Heartworm Could be More Prevalent in Dogs, Cats this Year

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

A mosquito population explosion caused by recent flooding in parts of Indiana is a good reason for dogs and cats to be on heartworm medications this summer.

Steve Thompson of Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine says mosquitoes are a potential danger to dogs, cats and ferrets because they are susceptible to heartworm infection. Heartworm can be fatal if it is untreated.

Given heavy rainfall throughout the state in recent months, mosquito breeding is high, and could lead to more heartworm cases this year.

"The mosquito population burst we've had in the past few weeks has made it difficult," says Thompson. "I've noticed from walking my own dog that there is a blitzkrieg of mosquitoes out there this summer."

Dogs and cats that have not been tested in the last six months for heartworm should have one, he says. Dogs should have a blood test annually to detect infections early if they have heartworms.

"The good thing about heartworm prevention is that it literally works 45 days backwards. With any mosquito bite a cat or dog received during the past month, or even longer, the young worm can be killed in the skin before reaching the heart," Thompson says.

Heartworm preventive medication can be administered orally, by a liquid treatment applied to the back of a pet's neck, or by a longer acting injection, Thompson says.

In dogs, heartworms more easily complete their whole life cycle and make it to the heart, compared to cats, Thompson says. Heartworm also progresses differently in dogs and cats. In dogs, heartworm can be fatal when the worm clogs the heart, causing pulmonary hypertension and eventually heart failure. In cats, heartworm can cause sudden lung problems that asthma-like coughing as larvae migrate through the lungs to the heart. Cats can appear healthy minutes before one of the coughing attacks.

Source: Purdue University

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Time Stamp: 7/22/2008 at 12:24:42 AM UTC

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