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Heartworms Aren’t Just for Dogs By Katherine Mathes, DVM Until just a few years ago, we believed only dogs could
develop Heartworm disease. Thanks to developments in testing, we have found
cats can also share this serious disease, but are not the natural host for the
parasite. Cats infected with heartworms typically have very low numbers of
worms in their heart and lungs. The signs of feline heartworm disease are much
different than in dogs and include coughing, vomiting, difficulty breathing,
asthma like symptoms, sluggishness, weight loss and unfortunately sudden death.
Just as in dogs, mosquitoes transmit heartworms but that
doesn’t keep our indoor only kitties safe. One study found over 25% of cats
diagnosed with heartworm disease were kept inside only. Many cats love to sneak outside for some
fresh air resulting in exposure to mosquitoes. We also now have mosquito species that prefer indoor environments and
require very little water to complete their life cycle. The incidence of heartworm infection in cats
rivals that of Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Because cats develop so few adult heartworms, diagnosis is challenging. At Murphy Road Animal Hospital we utilize a combination of specialized blood tests, radiographs (chest X-rays), and ultrasound to make a diagnosis. Currently, there is no approved treatment to eliminate heartworm infection in cats. Treatment is limited to symptomatic therapy. So, prevention is the best defense. Monthly, year-round prophylactic protection is available as either a topical product or a flavored treat. These preventatives have the added benefit of protecting your cat from other parasites such as ear mites and intestinal worms. Contact your veterinarian for further information on this disease and its prevention. |
