartworm infection and
heartworm disease in dogs and
cats by killing the larvae
in the tissue stage.
Heartworms are a serious and potentially fatal
disease in cats and dogs, particularly
in Cleveland, Tennessee area with the prevalence of mosquitoes.
In reality,
heartworm disease can also affect
cats, although less frequently.
Heartworm disease in cats is normally very mild.
Unfortunately
heartworm disease in cats is often fatal once signs of the
disease occur.
In cats,
heartworm is a very different
disease.
Feline
heartworm is the second most common cause of sudden death
in cats (next to feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a common heart
disease in cats).
Heartworm disease is a common cause of heart and lung
disease in both
cats and dogs.
In cats, unfortunately, the first symptom of
heartworm disease may be sudden collapse and impending death.
In cats,
heartworms are primarily a lung
disease - not a heart
disease.
Other potential causes of heart
disease in cats include injuries and infections with parasites such as feline
heartworms.
Advantage Multiâ «cents for
Cats (10 % imidacloprid / l % moxidectin) is a once - a-month topical solution for the prevention of heartworm disease, kills adult fleas, and is indicated for the treatment of flea infestations, as well as the treatment and control of ear mite infestations and intestinal parasite infections in cats and kittens that are nine weeks of age and older and that weigh at least two pou
Cats (10 % imidacloprid / l % moxidectin) is a once - a-month topical solution for the prevention of
heartworm disease, kills adult fleas, and is indicated for the treatment of flea infestations, as well as the treatment and control of ear mite infestations and intestinal parasite infections
in cats and kittens that are nine weeks of age and older and that weigh at least two pou
cats and kittens that are nine weeks of age and older and that weigh at least two pounds.
Heartworms is a serious
disease, and can lead to death
in your dog or
cat.
The diagnosis of feline
heartworm disease is not as straightforward
in cats as it is
in dogs, but your veterinarian is able to screen them through blood testing, x-rays and an ultrasoundSound or other vibrations having an ultrasonic frequency used
in medical imaging.
Cough is less often due to heart
disease in cats, although
heartworm disease, asthma, bronchitis and lungworms are all common causes of cough
in cats.
If
heartworm disease is common
in dogs
in your area, mosquitoes that bit your
cat are carrying
heartworm larva.
Heartworm in pets is a serious and potentially fatal
disease that is caused by foot long worms (
heartworms) that live
in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of affected dogs and
cats.
Accompanying the article is the well - written client handout «
Heartworm Disease in Cats» that Vetstreet personnel authored and editors of Today's Veterinary Nurse reviewed.8 We wanted to also inform your readers that, in addition to the mentioned SNAP ® test (IDEXX) for feline heartworm antigen testing, other in - clinic heartworm antigen tests, including one from Zoetis, are a
Heartworm Disease in Cats» that Vetstreet personnel authored and editors of Today's Veterinary Nurse reviewed.8 We wanted to also inform your readers that,
in addition to the mentioned SNAP ® test (IDEXX) for feline
heartworm antigen testing, other in - clinic heartworm antigen tests, including one from Zoetis, are a
heartworm antigen testing, other
in - clinic
heartworm antigen tests, including one from Zoetis, are a
heartworm antigen tests, including one from Zoetis, are available.
Myth # 3:
Heartworm disease rarely causes clinical signs
in cats.
In the May / June 2017 issue of Today's Veterinary Nurse, we were pleased to come across the article «Feline Heartworm Disease: Fact or Fiction» by Ms. Ann Wortinger and agree that feline heartworm disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromatograph
In the May / June 2017 issue of Today's Veterinary Nurse, we were pleased to come across the article «Feline
Heartworm Disease: Fact or Fiction» by Ms. Ann Wortinger and agree that feline heartworm disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochroma
Heartworm Disease: Fact or Fiction» by Ms. Ann Wortinger and agree that feline heartworm disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromato
Disease: Fact or Fiction» by Ms. Ann Wortinger and agree that feline
heartworm disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochroma
heartworm disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromato
disease is indeed fact.1 — 3 We likewise agree that confirming
heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochroma
heartworm disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromato
disease in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromatograph
in cats is complex, and the author discusses the advantages and limitations of several modalities, including ELISA antibody testing.4 However, the author did not mention another antibody detection method called immunochromatography.
Heartworm disease causes lung
disease, heart failure, damage to other organs, and death
in dogs,
cats, and ferrets.
