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When do veterinarians recommend testing for heartworm infection? Indications for heartworm testing in cats include: • Prior to prescribing heartworm prevention medication • • Pre-anesthetic or pre-surgical screening In cats with clinical signs suggestive of heartworm disease • Monitoring a cat with heartworm disease • During periodic health checks This information is provided to you by your Heartworm Disease in Cats veterinarian and Heska Corporation. Notes from Your Doctor: Can feline heartworm disease be prevented? Medications are available to prevent your cat from being infected by heartworms. Your veterinarian can provide additional information. What can be done if my cat has heartworms? Unfortunately, heartworm treatment in cats can be difficult and may lead to serious health complications. It is important to ask your veterinarian for advice on the management of feline heartworm disease. Treatment decisions are based on severity of the cat’s signs and physical condition. In many cases, the actual heartworm infection is not treated and the heartworms are allowed to die off naturally. Various medications can be used to control the clinical signs (such as coughing, vomiting and difficulty breathing). Questions & Answers 800.464.3752 I www.heska.com The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing for dogs and as indicated for cats in its 2014 Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Heartworm Infection. www.heartwormsociety.org ©2015 Heska Corporation. All Rights Reserved. HESKA and Solo Step are registered trademarks of Heska Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. EP 0 296 724 B1; Patents Pending. Order# 15LT0804 What causes heartworm disease? Heartworm disease is caused by a worm called “Dirofilaria immitis.” Heartworms are most commonly found in dogs. However, they can infect a wide variety of mammals, including cats, ferrets, sea lions, bears, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and even people. Adult heartworms generally live in the heart and major arteries of the lungs, although they may be found in other areas of the body. What are the signs of feline heartworm disease? How do I know if my cat has heartworms? Clinical signs of heartworm disease in cats vary. Some cats do not show any significant clinical signs. Vomiting and/or respiratory signs (such as coughing and difficulty breathing) are seen commonly in chronic heartworm disease. Cats may have severe, acute disease with signs of respiratory collapse. They may suddenly die. If your cat is heartworm positive and develops clinical signs, see your veterinarian immediately. It is difficult to diagnose feline heartworm disease based on clinical signs alone, as many other diseases can cause similar signs. Your veterinarian may check your cat for heartworms, especially if your cat lives in an area where heartworms are seen in dogs or if your cat is showing signs suggestive of heartworm disease. An in-hospital blood test has been developed to aid in the diagnosis of heartworm infection in cats. Ask your veterinarian about the Solo Step FH Feline Heartworm Test from Heska. How are heartworms transmitted? Heartworms can only be transmitted from one animal to another by mosquitoes. Adult worms produce microfilariae (small, immature heartworms) which may be found in the blood of infected dogs. The mosquito ingests heartworm microfilariae when biting an infected host (usually a dog). The microfilariae develop in the mosquito into "infective larvae" and are deposited with saliva on the dog's skin as the mosquito is feeding. The infective larvae pass through the skin and migrate through the body tissues. My cat is an indoor cat. Can it be infected with heartworms? Yes, heartworm infections have been reported in indoor cats. Studies have shown indoor cats are just as susceptible to heartworm infection as outdoor cats. In heartworm endemic areas, 28% of the cats diagnosed with heartworm disease were inside-only cats.1 If a mosquito carrying heartworm infective larvae enters the house, it can bite your cat and the larvae may infect your cat. FELINE HEARTWORM LIFE CYCLE Microfilariae ingested by mosquito with blood meal Infective larvae deposited on skin of cat during blood meal Should I get my cat tested for heartworm infection? Consult your veterinarian. Dog with circulating microfilariae Microfilariae develop into infective larvae in mosquito Heartworm larvae migrate in tissues of the cat and eventually reach the heart and lungs 1 Richards, JR. "Know the Enemy: Heartworm Campaign Targets Common Misconceptions." INSIDE & OUT. January 2007. What causes heartworm disease? Heartworm disease is caused by a worm called “Dirofilaria immitis.” Heartworms are most commonly found in dogs. However, they can infect a wide variety of mammals, including cats, ferrets, sea lions, bears, foxes, wolves, coyotes, and even people. Adult heartworms generally live in the heart and major arteries of the lungs, although they may be found in other areas of the body. What are the signs of feline heartworm disease? How do I know if my cat has heartworms? Clinical signs of heartworm disease in cats vary. Some cats do not show any significant clinical signs. Vomiting and/or respiratory signs (such as coughing and difficulty breathing) are seen commonly in chronic heartworm disease. Cats may have severe, acute disease with signs of respiratory collapse. They