What is the heartworm? lions and [ in rare instances ] humans as nematodes [ roundworms ] and they are filarids, one of many species of roundworms. Dogs and kittens of any age or breed are at the mercy of the infection. What are the tests for heartworm disease?

For both dogs and cats, clinical evidence of heartworm disease may not be recognized in the early stages, as the number of heartworms in an animal tends to gradually build up over a period of months and sometimes years and after repeated mosquito bites. Recently infected dogs may show no signs of the disease, while heavily infected dogs may eventually show clinical signs, including persistent mild cough, reluctance to move or exercise, fatigue after moderate exercise, reduced appetite and weight loss. Chronic clinical signs include vomiting, retching, labored or rapid breathing, drowsiness, and weight loss.

The signs associated with the first stage of heartworm disease, when heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, are commonly mistaken for feline asthma or allergic bronchitis, when in fact they are primarily due to a syndrome recently described as associated with heartworm. Respiratory disease [ HARD ]. How is heartworm disease detected? Heartworm infection in presumably healthy animals is usually detected with blood tests for a heartworm substance called “antigen” or microfilariae, although neither test is consistently positive until about 7 months after infection. Heartworm infection can also often be detected through ultrasound imaging and/or X-rays of the heart and lungs, although these tests are sometimes used in animals already known to be infected. Heartworm prevention is safe, simple and inexpensive.

There is no effective treatment for heartworm disease in kittens, so it is imperative that disease prevention measures be taken for cats. All of these methods are extremely effective, and when administered correctly at a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be completely prevented. These drugs stop heartworm development before the adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease. Treatment Sometimes all but the most advanced cases of heartworm disease can be successfully treated in dogs.

Moggies have been shown to be more resistant hosts to heartworm than dogs and often appear to be able to spontaneously lose the infection. Unfortunately, many cats tend to react severely to dead worms as the body eliminates them, and this can lead to a shock reaction, a potentially terminal situation. When the dog is sent home, exercise should be limited to walking on a leash during the recovery period, which can last 1-2 months. This decreases the risk of partial or complete blockage of blood flow through the lungs by dead worms. Re-infection during treatment is prevented by administration of a heartworm preventative. These preventatives can also kill microfilariae if they are present. Dogs with heart failure and those with cava syndrome need special attention.