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Spring is here, which means mosquitoes aren't far behind, bringing with them deadly heartworm disease. Most pet owners have heeded warnings from veterinarians and placed their dogs on heartworm prevention, but veterinarians associated with the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) are concerned cats are not receiving the same protection.
One such pet owner is Ashley Jones of Columbia, S.C. She had always protected her dog from heartworms, but wouldn't learn that her cat, Harley, should have received the same protection until it was too late.
One afternoon in October, shortly after Harley's first birthday, Jones came home for lunch and found Harley lying on the floor of the kitchen, not breathing or moving. Earlier that morning, she had been hopping up on her lap, eating and acting normal. Jones was shocked and upset to see her lying there. Hastily, she called the Columbia Cat Clinic and drove Harley straight there.
Dr. Leigh Sheridan met them in the examination room and reported that Harley had died. Due to the sudden nature of the death, Dr. Sheridan suspected heartworms, but ordered a necropsy to be sure. The results confirmed her suspicions: Harley died of complications from feline heartworms.
"My husband and I felt helpless, and wished there was something we could have done to prevent [Harley's death]," Ashley said. "We now protect our other cat against heartworms and are proud to raise awareness so other cat lovers do not have to experience such a tragic event."
This disease is not new in cats; in fact, the first case of feline heartworm disease was confirmed in 1921. What's new is research that shows the disease is much more serious than previously thought. Still, studies indicate less than 5 percent of U.S. households with cats regularly administer heartworm prevention, compared to 59 percent of households with dogs.
"Pet owners have to understand if they believe their dogs are at risk of developing heartworm infection and deem it necessary to place their dogs on prevention, then they should do the same for their cats," explains Dr. Tom Nelson, president of the AHS.
Educating cat owners about the serious nature of feline heartworm disease is consistent with the AAFP's larger mission of improving care provided to cats. Many cats infected with heartworms do not exhibit any signs and very tragically, the first sign of the disease is that the cat suddenly dies. It is a very serious disease, but very preventable.
The AHS and the AAFP have joined together to raise awareness of feline heartworm disease and Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease, or H.A.R.D. -- a term recently defined by the AHS to describe the respiratory problems associated with heartworms. The two groups are promoting the danger of feline heartworms through KNOW Heartworms, an educational campaign funded by Pfizer Animal Health. For more information, visit http://www.knowheartworms.org/.
Founded during the Heartworm Symposium of 1974, The American Heartworm Society was formed to facilitate and encourage the generation and dissemination of information about heartworm disease and encourages adoption of standardized procedures for its diagnosis, treatment and prevention. For more information, visit http://www.heartwormsociety.org/.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners is a professional organization of veterinarians dedicated to feline health care. For more information, visit http://www.aafponline.org/.
Pfizer Animal Health, a division of Pfizer Inc, is a world leader in animal health, committed to providing innovative medicines and vaccines for companion animals and livestock. For additional information on Pfizer, visit http://www.pfizerah.com/.

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