Understanding Heartworm In Cats.

Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in cats and dogs . Heartworm in cats is a potentially difficult illness for your pusscat and this article addresses the causes and symptoms as well as heartworm treatment and prevention in cats.

Causes

Heartworms are caused by mosquito bites and when the larvae grow they develop into fully grown worms, these parasites take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries. The cat heartworm comparatively, has a relatively short life of 2 -3 years and the cat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.

Symptoms

Heartworms causes various ugly conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, laboured breathing, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your cat (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is liable to a heartworm illness.

Treatment

Heartworm is a very serious illness 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 tests 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 bloodstream 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 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 constrict the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some vets prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.

Commonly, medicines use a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing microfilariae in your cat's blood. Natural herbal preventatives work in much the same way and are kinder to your cat's system. However, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I recommend regular 6 monthly checks 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 guidelines of keeping your cat healthy apply and include a natural, well balanced diet of fresh raw foods with garlic and yeast mixed in from time to time. These two ingredients will help to keep the mosquitoes away.

Plenty of extra clean water should always be available, particularly if you have an indoor cat. Indoor pussy are less likely to become infected 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 area, you will need to take precautionary measures before the season and continue with the treatment through to its end. Citronella oil and water is a natural insect repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.

Preemptive medicines and treatments are being continuously developed year after year in search of a remedy. So be sure to talk to your vet and make sure of which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your kittycat from becoming sick and even dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.

Understanding Heartworm In Cats.
Heartworms both in cats and dogs are scientifically named dirofilaria immitis. The are caused by mosquito bites and when the larvae form into fully grown Heartworms, these parasites take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries.

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