 The
Truth About Ticks
Ticks are Not Insects
Ticks are eight-legged, wingless parasites related to mites and spiders.
ticks do not fly or jump; they wait for a host to brush against them.
Even Immature Ticks Suck Blood
There are four stages to the tick life cycle: egg, larva, nymph and
adult. The larva, nymph and adult all suck blood.
Ticks Thrive on Free Rides
To feed, ticks attach themselves to warm-blooded animals and bite --
they do not burrow under the skin. After feeding, the tick drops off its
host, molts or lays eggs, and then waits for another host. Many tick
species feed on more than one host and can transmit disease between
animals and humans.
Deer Ticks are Tiny
The deer tick, know to transmit Lyme disease, is about the size of a
pinhead in its nymphal stage. Adult deer ticks are much smaller than the
common dog tick.
Be Aware in Warm Weather
Ninety percent of all cases of Lyme disease are from nymphal-stage tick
bites. This nyphal stage occurs during spring and summer.
The Mosquito
Menace
Vectors of Heartworm
Canine heartworm disease is spread by mosquitos. It can be found
throughout the world, wherever mosquitoes breed. After a mosquito bites
an infected dot, heartworm can be passed on to other dogs that the
mosquito bites.
Prevention is the Best Protection
The best way to prevent heartworm is to keep a dog from being bitten by
mosquitoes.
One
bite can end nine lives... Feline Heartworm
Disease
 Heartworms,
which are spread by mosquitoes, have long been recognized as a dangerous
threat to dogs. Wherever dogs are at risk from heartworm disease, cats
are at risk, too. Unfortunately, the disease is difficult to diagnose in
cats and dangerous - it can kill cats as well as dogs. Every cat exposed
to mosquitoes may be at risk.
What are
heartworms?
Heartworms are parasitic roundworms up to 24cm long that live in the
right side of the heart and adjacent blood vessels. They survive on
nutrients in the cat's bloodstream.
How can
feline heartworm disease harm my cat?
Even a few adult
worms in the heart can block the blood flow and cause damage to the
heart, lungs and liver. Heartworms can also move to the cat's brain and
spinal cord. The damage to internal organs can be so extensive that
death can result. As few as two heartworms can kill a cat - often with
no warning.
How do
mosquitoes spread feline heartworm disease?
Heartworm
lifecycle
- The
cycle begins when a mosquito bites an infected animal and picks up
immature heartworms from the animal's bloodstream.
- During
the next two to three weeks, the immature heartworms develop into
infective larvae inside the mosquito.
- When
the mosquito feeds again, it transmits the infective larvae into the
healthy cat.
- The
larvae penetrate the skin and develop within the tissues.
- The
young worms then migrate to the heart.
- Once
inside the cat's heart, the worms mature and cause damage and even
death.
What are the
signs of feline heartworm disease?
Unfortunately, feline
heartworm disease may cause much of its damage before there are any
outward signs of infection. Even a cat that appears healthy can die
suddenly from feline heartworm disease. A cat with heartworm disease may
show one or more of the following signs:
-
persistent cough
-
vomiting
-
general listlessness
-
troubled breathing
-
fatigue
-
collapse
What is the
treatment for feline heartworm disease?
There is no approved
treatment for feline heartworm disease.
How do I
protect my cat against feline heartworm disease?
Talk to your
veterinarian about the monthly chewable heartworm preventative made
exclusively for cats.
The
solution is prevention. |