Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heartworm In Cats.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in cats and dogs . Heartworm in cats is a potentially major illness for your pussy cat 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 grow they unfurl into fully fledged worms, these parasites take up residence in the right side of the heart and/or the arteries to the lungs. The cat heartworm generally, 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 grim 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 disease.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious condition 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 tests your vet can carry out 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 problem.
There is no best heartworm treatment and it is not just the live heartworms that are debilitating your cat. The dead and dying cause complications too. As the worms die after 2-3 years, they can block up the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some vets prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries feeding the lungs.
Commonly, medicines use a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing larvae in your cat's bloodstream. 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 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 ingredients will help to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of extra uncontaminated water should always be available, particularly if you have an indoor pussy. Indoor pussy are less likely to become diseased 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-ridden locality, you will have take precautionary measures before the season and go on with the treatment through to its conclusion. Citronella oil and water is a common insect repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.
Preemptive medicines and treatments are being constantly developed year after year looking for a cure. So by all means to visit your veterinarian and find out about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your cat from becoming sick and even dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
Related Articles
Blogroll
|
|
|
