Heartworm Disease in Felines

Heartworm disease is a common, yet preventable, condition in cats. Heartworm disease is serious; without prompt and proper treatment, it may lead to the death of your cat.

  1. Symptoms

    • Coughing, vomiting, collapse, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss and convulsions are all symptoms of heartworm disease.

    Causes

    • Mosquitoes carry heartworm larvae. When infected mosquitoes bite a cat, the larvae are passed to the cat, thereby infecting the cat with heartworms.

    Diagnosis

    • Veterinarians perform a physical examination, X-rays, ultrasounds and blood work to diagnose heartworms in cats.

    Treatment

    • Treatment varies depending on the severity of the infestation. Antibiotics, intravenous fluids and heartworm-removal surgery are the most common forms of treatment for feline heartworms.

    Prevention

    • Feline heartworm preventative medications are available through your veterinarian and include Heartgard, Interceptor, Advantage Multi and Revolution.