Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially life threatening ailment for your pusscat and this article points up 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 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 fatal 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 susceptible to a heartworm ailment.
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 arteries to the lungs. Your veterinarian will be able to carry out various proceedures 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 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 debilitating your cat. The dead and dying cause problems too. As the worms die after 2-3 years, they can block up the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further problems. However, some vets administer steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines administer a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing larvae in your cat's bloodstream. 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 recommend regular 6 monthly checkups for heartworm.
Prevention
My belief 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 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 help to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of fresh pure water should always be at hand, particularly if you have an indoor pussy. Indoor pussy 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 country, 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 authentic mosquito repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.
Preventative medicines and treatments are being constantly investigated year after year in search of a remedy. So be sure to speak to your veterinary surgeon and make sure of which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can avoid your pusscat from becoming sick and even dying through those nasty bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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