Heartworm - it's not just for dogs

How many of you cat lovers took a look at our recent post about heartworm in dogs and thought, "well I don't need to worry, I have a cat"?

Well, don't get complacent! Cats can get heartworm too - in fact, the number of cats testing positive for heartworm disease has steadily increased even though it can easily be missed because standard blood tests often don't detect heartworm in cats because fewer worms make it to adulthood in cats than in dogs.

"Well," you may think, "Cats have fewer worms so it can't be that serious, right?" WRONG. Because cats are actually not the preferred host for heartworms, even a few worms cause a lot of damage, and can even cause death. In fact, heartworm disease is considered more serious for cats because treatment after the fact in cats is often about as bad as the disease.

The worst part is that while heartworm disease can be fatal, many cats don't show any symptoms until suddenly they're seriously ill or even die unexpectedly.

Bottom line - for cats, heartworm prevention is CRITICAL! Outdoor cats aren't the only ones at risk - even indoor cats can get heartworm, all it takes is one infected mosquito getting in through a screen.

So how can you prevent your cat from getting heartworm disease?

As always, talk to your vet and get their professional opinion. If you suspect your cat may have heartworm disease, discuss testing and treatment options. For prevention, your vet may prescribe a heartworm preventative, or they might suggest an over the counter solution such as Advantage Multi for cats (applied topically; also protects against fleas and intestinal parasites), or Heartguard (taken orally).