Feline Heartworm diagnosis

[AlphaCat]

Hi everyone. So I’m learning a new thing today and it’s not so fun.

My Tristan has tested positive for Heartworm antibodies. That means at some point in his life he’s had or currently has Heartworms. There’s no treatment of heartworms for cats like there is dogs. Cats generally fight Heartworms better than dogs with their immune systems. So my vet said what we do now is watch Tristan for active disease side effects and get him on a Heartworm prevention med to prevent any additional worms. If/when there is signs of clinical disease we can treat the symptoms with prednisone.
She mentioned an ultrasound could be done, but isn’t recommending it because it won’t change the treatment plan.
Tristan isn’t showing any physical symptoms at this time, so we just watch and wait.

I’m writing here to vent, but maybe some of y’all have had a positive experience despite a positive Heartworm test in your cats?

Which Heartworm prevention do you use? We’re pretty sure we’re going to go with Advantage multi, as we are familiar with advantage 2 for flea treatment in the summer as needed.

But now I need to take in the whole house to get blood work done as Heartworm prevention is only prescription based, and they will each need it. Because the mosquitoes are really bad this year, and there’s no way to ensure they don’t come inside with the dogs. So I’ll go for my financial blood letting, as we get the cats their physical bloodletting. Ugh. Rough news today. I hope someone has good news for me with their experience.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Stupid disgusting mosquitoes. A few weeks ago we thought the hound had a skin tag near his eye and made a note to call the vet the next morning. That was the morning Cynthia came down in her bare feet and stepped in what she thought was cat puke. She looked closer and saw it had blood in it, looked closer yet and saw something moving. A tick as big as your pinky fingernail. Hours later and the creepy little bugger, now doubled bagged, was still alive and the vet said he had never ever seen one that big. All tests came back negative.
Simparica Trio is a dog only once a month pill for fleas, ticks and heartworm. That doesn't help you but now you know you're not the only one that's had to bend over and take one from Mother Nature.
Other than that did you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?
Your somewhat twisted and demented friend who misses you, Dickson

 

[AlphaCat]

Your somewhat twisted and demented friend who misses you, Dickson

I sure miss you too! I’m glad you event turned up a nothingburger! I’m really hoping for mine to be that also! they make insect repellent clothing for animals now too, so I think all the ones that turn up positive (once we get them all tested) will be in permanent clothing - which they will indeed hate, but anything to keep those pests away. The mosquitos are just so terrible right now.
Do you even have mosquitoes where you are?

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Not wanting to perpetuate the myth of Canada being a frozen wasteland but I haven't been bitten by a mosquitoe in ten years. In 65 years I've never been stung by a bee, hornet or wasp either. My one claim to fame is when I was about 3 years old my parents took us all back to "the old country", Holland. We went to some sort of zoo where you put in a nickel, got some monkey food, then stuck your hand in or near the cage. I was promptly chomped on by some kind of primate. Maybe I'm the Typhoid Mary of monkey pox, sorry everyone. Wow, these open sores are really annoying. Maybe I'll go handle some fruit at the market today.
The secret's out, my heritage is a place where people wore wooden shoes and based their entire economy on a friggin tulip.
Wooden shoes, wooden head, wouldn't listen.