Almost everyone that has a dog knows that there is a certain yearly routine to keep it in good health.
You take it for its annual shots once a year and at the same time get a heartworm blood test to test for heartworms.
You then buy six months to a year's worth of a chewable monthly heartworm preventative to ensure that your beloved pet does not contract this deadly parasite.
Unfortunately, many people who own cats are not aware of the fact that this routine should be applied to felines as well.
Although it is true that heartworms are far less likely to occur in cats, it is, however, far more deadly when it does occur.
The best thing that you can do to keep your cat safe is to be just as diligent with heartworm prevention in the cat as you would be with a dog.
Facts Concerning Heartworms in Cats Heartworms in cats basically go through the same stages as heartworms in dogs.
A mosquito becomes infected with the heartworm parasite, usually from feeding off of a dog, and then it bites a cat and releases the parasite which then starts out in larvae form until it moves though the cat's body and finally reaches the heart at which point death is usually imminent.
The main things to keep in mind when it comes to heartworms in your cat are: •They are more difficult to detect in cats--detection in cats often requires a number of different tests •It is very difficult to treat if treatments are available at all.
A cat's body is much smaller and more vulnerable to this parasite and the medications used for dogs often result in death in cats.