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How To Deal With Heart Worms In Felines.
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 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 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 life of 2 -3 years and the cat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms lead to various acute acute conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, laboured breathing, 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 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 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 carry out 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 stifle 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 blood. Natural herbal preventatives work in much the same way and are kinder to your cat's body. However, these heartworm treatment do NOT kill adult heartworms, so I recommend regular 6 monthly tests 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 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 help to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of extra uncontaminated water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor kittycat. Indoor kittycats 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 area, you will want to take preventative measures before the season and go on with the treatment through to its end. Citronella oil and water is a original mosquito 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 remedy. So by all means to consult 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 ill and possibly dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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