What is all the fuss over feline heartworms?
Historically, heartworms were not believed to be a significant parasite of cats. True, some cats suffered sudden death or heart disease in regions known for heartworms, and were subsequently found to have heartworms on a post mortem examination. Even so, actual clinical heartworm disease was not believed to be an issue for cats, compared to dogs. In fact, heartworms cannot reproduce in cats, so cats are considered a dead end host anyway. Recent studies indicate that cats can develop heartworm associated disease, but it is NOT similar to heartworm disease in the dog. Whereas dogs develop signs associated with heart failure (due to a large number of worms inside of the canine heart), cats display signs associated with lung problems (due to destruction and/or inflammation of the lung tissue from migrating heartworm larvae). The main lesson to remember, however, is this: Heartworms are endemic in certain parts of the world, and depending on a cat’s lifestyle in those areas, he or she may b
