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Prevention,Causes And Symptoms Of Heartworm In Felines.
Dirofilaria immitis is the scientific name of the heartworm both in cats and dogs . Heartworm in cats is a potentially major illness for your cat and this article points out 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 emerge into fully grown worms, these bloodsucking worms live in the right side of the heart and/or the pulmonary arteries. The cat heartworm generally, 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 lead to various tough acute conditions that include heart failure, blocked arteries, coughing, wheezing, laboured breathing, anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, loss of weight and in extreme cases, death. If your cat (or dog) has been bitten by mosquitoes then she is susceptible to a heartworm disease.
Treatment
Heartworm is a very serious disease 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 arteries to the lungs. Your veterinarian will be able to carry out various tests to determine the presence and severity of the heartworm problem.
The various tests 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 damaging your cat. The dead and dying cause problems too. As the worms die after 2-3 years, they can block the arteries of the heart and lungs causing further complications. However, some vets administer steroids to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and the pulmonary arteries.
Commonly, medicines employ a low dose of insecticide to kill any developing larvae in your cat's bloodstream. Natural herbal preventatives work in a similar fashion 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 checkups 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 sometimes. These two ingredients will assist to keep the mosquitoes away.
Plenty of plenty of pure water should always be accessible, particularly if you have an indoor kitty. 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-infested area, you will need to take precautionary measures before the season and continue with the treatment through to its end. Citronella oil and water is a natural insect repellent you can use to keep mosquito bites down to a minimum.
Preemptive medicines and treatments are being continually investigated year after year looking for a remedy. So be certain to consult your veterinary surgeon and find out which heartworm prevention treatment is currently the best to use. This way, you can prevent your pusscat from becoming ill and even dying through those nasty bloodsucking parasites known as dirofilaria immitis or those horrible heartworms!.
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