Tips To Help You Understand Heartworms In Felines.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially acute condition for your cat and this article addresses the causes and symptoms as well as heartworm treatment and prevention in cats.
Causes
Heartworms are introduced by mosquito bites and when the larvae grow they develop into fully fledged worms, these bloodsucking worms take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the arteries to the lungs. The cat heartworm normally, 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, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your kitty (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm condition.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious situation 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 pulmonary arteries. Your vet will be able to carry out various proceedures 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 pulmonary arteries and are another aid in tackling the problem.
There is no best heartworm treatment and it is not just the live heartworms that are hurting your cat. The dead and dying cause problems too. As the worms die after 2-3 years, they can stifle the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some vets 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 a similar fashion and are kinder to your cat's system. However, these
heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I encourage regular 6 monthly tests for heartworm.
Prevention
My mantra is that prevention is better than 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 occasionally. These two natural additives will help to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of fresh clean water should always be available, particularly if you have an indoor kittycat. Indoor pusscats are less likely to become diseased 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-ridden locality, you will want to take preventative measures before the season and carry on with the treatment through to its conclusion. Citronella oil and water is a original mosquito repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.
Preventative medicines and treatments are being continuously investigated year after year looking for a cure. So by all means to talk to your vet and learn about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can stop your cat from becoming ill and even dying through those filthy bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.