FELINE HEARTWORM DISEASE
Heartworm disease is not just a canine disease. Heartworms affect cats differently than dogs, but the disease is equally serious. It only takes one mosquito to infect a cat, and because mosquitos can get indoors, both indoor and outdoor cats are at risk and should receive heratworm preventative medication. In a North Carolina study, 28% of the cats diagnosed withheartworm were insideonly cats. The name "heartworm disease" is a misnormer, as it mostly affects the lungs and not just the heart. Signs are often mistaken for feline asthma, allergic bronchitis or other respiratory diseases. Cats do not need an adult heartworm to exhibit clinical signs; in fact, larvae are a main cause of the problems.

Studies show 50 percent of cats infected with heartworm larvae have significant disease of the small arteries supplying blood to the lungs. Diagnosis is difficult as negative antigen and antibody tests do not rule out heartworm disease. Positive tests are significant. Heartworm infection takes place when a mosquito carrying microscopic-size heartworm larvae bites a cat.

The larvae enter through the bite wound where they develope in the tissues. The immature worms then enter a blood vessel and are carried to the arteries in the lung where they cause an inflammatory reaction. Most worms die at this stage, causing even more inflammation. The worms that progress to the adult stage may live undetected for a couple of years. But, when the adult worms die, the inflammation can be severe enough to cause death. The respiratoey signs associated with these reactions are called Heartworm Respiratory Disease (HARD).

Signs associated with HARD are anorexia, blindness, collapse, convulsions, coughing, dirrhea, difficulty breathing, fainting, lethargy,rapid heartrate, sudden death, vomiting andweight loss.

Heartworm disease is harmful, even fatal, but very preventable. Ask your veterinarian for current recommendations regarding year-round, broad spectrum heartworm preventatives for your cat. Even if doses are accidentally skipped, by giving preventatives year round the retroactive effectiveness is increased, and it is possible to actually stop most worms from developing into adults. Here is a list of products that we offer.

1)Revolution: Protects against fleas, HEARTWORMDISEASE, and treatment and control of hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites.

2) Heartgard: Prevents HEARTWORM DISEASE and is used to remove and control hookworm infections.

3) Interceptor: Prevents HEARTWORM DISEASE and is used to remove adult hookworms in cats and kittens.

4) Advantage Multi: Used to preventHEARTWORM DISEASE and kill adult fleas. Indicated for the treatment of flea infestations. Treats and controls hookworms, roundworms, and ear mite infestations.

To see a video on heartworm disease go to www.heartwormsociety.org.