April is Heartworm Awareness month. You probably know that dogs can be infected with heartworms, but did you know that cats can get heartworm disease, too?
Heartworm disease is different in cats than it is in dogs. While both cats and dogs are infected through the bite of a mosquito carrying heartworm larvae, cats typically only get a few worms, while dogs can harbor hundreds of heartworm larvae.
Heartworm in cats is often undetected because most heartworms in cats die before they reach adulthood, and the standard blood tests to diagnose heartworm only detect adult worms.
Some cats with adult heartworms have mild symptoms, such as vomiting not related to mealtimes or trouble breathing that resembles asthma. Because heartworms act on the cardiovascular system, cats can also die suddenly from pulmonary thromoboembolism or develop congestive heart failure.
How common is feline heartworm infection? In areas of the country where heartworm disease is most common, an antigen study found 10% of cats in shelters had been infected with heartworms. Areas of the country where heartworm disease was less common still found 2% of shelter cats carrying antigens indicating heartworm infection.
Is your area of the country one where there is elevated heartworm danger? The following map from the American Heartworm Society shows the frequency of reported heartworm infections in 2013.
Many people think that keeping their cat indoors is enough protection from heartworm, but a study at North Carolina State University found that 25% of heartworm cases occur in indoor-only cats. Mosquitoes get into your house more often than you realize.
Heartworm in cats does not have a good treatment approach, and a single heartworm can have devastating impact on a cat’s health. The approved medication for heartworm in dogs isn’t safe for cats. As a result, it is recommended that preventative treatment be considered for cats living in areas of the country where heartworms are common, especially if they go outdoors. Your veterinarian can advise you whether a monthly preventative treatment is appropriate for your cat.
References:
Journal American Veterinary Medical Association, Heartworm Infection in Cats: 50 cases (1985-1997)
The Merck Veterinary Manual, Overview of Heartworm Disease
Companion Animal Parasite Council, Feline Heartworm
American Heartworm Society
Photo credit: depositphotos/gurinaleksandr
Even though we are in a low heartworm area, my human still worries.
We looked at the map and we’re in a high heartworm area! We’ll have to talk to our vet about this.
We are now going to have to talk to our vet about this as well-
I think we’ve all been tested for heart worm, such a yucky thing.
The big guy rescued a kitty several years ago from a field when he was out taking pictures. He was an older kitty and both the big guy & lady loved him very much. He was only with them for a few months. He had heart problems (CRF too) and it turned out he had tons of heart worms. It was sad. The vet said that heart worms in kitties is rare but it seems he was outside for a long time. Good informative post!
Living in FL you know and probably hate fleas and mosquitoes as much as we do.
often the first sign of heartworms in a cat is asthma since they live in the lungs and not the heart of a cat..
Very informative. Thank you.
Scary stuff.
The Florida Furkids
Great advice. Thankfully where we live heartworm is a very low risk.
Whoa! They wanted to give TW heartworm stuff for one of her former cats but her vet tech friend advised against it since the cat didn’t go out.
our mom does worry about us because heartworm is an issue in our area. we think we fall into the 26-50 cases/clinic zone on the map. The mosquitos here can be bad and they do get in the house. we help our mom chase them down, mol. Right now just our doggy bro takes preventative and we keep our paws crossed…maybe not the best situation…
Pip, Smidgen, Minnie, Hollie
We know we are in a low risk area, but we also have always known even us indoor only cats are at risk