How can I tell if my cat has heartworms?

Regina McKee

The last few days, one of my cats coughs and vomits a lot...my friend says it might have heartworm disease. How can I tell? Sad

Maia Shearer · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

oh regina, I'm afraid coughing and vomiting are signs of possible heartworm infection. Sad

but then again I'm not so sure, better check with your vet right away.

Regina McKee · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject:

if it's heartworm disease, then that's terrible... what are the other signs?

Amelia Bowman · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject:

when your cat loses weight, has breathing difficulty, and keeps on coughing, then it may be suffering from heartworm disease. if you suspect it may have the infection, i suggest you contact your vet immediately.

Libby Bowen · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject:

watch out for asthma-like symptoms and lethargy in your cat. i agree with Amelia, go see your vet as heartworm disease is really serious.

Maia Shearer · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject:

Regina McKee · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

Sasha MacNeille · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

Regina, I think they have what they call an antigen test. The vet samples a blood of your cat and from there she can determine if your cat's got heartworms.

Melrose Clement · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:16 am Post subject:

is it important to get your cat tested for heartworms regularly?
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Maia Shearer · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:46 am Post subject:

yes i think so. regular testing for heartworms is necessary for prevention. it can also check your cat for possible infection so you can implement some form of treatment right away and stop the disease from getting complicated.

Harvey Simmons · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

They say there are no obvious symptoms of heartworm disease until it gets worse. So I think we should all have our cats checked regularly and use preventative heartworm medicine regularly.

Isabella Valencia · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:44 am Post subject:

i've read up on heartworms and resources say that it's nearly impossible to detect the presence of these pests, especially on the first 6 months. this is what makes them dangerous because if they can't be detected, it would be months before you find out that your pet is infested with them! and who knows? by that time, your cat might already be suffering from heartworm symptoms!

Michelle Pilver · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:18 am Post subject:

how can it be that they're impossible to detect? this worries me because i haven't had my pet tested for heartworms, ever. my cat doesn't show symptoms of the disease. could it be possible that my cat has heartworms even without her showing any symptom?