A blood heartworm antigen test is the most accurate method for detecting
the presence of heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.
These tests are not looking so much for
the presence of heartworm disease, but for other look - alike diseases that might be present.
Complete blood counts and blood tests for kidney and liver function may give an indirect indication of
the presence of heartworm disease.
Not exact matches
The
presence of severe
heartworm disease within a patient in addition to the
presence of other life - threatening
diseases may decrease the efficacy
of treatment.
Heartworm can cause devastating
disease, their
presence in the heart and arteries
of the lungs can result in coughing, decreased exercise and in severe cases, congestive heart failure.
A syndrome related to this inflammatory reaction has been identified in cats:
heartworm - associated respiratory
disease, which can occur three to four months after the initial infection, and is caused by the
presence of the L5 larvae in the vessels.
In the early stages
of Feline
Heartworm Disease, the cat may experience respiratory problems related to the inflammation caused by the presence of the heartworm larvae in the pulmonary blood
Heartworm Disease, the cat may experience respiratory problems related to the inflammation caused by the
presence of the
heartworm larvae in the pulmonary blood
heartworm larvae in the pulmonary blood vessels.
The
disease is caused by an inflammatory reaction to the
presence of heartworm or immature adult worms.4, 5
Some health signs that might indicate the
presence of cat
heartworm disease include:
Eosinophils may or may not be present in the lavage fluid, but the
presence of basophils is highly suggestive
of heartworm disease.2 Lavage is highly unlikely to retrieve larvae or adult worms, as these parasites are located within the pulmonary vessels and not within the bronchioles and alveoli.
We recommend an annual fecal testing to detect any intestinal parasites and also
heartworm testing (which includes detection
of heartworm presence and three tick - borne
diseases).
Despite its name,
Heartworm Disease is primarily a lung disease in cats causing cough, chronic inflammation, and even scarring within the lungs due to the presence of 2» long immature larval
Disease is primarily a lung
disease in cats causing cough, chronic inflammation, and even scarring within the lungs due to the presence of 2» long immature larval
disease in cats causing cough, chronic inflammation, and even scarring within the lungs due to the
presence of 2» long immature larval worms.
There are few, if any, early signs
of disease when a dog or cat is infected with
heartworms, so detecting their
presence with a
heartworm test administered by a veterinarian is important.
I found that
heartworm infection in cats often occurred at a similar rate with the retroviral
diseases feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), as well as with respiratory
disease and the
presence of bites or abscesses.
During veterinary wellness exams, we perform a complete physical and recommend a
heartworm test, fecal flotation test for intestinal parasites, and blood tests that can indicate the
presence of underlying
diseases.
WITNESS ®
Heartworm detects the presence of adult Dirofilaria immitis antigen associated with heartworm disease in dogs
Heartworm detects the
presence of adult Dirofilaria immitis antigen associated with
heartworm disease in dogs
heartworm disease in dogs and cats.
Heartworm disease is most commonly diagnosed using blood tests that detect the
presence of heartworms.
Antigen tests on blood samples from cats, which identify the
presence of adult worms, should be paired with antibody tests to help determine if a cat's clinical signs could be due to
heartworm disease.