What To Do About Heartworm In Cats.

Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in felines and canines . Heartworm in cats is a potentially tough condition for your pet and this article draws your attention to the causes and symptoms as well as heartworm treatment and prevention in cats.

Causes

Heartworms are caused by mosquito bites and when the larvae form they develop into fully fledged worms, these parasites live in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries. The cat heartworm normally, 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 causes various bad conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulties, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss and in extreme cases, death. If your pussy (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is liable to a heartworm condition.

Treatment

Heartworm is a very serious condition 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 veterinarian 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 bloodstream 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 complications. However, some veterinarians prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the arteries.

Commonly, medicines use a low dose of insecticide to kill any growing larvae in your cat's bloodstream. Natural herbal preventatives work in much the same way and are kinder to your cat's system. However, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I encourage regular 6 monthly checks 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 sometimes. These two natural additives will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.

Plenty of extra clean water should always be obtainable, particularly if you have an indoor pussy. Indoor pusscats are less likely to become infected 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 place, you will have take preventative measures before the season and go on with the treatment through to its end. Citronella oil and water is a common insect repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.

Preventative medicines and treatments are being continually investigated year after year in search of a cure. So be sure to visit your vet and find out about which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your pussy from becoming ill and possibly dying through those abhorrent bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.

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