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Most of the time, when we think of worms, we think of intestinal worms. Heartworms are actual worms that can be up to 12 inches long. But heartworms live in the heart and blood vessels that go to the lungs in both cats and dogs.

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos. A mosquito bites an infected dog or cat and picks up the "baby" heartworms. The mosquito then bites a dog or cat that is not protected against heartworms and transfers the "baby" heartworms. The "babies" travel through the blood stream for about 6 months while they mature, then finally set up house in the right side of the heart and the blood vessels that go to the lungs. Left unprotected, dogs and cats can become infected with up to 50 of these nasty parasites (depending on the animal's size).

A typical infection in a cat involves only 1-2 worms. Even this small number of heartworms can kill a cat. At this point in time, we have no reliable or cost effective test to detect heartworms in cats. Unfortunately, when we do diagnose heartworm disease in cats, we cannot treat them for it.Treatment in dogs involves killing the adult worms; when we do this in cats, the cat dies also. Because of this, prevention is very important in cats. Even cats that don't go outside are exposed to mosquitos, and studies have shown that inside cats (even though they are exposed less frequently), are more susceptible to developing the disease.

While living in your pet, heartworms cause a variety of health problems, from exercise intolerance to sudden death. The worms restrict the flow of blood through the animal's heart, making it have to work harder and harder to pump blood through the body. Eventually, the worms can completely obstruct bloodflow.

Heartworm infection can be detected through a simple blood test, which should be performed in dogs every year. Puppies under 6 months of age do not need to be tested before starting on a preventative. Dogs older than 6 months of age must be tested before starting on preventative. Some preventative given when a dog is infected with heartworms can cause the dog to become sick.

Heartworm disease in dogs is treatable, but treatment is expensive and hard on the dog. We are unable to treat the disease in cats presently, other than supportive care. Prevention, however, is very easy. One method is to give an oral, chewable preventative once a month which also helps prevent some intestinal parasites. The other method of prevention is to use a topical medication monthly that also takes care of earmites, fleas, some intestinal worms, and mange mites. Whichever preventative you choose should be given year round forever.

As a pet owner, it's critical to be aware of the importance of heartworm prevention. By taking precautions against heartworms, you'll increase the chances of your pet living a long, healthy life.