Prevention, Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heart Worms In Cats.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially ugly illness for your pusscat and this article points out the causes and symptoms as well as heartworm treatment and prevention in cats.
Causes
Heartworms are introduced by mosquito bites and when the larvae grow they develop into fully fledged worms, these parasites live in the right side of the heart and/or the arteries to the lungs. The cat heartworm comparatively, 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 lead to various major conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your feline (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm illness.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious illness 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 arteries to the lungs. Your vet will be able to carry out various tests to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.
The various proceedures 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 arteries feeding the lungs and are another aid in tackling the condition.
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 constrict the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries.
Commonly, medicines employ a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing microfilariae in your cat's bloodstream. 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 tests 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 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 natural additives will serve to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of extra clean water should always be at hand, particularly if you have an indoor kitty. Indoor kittycats 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 locality, you will want to take precautionary measures before the season and go on with the treatment through to its end. 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 constantly cultivated year after year looking for a remedy. So be sure to call your veterinarian and learn about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can avoid your kittycat from becoming sick and possibly dying through those filthy bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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