Tapeworm Heartworm In Cats

Tapeworms are the flattened worms that live in the intestines of people and animals including cats.

Tapeworm heartworm in cats.

Intestinal parasites or worms commonly occur in kittens and cats. Cats as well as many other mammals can have tapeworm infections and they typically settle in the small intestine. Heartworms are transmitted from one cat to another by mosquitos and do all their damage in the adult stage by which time the worms can be up to 12 inches long. Heartworm disease in cats and dogs is caused by an infestation of the organism dirofilaria immitis a parasitic nematode roundworm commonly referred to as the heartworm.

Cats with fleas are likely to develop tapeworm as immature fleas feed on tapeworm eggs in cat feces. Tapeworms are common parasites and they are among the few worms that you can often see with the naked eye. Do you have a cat then you must know about tapeworms in cats. Heartworm in cats is caused by a worm that lives in its adult stage in the right side of the cat s heart.

Heartworms natural hosts are dogs. Heartworm in cats is a serious matter and can be fatal. Mature heartworms living in a dog s tissue and heart can produce baby worms microfilariae. You must know about the symptoms of tapeworm and avoid them in cats.

These nasty pests are acquired in a number of ways. Heartworm disease is a serious disease that results in severe lung disease heart failure other organ damage and death in pets mainly dogs cats and ferrets. The severity of this disease is directly dependent upon the number of worms present in the body the duration of the infestation and how. Hanie elfenbein dvm phd.

Treatment to destroy tapeworms is a critical step in preventing transmission to humans typically children and for preventing damage to your cat s body. Because cats are not natural hosts for heartworms the parasites do not reproduce inside cats. Heartworm disease in cats is very different from heartworm disease in dogs. Reviewed and updated for accuracy on july 8 2019 by dr.

Vomiting diarrhea weight loss or poor appetite. See our post and know how to get rid of tapeworms in cats. The tapeworm hatches and develops inside the flea the intermediate host and when the cat grooms and swallows the flea her digestive juices crack open the fleas body and release the larval form of the tapeworms. No heartworm in cats is not contagious.

If tapeworm infections go untreated then there is the potential for cats to begin to exhibiting the typical tapeworm symptoms in cats. Kittens and much older cats are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of intestinal parasites. Kittens may not thrive and in extreme cases can develop intestinal obstructions from adult tapeworms.