Feline Heartworm

Dog owners are well aware of Heartworm disease and have been giving their pets the recommended preventive medication for years. Cats are also susceptible to this deadly disease. It is less commonly diagnosed in cats because there is often only one worm present, making the antigen test appear negative. This disease is most commonly misdiagnosed as Feline asthma. Feline heartworm disease is also hard to detect because symptoms don’t usually appear until 2-3 months after the cat has been infected. People have also reported that their otherwise healthy cat has suddenly died. Symptoms of Feline heartworm disease can include the following:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Anorexia
• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Some cats show no signs at all, but die suddenly

Adult heartworms in cats live for 2-3 years and then suddenly die which can potentially cause fatal embolisms. There is no approved treatment if a cat is diagnosed with heartworm disease, so prevention is key. Your vet can recommend many preventive solutions to guard against heartworm. Medication can come in the form of a monthly oral medication, or topical treatment. Even if you have an indoor only cat, you should protect against heartworm. It has been said that indoor cats are at higher risk than outdoor cats, therefore, all cats should be on preventive medication.

Since there is no approved treatment if your cat should be diagnosed with heartworm disease, your vet will want to have follow-up checkups every 6-12 months to monitor the disease. If you suspect your cat has any symptoms, contact your vet as soon as you witness them. Your vet will be your best resource for preventing and monitoring feline heartworm infection.