What are the Symptoms and Treatment of Heartworm Disease?
In cats: • Inflammation of the arteries and surrounding tissue of the lungs • Breathing difficulty • Gagging or vomiting • Loss of appetite and weight loss • Lethargy, seizures and fainting • Cats usually have fewer worms than dogs but one worm can cause a blockage, resulting in a medical emergency and possible fatality • Diagnosis of heartworm is difficult in a cat. There is no viable treatment for advanced heartworm in felines, so prevention is essential. When diagnosed early the heartworm condition can be improved, but there is no cure. In dogs: • Cough and coughing blood • Weight loss • Winded after exercise, exhaustion • Symptoms occur after heartworms reach maturity • Diagnosis includes a blood test • Because treatment is difficult, presence of heartworm microfilaria must be confirmed first. Tests to make sure the dog’s heart, liver and kidney function are strong have to be conducted as well. • Currently the most common drug used to treat dogs infected with heartworm is Immiticid
