What To Do About Heartworms In Cats

Prevent Heartworm

Heartworm both in cats and dogs is scientifically named dirofilaria immitis. They are caused by mosquito bites and the resulting larvae gradually develop into fully grown heartworms. The symptoms are fairly easy to recognize although they come in several forms and prevention  is the watchword . Heartworms are seriously damaging to your cat’s health.

Let’s Look at the Causes

Heartworms are caused by mosquito bites and when the larvae form they hatch into fully grown worms, these parasites live in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries and they also die there causing more problems. The cat heartworm has a relatively short life of 2 -3 years  compared to it dog counterpart and the cat’s immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.

So What are the Symptoms of Heartworm?

Heartworms lead to various life threatening acute conditions that include :

• Coughing and wheezing
• Laboured or troubled breathing
• Vomiting and lethargy
• Weight loss

Leading to

• Heart failure
• Blocked arteries
• And in extreme cases, death

If your poor kitty (or dog for that matter) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm illness.

Is There a Good Treatment?

Heartworm is a very serious condition which needs a consultation with your veterinarian as the worms are parasite that will feast on the vital areas around your cat’s heart and the arteries. Your vet will be able to carry out various procedures to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.

The various tests your veterinarian can perform will include blood tests and X-rays which detect the presence of heartworm. An antigen test detects proteins in the blood from the breakdown of the worm. Ultrasound tests produce an image of the heart and the arteries feeding the lungs and are another aid in tackling the disease.

There is no best heartworm treatment and it is not just the live heartworms that are damaging your cat. The dead and dying cause complications too. As the worms die after 2-3 years, they can stifle the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further problems. However, some veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries.

Commonly, medicines employ a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing microfilariae in your cat’s bloodstream. Natural herbal preventatives work in much the same way and are kinder to your cat’s body. Even so, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I recommend regular 6 monthly checks for heartworm.

Prevention, Prevention, Prevention

My belief is that prevention is better than cure and as there is no cure for heartworm in cats it is imperative to take the appropriate preventative precautions. The normal rules of keeping your cat healthy apply and include a natural, well balanced diet of fresh raw foods with garlic and yeast mixed in occasionally. These two natural additives will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.

Plenty of plenty of pure water should always be accessible, particularly if   you have an indoor cat. Indoor cats are less likely to become contaminated than those living outdoors but heartworm prevention is far better practiced for all cats just to be on the safe side.

If you live in a mosquito-infested place or country, you will want to take  precautionary action before the season and carry on with the treatment through to its conclusion. Citronella oil and water is a authentic mosquito repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.

Preventative medicines and treatments are being continually investigated year after year looking for a remedy. So be certain to talk to your veterinarian and learn about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can avoid your kittycat from becoming sick and even dying through those abhorrent bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!

The Vet Nurse