American Heartworm Society 2007 Recommendations for Cats

摘要

Significant differences exist between feline heartworm disease and its classic canine counterpart. Although cats are susceptible hosts, they are more resistant to infection with adult Dirofilaria immitis than are dogs. Most heartworm infections in cats are comparatively light and consist of fewer than six adult worms. Although much heavier infections occur occasionally, usually only one or two worms are present, and approximately one-third of these infections consist of worms of the same sex. Becauseof their relatively small body size, cats with only a few worms are still considered to be heavily infected in terms of parasite biomass. Host preference by some of the most abundant vector species favors the dog and may contribute to the lower prevalence of infection in cats.