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Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in cats and dogs . Heartworm in cats is a potentially life threatening disease for your pusscat and this article deals with 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 evolve 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 cat's immune system produces an antigen to fight against them in their pre-larva stage.
Symptoms
Heartworms causes various acute 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 disease.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious illness 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 tests to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.
The various proceedures your veterinarian can perform 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 hurting 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 pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines administer a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing microfilariae 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 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 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 fresh clear water should always be at hand, particularly if you have an indoor pussy. Indoor pussy are less likely to become contaminated 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 area, you will need to take preventative measures before the season and carry 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 in search of a cure. So be sure to call your vet and make sure of which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can stop your kitty from becoming sick and even dying through those awful bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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