Heartgard for Cats

Heartgard for cats is a chewable veterinarian medication for cats to prevent heartworm infection in our feline friends. This medication not only prevents feline heartworm disease but is also effective in removing and controlling adult and immature hookworms. The medication comes in a delicious beef-flavored chewable formulation, which is gobbled up by most cats immediately. The active ingredient in Heartgard is Ivermectin, and it requires a veterinarian prescription in most shops. The heartworm medication comes in two formulations identified by colors - Heartgard Red and Heartgard Purple. Here the red one is for cats under 5lbs, and the purple one is for cats between 5 to 15 lbs. The medication should be administered once a month and should always be given on the same date. The medication is recommended by the American Heartworm Society and should be administered all year round. Moreover, the drug must be chewed by the cat and not swallowed whole. For this purpose, the chew can be administered orally or crumbled on the food. It's advised not to double dose the medication and not remove the chew from the wrapper until you are ready to give the medicine.

Heartworm disease is one of the most severe and progressive diseases in cats, and the sooner it's detected, the better will be the chances of your cat's recovery. However, the disease is not easily detected since there are very few, if any at all, early signs of the disease in cats or dogs. Therefore, it's a must to get a heartworm test administered by a veterinarian. The test only requires a small blood sample from your cat and detects the heartworm protein in the same. If your pet tastes positive, a treatment plan is then suggested. The heartworm infection in cats is more complicated to detect than in dogs because cats usually don't have adult heartworms. Typically, vets recommend using an antigen and antibody test for cats. In some rare cases, x-rays or ultrasound is used to detect heartworm infection. It's a must to get your cat tested before starting a prevention treatment. The cat should then be retested as your veterinarian suggests monitoring continued exposure and risk of heartworm disease.

Heartgard chewables for cats are restricted by US federal laws to be administered only with a veterinarian's prescription. The medication is used to prevent feline heartworm disease in cats, which is harder to detect in cats than dogs. What the drug does is that it eliminates the tissue stage of the larvae for a month after infection. The Heartgard chewable is also effective in the removal and control of immature and adult hookworms in cats. It's recommended for the cats to be tested for an existing infection before starting the treatment with Heartgard for cats. Felines that are already infected require monthly doses of the medication to prevent any further infections. This monthly treatment also provides effective protection against hookworms, adult and immature.

The active ingredient in Heartgard for cats happens to be Ivermectin. The medication comes in Heartgard Red and Heartgard Purple, with Ivermectin content of 55mcg and 165mcg, respectively. Quite obviously, the two formulations are meant for different purposes; in this case, they are classified to be administered based on your cat's body weight. Typically, Heartgard for cats is advised to be administered orally every month with a minimum dosage of 24mcg per kg or 10.9mcg per lb of the bodyweight of your cat. For cats up to 5lbs, the ivermectin content should not exceed 55mcg, and for cats between 5-15lb, it should not be more than 165mcg. As for cats above 15lb, pet parents must use an appropriate combination of chewables to get the correct dosage.

Heartgard is quite potent and effective against heartworms and hookworms in cats. However, it must be administered according to the recommendation by a licensed veterinarian after a heartworm test as prescribed by the vet. There's a reason why the federal law of the US required a prescription for the medication before administering it to cats. Several reports have revealed some severe adverse reactions of Heartgard in cats if administered wrongly. These side effects include depression, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, mydriasis, anorexia, convulsions, ataxia, hypersalivation, and staggering.

It's complicated to detect heartworms in cats because not all cats show symptoms of heartworm disease. Most cats can get rid of heartworm spontaneously without showing any signs. On the adverse side, some cats die suddenly from the disease without ever showing the slightest hint of being sick. Usually, cats with heartworm disease might show common symptoms like loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, and weight loss. If your cat is showing these symptoms after coming into contact with mosquitoes, it's imperative to get a heartworm detection test through a registered vet as soon as possible.