Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heartworm In Cats.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially significant condition for your pet and this article deals with 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 hatch into fully grown worms, these parasites live 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 causes various fatal acute conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, laboured breathing, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your pussy (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm condition.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious condition 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 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 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 problems. However, some vets prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries.
Commonly, medicines administer a low dose of insecticide to kill any growing larvae in your cat's blood. Natural herbal preventatives work in much the same way and are kinder to your cat's internal organs. Even so, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I recommend regular 6 monthly checks 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 help to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of plenty of pure water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor cat. Indoor pusscats are less likely to become contaminated 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 area, you will need to take precautionary action before the season and continue with the treatment through to its end. Citronella oil and water is a common mosquito repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.
Preventative medicines and treatments are being continually developed year after year in search of a remedy. So by all means to speak to your vet and find out 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 nasty bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of 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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