With respect to the information
in the handout, we also wish to note that many veterinarians likely do not begin evaluating cats with clinical signs compatible with heartworm disease with any in - clinic antigen test because of the relative insensitivity for antigen detection in any infected cat.1 — 3 In an effort to increase the success of confirming a suspected infection, veterinarians may instead choose to send samples to a reference laboratory for both antigen and antibody testing, because an in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying heartworm - infected cats is not currently availabl
in the handout, we also wish to note that many veterinarians likely do not begin evaluating
cats with clinical signs compatible with
heartworm disease with any
in - clinic antigen test because of the relative insensitivity for antigen detection in any infected cat.1 — 3 In an effort to increase the success of confirming a suspected infection, veterinarians may instead choose to send samples to a reference laboratory for both antigen and antibody testing, because an in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying heartworm - infected cats is not currently availabl
in - clinic antigen test because of the relative insensitivity for antigen detection
in any infected cat.1 — 3 In an effort to increase the success of confirming a suspected infection, veterinarians may instead choose to send samples to a reference laboratory for both antigen and antibody testing, because an in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying heartworm - infected cats is not currently availabl
in any infected
cat.1 — 3
In an effort to increase the success of confirming a suspected infection, veterinarians may instead choose to send samples to a reference laboratory for both antigen and antibody testing, because an in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying heartworm - infected cats is not currently availabl
In an effort to increase the success of confirming a suspected infection, veterinarians may instead choose to send samples to a reference laboratory for both antigen and antibody testing, because an
in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying heartworm - infected cats is not currently availabl
in - clinic combination antigen and antibody test for identifying
heartworm - infected
cats is not currently available.
Signs of
heartworm infection
in cats can be confused with signs of many other
diseases, including feline asthma.
Myth # 8: Treatment of
heartworm disease is the same
in cats and dogs.
Myth # 4: A negative
heartworm antibody test rules out
heartworm disease in cats.
Although
heartworms in felines are less prevalent than
in canines,
heartworms in cats are still a dangerous
disease that has been on the rise
in America.
Mild - to - moderate anemias also occur
in diseases that are not primarily
diseases of your pet's blood - such things as FIP
in cats,
heartworm disease in dogs and many forms of cancer and liver
disease.
The unique characteristics of
heartworms in the feline host help explain the differences
in disease progression that
cats undergo after infection.
Less common signs of
heartworm infection include vomiting, neurologic signs, collapse and sudden death.9 Many
cats are able to overcome this phase of the
disease process — and
in some cases completely clear the
heartworm infection — but not without damaging the small blood vessels
in the lungs during the process.6, 7
Dog owners are well aware of the threat of
heartworm disease, but many pet owners would be shocked to know that their
cats are
in danger as well.
There are two points
in the
disease process that cause the majority of clinical signs that affect our
cats: (1) the arrival (and death) of the juvenile worms
in the blood vessels of the heart and lungs, and (2) the death of adult
heartworms.6
In one study, one - third of
cats diagnosed with
heartworm disease died or were euthanized due to severity of their
disease on the day of diagnosis.
There is no scientific evidence that any treatment intended to kill adult
heartworms in dogs will safely do so
in cats and increase their infection survival rate.6 Administration of melarsomine, the compound labeled for treatment of adult
heartworms in dogs, is not as effective
in cats and its administration is frequently fatal.7, 8 For these reasons, «treatment» of feline
heartworm disease focuses on controlling clinical signs related to the
disease process.
In addition to canine wellness exams and feline wellness exams, the veterinarians - Gerald Glencer, DVM and Peter Kunoff, DVM - and animal care assistants from Ypsilanti Animal Clinic educate clients about contagious dog
diseases, contagious
cat diseases, zoonotic
diseases, and the importance of
heartworm prevention and flea / tick prevention.
However, when a
cat does get
heartworm disease, the worms take up residence
in the lungs.
In one scientific study, 28 % of
cats diagnosed with
heartworm disease had no clinical signs of infection.9
As will become evident when we explore the complicated issues of diagnosing and treating
heartworm disease in cats, administering monthly preventives is the most effective and achievable step that any sheltering organization should strive for when it comes to managing this
disease.
For this reason, pursuit of a diagnosis is probably best limited to those
cats who are exhibiting clinical signs that may be attributed to
heartworm disease and / or for whom knowledge of their infection status will result
in a significant change
in their disposition pathway.
This table from the American
Heartworm Society presents an extremely interesting synopsis of heartworm disease in dogs compared
Heartworm Society presents an extremely interesting synopsis of
heartworm disease in dogs compared
heartworm disease in dogs compared to
cats.
There will be a future post on
heartworm disease in cats so stay tuned.