Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially perilous disease for your feline and this article points up 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 take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries. The cat heartworm normally, has a relatively short life of 2 -3 years and the pussycat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms causes various bad conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, loss of weight and in extreme cases, death. If your cat (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm disease.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious ailment 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 proceedures 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 condition.
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 block the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further problems. However, some veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines administer 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. Even so, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I encourage regular 6 monthly tests for heartworm.
Prevention
My mantra 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 from time to time. These two ingredients will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of extra pure water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor pusscat. Indoor kitties 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 locality, you will want to take precautionary measures before the season and carry on 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.
Preemptive medicines and treatments are being continuously cultivated year after year in search of a cure. So be certain to consult your vet and make sure of which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your pussy from becoming sick and even dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
Prevention,Causes And Symptoms Of Heartworm In Felines.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially perilous disease for your feline and this article points up 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 take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries. The cat heartworm normally, has a relatively short life of 2 -3 years and the pussycat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms causes various bad conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, loss of weight and in extreme cases, death. If your cat (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm disease.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious ailment 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 proceedures 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 condition.
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 block the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further problems. However, some veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines administer 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. Even so, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I encourage regular 6 monthly tests for heartworm.
Prevention
My mantra 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 from time to time. These two ingredients will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of extra pure water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor pusscat. Indoor kitties 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 locality, you will want to take precautionary measures before the season and carry on 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.
Preemptive medicines and treatments are being continuously cultivated year after year in search of a cure. So be certain to consult your vet and make sure of which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your pussy from becoming sick and even dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.