"Heartworm infection" refers to a condition where parasites called heartworms live and grow inside a dog's heart and blood vessels. It can make the dog sick and cause serious health problems if not treated.
Full definition
Signs
of heartworm infection in cats can be confused with signs of many other diseases, including feline asthma.
Treatment for
heartworm infection in dogs is available, but is costly and requires strict supervision by both veterinarians and owners — and a month or more of cage confinement.
It is one of the most widely used medications for
preventing heartworm infection in dogs (it's also used in cats for the same purpose but to a lesser extent).
The medication only eliminates infections acquired since the last dose so it only protects the dog
from heartworm infection for one month.
Today, newer drugs are available that do not have these toxic side effects, and as a result, we are able to successfully treat more than 95 percent of
canine heartworm infections.
Numerous blood tests are available for
detecting heartworm infections in dogs, and your veterinarian will perform the test most appropriate for your dog.
Even
if heartworm infection is diagnosed, there are currently no known treatments that can kill the worms without risking the life of the cat.
Cats are relatively resistant to
heartworm infection when compared to dogs, with the infection rate in cats reported to be 5 - 20 % of the rate in dogs in the same location.
Since heartworm infection in cats can't be cured, just managed, it is vital for your cat's well - being to prevent infection in the first place.
An advanced
heartworm infection means that the heartworms have been present long enough to cause substantial damage to the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys and liver.
In order for your dog to
avoid heartworm infection, protect your pet from mosquito bites especially if there is a high mosquito population in your area or if it is mosquito season.
While a
moderate heartworm infection in a dog would involve 25 - 50 adult heartworms, infected cats typically have less than six adult worms.
Dogs show virtually no signs of
heartworm infection until the time the worms have grown and reproduced, with adult worms up to 30 cm in length.
Not only do you
prevent heartworm infection if the pet is on compliant prevention, but you prevent the likelihood that that pet will be bitten by a mosquito.
While I happened to find more heartworm - positive cats than dogs in my practice, I knew that feline heartworm is only found where
canine heartworm infections are also present.
Phrases with «heartworm infection»