Prevention, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heartworms In Cats.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially ugly ailment for your cat and this article points out the causes and symptoms as well as heartworm treatment and prevention in cats.
Causes
Heartworms are introduced by mosquito bites and when the larvae form they evolve into fully grown worms, these bloodsucking worms live in the right side of the heart and/or the arteries to the lungs. The cat heartworm generally, has a relatively short lifespan of 2 -3 years and the cat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms lead to various serious conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, laboured breathing, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, loss of weight and in extreme cases, death. If your feline (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm ailment.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious ailment which needs to be treated by your vet as the worms are parasite that will feast on the vital areas around your cat's heart and the arteries to the lungs. Your veterinarian will be able to carry out various tests to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.
The various tests your vet can use 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 pulmonary arteries 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 block the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some vets administer steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries.
Commonly, medicines employ a low dose of insecticide to kill any growing larvae in your cat's blood. Natural herbal preventatives work in a similar fashion and are kinder to your cat's body. However, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I recommend regular 6 monthly checkups for heartworm.
Prevention
My belief is that prevention is preferable to cure and as there is no cure for heartworm in cats it is imperative to take the appropriate 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 sometimes. These two ingredients will serve to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of fresh clear water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor kittycat. Indoor kittycats are less likely to become diseased than those living outside but heartworm prevention is far better practiced for all cats just to be on the safe side.
If you live in a mosquito-infested country, you will want to take preventative measures before the season and continue 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 cultivated year after year looking for a cure. So be sure to speak to your veterinary surgeon and learn about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can avoid your kitty from becoming ill and even dying through those vile bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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