Dirofilaria in cats: symptoms, home treatment

Different types of worms can infect even a pet that lives exclusively in the house and not out on the street. Parasitic infestation parasitic worms belonging to the genus Dilofilaria, otherwise known as dirofilaria, not just poses a threat to the health of the animal. This disease is extremely difficult to diagnose, which can not affect the timeliness and result of treatment. How may appear dirofilaria in cats (see photo below)? How dangerous such a disease to humans or other Pets? How does and what causes dirofilariosis in cats symptoms? Treatment at home how to carry out and which pesticides can help the cat cope with the disease?

Dirofilaria – what is it?

The Parasite Dirofilarifsis got its name from two Latin words: diro - evil or bad, and filum thread. Thin roundworms earned their name because of the length to 30 cm and severe harm that may be caused to the host organism. A number of diseases caused by infestations of the cat's body with parasites of this kind is generally called dirofilaria in cats. What is this disease? First of all we are talking about the poisoning of secreted toxins, as in the case of infection in other species of parasites. In addition, most of the adult worms rather quickly killed, and the fragments of the parasite remaining in the body is capable of producing a blockage of a blood vessel. The result is often the death of a pet from embolism.

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No less dangerous effect of filarial larvae and parasites that cause regular small blood loss and interfere with the normal supply organs with nutrients and oxygen, thinner and damage tissues. Only timely diagnosis and proper medical intervention is able to defeat dirofilariasis in cats. Symptoms, treatment, and most importantly, prevention of this disease – required knowledge for every pet owner.

How is the infection?

The parasite Larvae are carried by blood-sucking insects, mosquitoes, and much less likely fleas or ticks. Getting together with blood in the stomach of the vector, the larvae are thrown under the skin of healthy individuals bitten by infected insects. In the next few months in the subcutaneous tissue is the development of the larvae of divisii to the point where they are able to migrate through the blood vessels. Over a period of about 4 months most of the larvae die, but some of them, in number from two to six individuals, reach the bloodstream via the respiratory system and settle in the lungs. In addition, individuals can parasitize in the nervous system, the abdomen, around the eyes. Thus, dirofilariasis in cats is at first latent, i.e. hidden, form. Actively-growing and late-reproducing worms at this stage will allocate a considerable amount of toxic substances that have adverse effects on the host organism.

During the latent stage dirofilaria cats flows into the dangerous acute form. At this stage, adult worms begin to die, causing blockage of blood vessels. The result of this sooner or later leads to the death of the animal.

Can Anyone be a carrier?

The Most frequently diagnosed dirofilaria in dogs and cats, but the disease affects not only them. The carrier can be of man or of carnivorous animals. The infestation in this case occurs in a similar way, through the bite of an infected insect.

Prevention

Are There any measures that can reduce the likelihood of infestation or to prevent dirofilaria in cats? Prevention of the disease is regular treatment of pet with special insecticides for animals in the summer-autumn period. This is especially necessary before walking close to the water parks, holiday village and so on.

Symptoms: what are the signs of dirofilariasis?

On what grounds be suspected dirofilaria in cats? Symptoms of infestation may vary slightly, depending on which organs localized species of the parasite. In the first stage, when injected into the subcutaneous tissue, one can observe the following signs of illness:

• Redness of the skin's surface.
• The Appearance of pustular lesions.
• Itching.

In the future, when the development and maturation of the larvae, in most cases, appear symptoms such as bruising or obvious redness of the mucous membranes, dull and falling pieces of hair, General weakness and apathy of the pet's loss of appetite.

However, these signs appear most often when the infestation is already in the active stage. The main danger of the disease is the lack of visible symptoms in the initial stages. For this reason, veterinarians recommend testing for the presence of infestation at least once a year.

Cardiopulmonary dirofilaria

Parasite in an animal heart, in its right half, hearts-of divisii can. When dirofilariosis in the circulatory and respiratory system can cause symptoms such as:

• Asthma symptoms: shortness of breath, cough. Atthis is why the disease can be mistaken for asthma, to refute this diagnosis is possible with further examination.
• Constrained movement, slowness.
• Decrease in body weight, causeless vomiting.

