Clinton Parkway

Heartworms, Cats

You might not know it, but cats can get heartworm disease.

For many years, veterinarians were taught that cats were immune to heartworms. Only in recent years, with the new advances in testing for cats, were we able to discover that cats, too, were being bitten by mosquitoes, and having heartworms passed on to them.

Lawrence has a river to the north and east, a lake to the west, and a swamp (Baker Wetlands) to the south, and our area is endemic for heartworm disease. We recommend that all cats in Lawrence should be on prevention during mosquito season.

CPAH video on feline heartworm disease

Additional Website Resources:

The 5 myths and misunderstandings about feline heartworm disease

Video from the American Heartworm Society on feline heartworm disease

But my cat stays indoors, so she is safe, right?

It only takes one mosquito to infect a cat, and there is a species of mosquito that prefers air conditioning over outdoors. Approximately 1/3rd of cats infected with FHWD are 100% indoors.

How a simple mosquito bite can be deadly!

When an infected mosquito bites your cat, it deposits the heartworm larvae into the blood system. Over the next four months, the larvae develop and migrate through the body to the cat’s lungs. The first clinical signs seen in cats are due to an inflammatory response to the immature larva in the lungs, called Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (H.A.R.D.). This can often be misdiagnosed as feline asthma or allergic bronchitis.

Approximately 10% of infected cats will develop adult worms in the heart that can grow up to 10 to 14 inches in length. These adult worms cause serious disease often resulting in death due to acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

What are the clinical signs of heartworm infection?

• Coughing/difficulty breathing
• Sluggishness
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• 20% of infected cats are subject to sudden death.

Is there a treatment?

Treatment for infected cats is not recommended, as it is in dogs. The treatment is very hazardous, and even deadly, to your cat. Usually we will treat the symptoms that your cat is showing, and hope that we can keep your cat comfortable long enough for the heartworm larvae to die off (they will live for 2 to 3 years). Because of the difficulty in treatment, we recommend the preventive so that you won’t have to deal with the problem of infection.

Should I have my cat tested?

Testing is less reliable than in dogs. Also, unlike dogs, cats can be started on preventive without any risk of potential reactions from heartworms. Therefore, we feel testing is usually not necessary unless your cat is showing clinical signs.

Can feline heartworm disease be prevented?

You don’t have to feel helpless against feline heartworm disease anymore. There are several products available that are 100% effective in protecting cats from this deadly condition.

• Feline Revolution is a topical gel that is applied directly on the skin between the shoulder blades. It protects against heartworms, many intestinal parasites and fleas for 30 days, and is an excellent choice for most cats.

Feline Heartworm Disease A disease in which prevention is not only the best option, IT’S THE ONLY OPTION!