What is the cure for heartworm disease in felines?December 1, 2021What is the cure for heartworm disease in felines?
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Feline heartworm disease: A diagnostic dilemmaMay 7, 2020Heartworm disease is an elusive diagnosis in feline patients. As such, a thorough understanding of the pathogenesis of feline heartworm disease (FHWD) is needed to interpret test results.
Why heartworm prevention begins in your practiceApril 24, 2019According to the American Heartworm Society (AMS), it is estimated more than one million dogs have heartworm disease. Spread by mosquitoes, heartworms live in the heart and pulmonary arteries of infected dogs and cats. Left untreated, the disease can lead to heart failure, as well as damage to other organs. To mark Heartworm Awareness Month, we asked Claire Walther, DVM, veterinary specialty operations at Zoetis Petcare, for her take on what veterinarians can do to better convey the need for heartworm prevention to pet owners. 1) What is the single biggest misconception among veterinarians regarding heartworm disease? Biologically, it is how missing one dose of a preventative medication can lead to the development of heartworm disease. We say it to our clients daily, but many of us couldn't explain why if a client asked. In my own practice, I struggled with the answer. Here is a 30-second sound bite I've used with my clients to help simplify what is a complex discussion. "Young heartworms are carried by infected mosquitoes, and it only takes one bite to transmit them to your dog.1 Once in your dog, the young heartworms live just underneath the skin for about a month—this …
AHS releases new heartworm recommendationsApril 2, 2019The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has released its 2018 Canine Heartworm Guidelines. The guidelines recommend yearly screenings for dogs more than seven months of age, the use of heartworm preventive medications, and reduced exposure to mosquitoes. It also suggests veterinarians recommend the use of Environmental Protection Agency- (EPA-) approved mosquito repellents for heat-treating a pet patient's serum. It is especially important for pet owners in Texas to follow the guidelines as mosquitoes are extremely widespread, according to the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). The most telltale signs a dog has been infected is a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, intolerance to exercise, decreased appetite, and weight loss, while cats will suffer from lethargy, vomiting, or asthma. It is very common for the first indication of heartworm to be a sudden collapse or death. Preventing the disease in dogs is easy, safe, and affordable, whereas treatment is not. There is currently no treatment for cats. Testing and treating for heartworm can be difficult, which is why prevention is key to protecting pets. See the website to view the updated guidelines.
Zoetis launches Witness FFH test to detect three feline diseasesOctober 4, 2017Zoetis Inc. announced the launch of Witness FFH, a triple test that detects antigens to feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline heartworm, as well as antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Witness FFH is a simple, convenient, and cost-effective test that requires no refrigeration and is priced comparably to current FeLV-FIV tests on the market with the added benefit of heartworm testing, the company stated. "Zoetis is committed to delivering high-quality, point-of-care diagnostics to help easily and affordably diagnose conditions or diseases that affect the quality or duration of a pet's life," said Chris Demiris, marketing director, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "The new Witness FFH test is a rapid, reliable test that helps keep cats healthy." "A shared clinical sign of all three diseases is vomiting, so a triple test helps veterinarians make accurate diagnoses more quickly," said Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, DACVIM, senior technical services manager, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "Sick cats may also have FeLV or FIV; therefore, testing for those concurrent with heartworm is sensible." Veterinarians should consider testing for heartworm infection in cats because clinical signs can be confused with those of many other diseases, including feline asthma, …
