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HEARTWORMS AREN'T JUST FOR DOGS!:
Just when you think you've got all your kitty's
"normal" vaccinations and immunizations up to date
and under control, here comes another potential fatal
disease to worry about - feline heartworm infection.
Dogs and cats are both at risk for this infection.
The prevalence of heartworms has steadily increased
and now infects cats in all fifty states.
Heartworms are parasites that live in the heart
and lungs of infected cats. Just one worm can cause
permanent damage and even death. In fact sudden
death may be the only sign of the presence of the
disease.
Unfortunately, indoor cats are not safe from this
disease. The infection is transmitted by mosquitoes
that can get into your house. Of the cats who tested
positive for heartworms, 55% lived "strictly or mostly
indoors."
Here's how it all happens:
--A mosquito bites an infected dog, drawing in a
small amount of blood containing immature larvae.
--This same mosquito then bites a cat, depositing
the larvae on the skin.
--Within only 6 months, heartworms reach the heart
and lungs, causing the disease.
Feline heartworm disease can be difficult to detect
and diagnose, and there is no approved treatment for
the infection in cats.
Some signs of the disease include:
--Coughing
--Vomiting
--Breathing difficulty
--Sluggishness
--Sudden death
However, the good news is that the disease is 100%
PREVENTABLE and protection is fairly easy. Ask your
vet about available preventative programs (such as
Heartguard, etc. for cats) that can be administered
orally once a month and at a reasonable cost.
You can visualize a hundred cats. Beyond that, you can't. Two hundred, five hundred, it all looks the same.
-- Jack Wright (of Kingston
Calvin Coolidge, thirtieth U.S. president, liked cats and would often walk around the office with his yellow cat draped over his shoulders like a fur piece.
