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Prevention, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heartworm In Felines.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially significant ailment for your cat and this article draws your attention to 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 hatch into fully fledged 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 lifespan of 2 -3 years and the pussycat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms lead to various difficult conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, loss of weight and in extreme cases, death. If your kitty (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm illness.
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 veterinarian will be able to carry out various proceedures to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.
The various proceedures your vet 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 disease.
There is no best heartworm treatment and it is not just the live heartworms that are damaging your cat. The dead and dying cause complications 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 administer steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries feeding the lungs.
Commonly, medicines employ 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 internal organs. Even so, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I encourage 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 occasionally. These two ingredients will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of fresh uncontaminated water should always be obtainable, particularly if you have an indoor cat. 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 place, you will need to take preventative measures 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 continuously developed year after year looking for a remedy. So be certain to visit your veterinarian and learn about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can avoid your kitty from becoming sick and even dying through those filthy bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.