Heartworm

[LeiLatte]

Does anyone here have personal experience with heartworm in cats?

We brought half of our cats for an annual exam and I started them on the felv vaccine and I wanted a prescription for revolution.

After we got home later, the vet called telling me one of my cats came back positive for heartworm. What’s shady to me is the technician came out after we were leaving and asked to bring the cat back inside because the test results came out “error” (so you gave the felv vaccine before seeing the negative result??) and she had to get more blood to repeat the test. But they ran out of instant SNAP tests (only had 2 and I brought 3 cats, so 1 cat was getting a lab test anyway), so they said they had to send it in for lab test also which takes a few days. I just don’t understand and didn’t ask the vet because I was more worried he was telling me the cat had heartworm. And he asked if I wanted to repeat and do the lab test which costs more money. I wanted to know for sure if she has heartworm, so I agreed they could send the blood they had from her.

I didn’t realize heartworm is such a big issue these days. I live in California and for flea treatment when used, I bought Advantage II which I see now doesn’t prevent heartworm. Advantage is cheaper and I don’t need a prescription to get it. My husband has a dog who stays outside while we’re at work. She wasn’t on heartworm prevention and we tested her maybe 1-2 years ago which was negative. So to see one of my indoor cats test positive is very sad.

I’m reading there is no treatment for cats and it is likely a death sentence once the adult worm dies in the body due to inflammation or blockage. I rescued this baby from outside when she was 8-12 weeks old, and also her sister and they’re very bonded. I hate mosquitos To treat all of our cats monthly on Revolution it will cost $200.

 

[Kflowers]

If you are not comfortable with your vet, you need to get another one. Know that every single record for any and all of your cats belongs to you. You have a right to copies of each and every page. Do not trust the vet to send the records to another vet, many seem to think this means just listing the vaccines they have had. You want all the records. Ask for them, glance through them and take them physically with you. They may not think to include records for your cats who have crossed over, but those, too, are yours.

 

[LeiLatte]

Thanks… yes I do trust this vet facility, but it was my first time seeing this particular doctor who is newer there. I normally see the veterinarian who is the owner, but he was off on the weekend and I need help to bring 3 cats to the vet, when my husband is off too. I took in 2 babies from the porch separated in a bathroom but I want to make sure my cats were up to date on vaccinations and flea meds asap. This vet office has PureVax vaccines also and costs more for every service, but other places usually don’t have the PureVax.

I guess now I am just waiting to see the results of the second test to confirm HW positive or not.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think how serious heartworm may be for cats depends a lot on the individual cat and whether or not they are symptomatic. Many cats will clear heartworm on their own without any kind of permanent damage, and sometimes without anyone even knowing they had heartworm. But, because there is no treatment for heartworm in cats, monitoring a cat who has it is the best line of defense in identifying if symptoms do occur and how to treat the symptoms to try to keep any possible damage to a minimum. Have you read about heartworm? I am including a link that thoroughly discusses it.
Heartworm in Cats - American Heartworm Society

I hope this link is totally unnecessary.

 

[LeiLatte]

Thank you, I got the call that she was negative after all. We were so relieved. Mosquitoes and heartworm are terrible. There are so many deadly things without any available treatments in the US for cats.