Ask the Vet: Flat-Faced Breeds Prone to Health Problems
My advice is to give Hugo the love he deserves, even if he's not calendar-worthy.
Q: My veterinarian recommended that my indoor-only cat Sydney be treated with a heartworm preventive. If heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos, which live outside, why would an indoor cat like Syd need a heartworm preventive?
A: You are correct that heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos, but it's not unusual for them to find their way indoors. Research shows that 25% to 30% of heartworm-infected cats spend all their time inside.
Your veterinarian's advice to start a heartworm preventive could protect Syd from severe breathing problems and premature death.
A single heartworm or even some immature heartworm larvae can cause heartworm-associated respiratory disease, or HARD. This condition is characterized by coughing, wheezing, labored breathing, lethargy, vomiting and decreased appetite.
Diagnosis requires many tests, and even then, accurate diagnosis is difficult. Therefore, HARD is often misdiagnosed as asthma.
Unfortunately, the arsenic treatment that kills heartworms in dogs is toxic to cats, so treatment options for cats are limited. In most cases, HARD kills cats -- sometimes suddenly, before the cat develops clinical signs.
Fortunately, many safe, effective, easy-to-use feline heartworm preventives are available. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe one of them to protect Syd.
========
Lee Pickett, VMD, practices companion animal medicine in North Carolina. Contact her at https://askthevet.pet.
Copyright 2024 Creators Syndicate Inc.
