Cats have become increasingly diagnosed with heartworms. This disease is still primarily a canine disease but if prevention with cats is not started in a timely manner, it could become just as serious a disease.
Cats don’t always get as sick as dogs do, but if they do, treatment can often be difficult if not deadly in certain situations.
Detection of heartworms in cats has improved tremendously over the last few years.The de la Houssaye Animal Hospital now has an “in house” test for detection of feline heartworm disease. Once detected, treatment can be symptomatic at best at times. There is as of yet, no approved drug to treat cats for heartworms. The treament for dogs is considered off label use and not approved if used with cats. Keeping this in mind, it is easier to prevent this disease with a new approved once a month preventative from Heartgard.
The de la Houssaye Animal Hospital recommends Heartgard for cats.