My Pet World: Preventatives would slash the incidence of heartworm in dogs and cats
"There's no treatment for heartworm disease in cats," Stannard notes.
It was only recently discovered that heartworm disease occurs about as often in cats as in dogs. The good news is, cats are sometimes able to fight off the disease with no apparent symptoms. Some cats do suffer from heartworm-associated respiratory disease (which mimics asthma), which can be treated, but respiratory disease in cats can impact their quality of life. In still other cats, the only symptom is sudden death.
"Whether we're talking dogs or cats, there is a solution: prevention," Jones says.
According to the American Heartworm Society, 64 percent of dogs leave veterinary clinics without heartworm preventatives. This figure doesn't include dogs never taken to see a vet, so it's conceivable that over 70 percent of American's dogs never receive heartworm protection. Stannard estimates that over 90 percent of cats don't received heartworm preventatives.
Some clients are concerned about product safety.
"Really, the products are so safe," says Stannard. "Getting heartworm disease isn't safe."
Cost can be a factor, and even some veterinarians don't comprehend the significance of heartworm.
The American Heartworm Society estimates that 100,000 dogs are infected with heartworm annually. The number of cats infected is unknown. While no one knows how many dogs and cats die of heartworm, Stannard says that if 90 percent of dogs and cats were on a preventative, heartworm deaths would be rare. It's that simple.
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