may suddenly die. If your cat is heartworm positive and develops clinical signs, see your veterinarian immediately. It is difficult to diagnose feline heartworm disease based on clinical signs alone, as many other diseases can cause similar signs. Your veterinarian may check your cat for heartworms, especially if your cat lives in an area where heartworms are seen in dogs or if your cat is showing signs suggestive of heartworm disease. An in-hospital blood test has been developed to aid in the diagnosis of heartworm infection in cats. Ask your veterinarian about the Solo Step FH Feline Heartworm Test from Heska. How are heartworms transmitted? Heartworms can only be transmitted from one animal to another by mosquitoes. Adult worms produce microfilariae (small, immature heartworms) which may be found in the blood of infected dogs. The mosquito ingests heartworm microfilariae when biting an infected host (usually a dog). The microfilariae develop in the mosquito into "infective larvae" and are deposited with saliva on the dog's skin as the mosquito is feeding. The infective larvae pass through the skin and migrate through the body tissues. My cat is an indoor cat. Can it be infected with heartworms? Yes, heartworm infections have been reported in indoor cats. Studies have shown indoor cats are just as susceptible to heartworm infection as outdoor cats. In heartworm endemic areas, 28% of the cats diagnosed with heartworm disease were inside-only cats.1 If a mosquito carrying heartworm infective larvae enters the house, it can bite your cat and the larvae may infect your cat. FELINE HEARTWORM LIFE CYCLE Microfilariae ingested by mosquito with blood meal Infective larvae deposited on skin of cat during blood meal Should I get my cat tested for heartworm infection? Consult your veterinarian. Dog with circulating microfilariae Microfilariae develop into infective larvae in mosquito Heartworm larvae migrate in tissues of the cat and eventually reach the heart and lungs 1 Richards, JR. "Know the Enemy: Heartworm Campaign Targets Common Misconceptions." INSIDE & OUT. January 2007. When do veterinarians recommend testing for heartworm infection? Indications for heartworm testing in cats include: • Prior to prescribing heartworm prevention medication • • Pre-anesthetic or pre-surgical screening In cats with clinical signs suggestive of heartworm disease • Monitoring a cat with heartworm disease • During periodic health checks This information is provided to you by your Heartworm Disease in Cats veterinarian and Heska Corporation. Notes from Your Doctor: Can feline heartworm disease be prevented? Medications are available to prevent your cat from being infected by heartworms. Your veterinarian can provide additional information. What can be done if my cat has heartworms? Unfortunately, heartworm treatment in cats can be difficult and may lead to serious health complications. It is important to ask your veterinarian for advice on the management of feline heartworm disease. Treatment decisions are based on severity of the cat’s signs and physical condition. In many cases, the actual heartworm infection is not treated and the heartworms are allowed to die off naturally. Various medications can be used to control the clinical signs (such as coughing, vomiting and difficulty breathing). Questions & Answers 800.464.3752 I www.heska.com The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing for dogs and as indicated for cats in its 2014 Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Heartworm Infection. www.heartwormsociety.org ©2015 Heska Corporation. All Rights Reserved. HESKA and Solo Step are registered trademarks of Heska Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. EP 0 296 724 B1; Patents Pending. Order# 15LT0804 When do veterinarians recommend testing for heartworm infection? Indications for heartworm testing in cats include: • Prior to prescribing heartworm prevention medication • • Pre-anesthetic or pre-surgical screening In cats with clinical signs suggestive of heartworm disease • Monitoring a cat with heartworm disease • During periodic health checks This information is provided to you by your Heartworm Disease in Cats veterinarian and Heska Corporation. Notes from Your Doctor: Can feline heartworm disease be prevented? Medications are available to prevent your cat from being infected by heartworms. Your veterinarian can provide additional information. What can be done if my cat has heartworms? Unfortunately, heartworm treatment in cats can be difficult and may lead to serious health complications. It is important to ask your veterinarian for advice on the management of feline heartworm disease. Treatment decisions are based on severity of the cat’s signs and physical condition. In many cases, the actual heartworm infection is not treated and the heartworms are allowed to die off naturally. Various medications can be used to control the clinical signs (such as coughing, vomiting and difficulty breathing). Questions & Answers 800.464.3752 I www.heska.com The American Heartworm Society recommends annual heartworm testing for dogs and as indicated for cats in its 2014 Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Heartworm Infection. www.heartwormsociety.org ©2015 Heska Corporation. All Rights Reserved. HESKA and Solo Step are registered trademarks of Heska Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. EP 0 296 724 B1; Patents Pending. Order# 15LT0804