The answer is YES. Along with the spring rains come mosquitoes, and for our pets that means heartworm as well. It’s important to know how to protect your cat against this disease because all it needs to spread is an infected mosquito that bites your cat. Some common symptoms to be aware of are coughing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, weight loss, and intermittent vomiting. According to the ASPCA, heartworm in cats is a primary cause of lung disease, and if left untreated, it can cause many health problems including sudden death.
Because there is no known treatment for heartworm, the best way to protect your cat is to use heartworm prevention, as described in the video below. At Cat Care Professionals, we recommend using Revolution which is applied topically every 3-4 weeks and can be purchased through us here at the clinic or at our online pharmacy.
To find out your cat’s risk of heartworm and other such parasites, click here for a map of parasite prevalence in your area.
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