Unfortunately, since there is no approved safe treatment
for heartworm in cats at this time, prevention is crucial.
One of the most challenging aspects of
diagnosing heartworms in cats is that there are no definitive clinical signs that directly indicate the existence of cat heartworm disease.
As we look more aggressively for
heartworms in cats with better and better tests, we expect to find that the incidence is greater than previously thought.
Unlike with dogs, there is no approved treatment
for heartworm in cats, so it's important to keep those felines on preventative as well, even if they are indoor cats.
It is more difficult to
detect heartworms in cats, therefore, additional testing may be necessary to make sure there is no infection during any course of prevention.
At North Elm Animal Hospital, our highly experienced team of veterinarians and veterinary support staff have been helping educate our clients and win the fight
against heartworms in cats since 2000.
Nelson, who is in Anniston, AL says that around a decade ago, he was a non believer,
thinking heartworm in cats wasnâ $ ™ t a â $ œbig deal.â $ Then, his own research revealed that 26 per cent of the cats he looked at were positive for antibodies for heartworm disease.
Cats are atypical hosts for heartworms, which means that
heartworms in cats do not often survive to the adult stage.
Early signs
of heartworms in cats: coughing, asthma - like attacks, periodic vomiting, lack of appetite, or weight loss, difficulty walking, fainting or seizures, or fluid accumulation in the abdomen.
At Broad Ripple Animal Clinic, our highly experienced team of veterinarians and veterinary support staff have been helping educate our clients and win the fight
against heartworms in cats for over 35 years.
That is because the amount of ivermectin needed to
prevent heartworms in cats is about 4 times as much as required to protect dogs.
Diagnosing
heartworm in cats can be challenging.
Heartworms in cats may or may not mature into adults.
Awareness of this disease is important for Texas owners because even one
heartworm in your cats can be deadly.
It may turn out that ivermectin is preferable to immitacide in treating
heartworms 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.
Unfortunately, one of the most common signs of
heartworms in cats is sudden death.
The lifespan of mature adult
heartworms in the cat is 1 - 2 years.6
There is no treatment available for
heartworms in cats.
Due to a lack of studies showing a clear benefit of treatment and the short lifespan of
heartworms in cats, adulticide therapy is not recommended, and no drugs are approved in the US for use in cats.
Prevention of
heartworms in cats is paramount because the disease is hard to diagnose, has no specific treatment, and is deadly.
Since there is currently no approved treatment for
heartworm in cats, consider protecting your cat from heartworm disease with a heartworm preventative formulated for cats such as Heartgard Chewables for Cats or Advantage Multi.
Heartworm characteristics:
Heartworms in cats are shorter than those in dogs, averaging 8 - 9 inches in length.
The severity of
heartworms in cats is directly dependent upon the number of worms present a cat's body, the duration of the incubation, and the response of the infected cat.
Heartworms in cats are spread through mosquitos carrying cat heartworm larvae.