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Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heartworms In Cats.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in cats and dogs . Heartworm in cats is a potentially fatal disease for your pusscat and this article points out 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 unfurl into fully grown 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 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 lead to various grave conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your kitty (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is liable to a heartworm illness.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious condition which needs to be treated by your veterinarian 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 proceedures 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 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 debilitating 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 veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines employ a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing microfilariae in your cat's blood. 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 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 occasionally. These two natural additives will serve to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of plenty of clear water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor kittycat. Indoor cats 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 area, you will want to take preventative 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 investigated year after year looking for a cure. So be certain to call your veterinary surgeon and find out about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can stop your pusscat from becoming ill and possibly dying through those filthy bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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