Dirofilaria in the eyes

Vision – a comfortable environment for the worms of divisii: parasites eagerly localized in the mucosa and in the age, and in the eyeball. The main danger of this type of invasion – vision is much worse, even after treatment, visual function may not recover. Eye infections can be easily recognize themselves by their appearance:

• Watery eyes accompanied by redness of the mucous membrane.
• The Visible swelling of the eyelid.
• Visible protrusion of the infected area around the eyes. Forms a small tubercle, which when pressed causes the animal pain.

Examinations and tests for the diagnosis of dirofilariasis

Confirm dirofilariasis in cats is possible by means of such methods of diagnostics as:

• X-ray examination. Most often it is prescribed to control the condition of the animal, and identify regression functions of the body, assessment of disease development. Method does not provide absolute accuracy, but allows you to decide on the permissibility of medication or surgery.
• Serological Diagnosis. Test for the presence in the body of the carrier antigens of the adult of divisii. A negative result is obtained after one or two studies doesn't guarantee the lack of infestation. The maximum accuracy of the results depends on the presence of adult worms.
• Echocardiography. This type of diagnosis - by far the most effective method to identify dirofilaria cats and other carriers of disease. Study of the heart using ultrasound allows you to define the existing pathology and to detect the presence of roundworms in the cardiovascular system.

As a rule, in addition to inspection by a veterinarian appointed General analysis of blood, urine, allowing you to accurately assess changes in the host organism, since parasitism of devilery.

Treatment in hospital

To combat the invasion Dirofilarifsis there are two methods that are assigned depending on the degree of development of the disease. Often the treatment is a course of injections. To date, drugs used in "Thiacetarsamide" or "Melatonin". Both substances – arsenic compounds, therefore, use their own for home treatment it is not recommended.

"Thiacetarsamide" contains a higher concentration of venom, in addition, always gives complications on the liver and kidneys fluffy patient. For this reason the drug is prescribed only when full confidence in the presence of the disease. "Melarsomine" not less effective, however, it refers to the new generation of drugs. The concentration of arsenic is not so great as in its predecessor "Thiacetarsamide", so the severe consequences of the drug does not. But, there are a number of side effects therefore medicines based on arsenic are assigned to if they will benefit from more than negative effects.

With quite serious injuries of the respiratory organs may be prescribed prednisone or other corticosteroids. The entire course, from the beginning of reception to a gradual abolition, also assigned and supervised by a veterinarian.

As another method of treatment of dirofilariasis can be assigned to a surgical operation for removal of the adult parasite. This method is used in cases where radiographic examination revealed the presence of adult devilery - the destruction of these parasites medicinal ways can lead to blockage of blood flow. In addition, surgical removal of the worms – the only way to get rid of the parasite that lives in the eye area.

After surgery, the cat is the recovery period with observance of holiday mode and a periodic processing adulticide, eliminate the remaining parasites.

In addition to the above treatment methods, can be further developed by a number of procedures of maintenance therapy, which allows the animal to maximally restore health. Such influences include the rate of drug solutions for the expansion of the bronchi, oxygen treatments and more.

Treatment at home

Excellent preventive and de-worming means the drug has a "Stronghold" on the basis of selamectin. Regular external application of substances in the warm months, when it is possible to obtain a mosquito bite, reducing the number of larvae in the bloodstream of the animal. Being absorbed through the skin, the active ingredients of the drug cause paralysis and, as a consequence, the death of devilery.

The Same properties are well-established drugs "Lawyer" (active substance moxidectin) and "Milbemax" (milbemycin oxime).

It Should be noted that the effect of the above funds is possible only at the initial stage of infestation. Against Mature parasites, the medication is useless.

In order to home treatmentdirofilariasis have caused even greater harm to the household pet, in the provision of self-help must comply with the following rules:

• Do Not try to diagnose or prescribe a course of treatment alone. This should be done by a veterinarian.
• During the course of treatment Pets will need to ensure compliance with the regime recommended by the veterinarian.
• During treatment requires regular monitoring of specialists in veterinary clinics as easy and bronchi, the cardiovascular system of the animal.