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Last Updated on December 22, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team Heartworm Treatment For Puppies
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
You may be aware of the importance of heartworm prevention for dogs, but did you know that cats also need to be protected from this potentially deadly parasite? Heartworms affect cats differently than dogs but can still cause severe disease.
There are currently no approved medications for treating heartworms in cats, and the best way to protect your feline friend is to prevent them from becoming infected. Experts agree that all cats should receive preventive medication year-round, even if they live exclusively indoors.
The term “heartworm” refers to an infestation with nematodes called Dirofilaria immitis. As their name suggests, these parasitic worms typically target the heart, but other body parts can also be affected. In cats, for example, the lungs tend to be impacted the most by heartworm infections.
Adult heartworms can grow up to a foot long! Unlike dogs, who can be loaded with hundreds of adult worms, cats typically have only a few (one to three). In some cases, they may not have any adult worms (just the immature life stages).
Given the size of an adult heartworm compared to a cat, however, even a single worm can pose a considerable threat.
Cats get heartworms from the bite of an infected mosquito. Wild and domestic canines (i.e., foxes, coyotes, wolves, and dogs) are natural hosts for the parasite.
Here’s a quick overview of the heartworm lifecycle:
Revolution For Cat Since cats are not natural hosts for heartworms, most larvae do not reach the adult stage. These immature worms can still create big problems, however. As they move through the body (particularly the lungs), they cause a severe inflammatory reaction that can lead to heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD).