As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, April was Heartworm Awareness Month, but in that blog, I concentrated on canine heartworms because it is more prevalent than feline heartworms. We can’t forget our feline friends, even though, if given the ability to speak, the first thing they’d say to us is, “Leave me alone,” in a drawling British accent. Well, that’s what my cat Linus would say. To be fair to the cats and keep readers aware of heartworm prevention, I’ll share with you a conversation I’ve imagined with my cat, although I’m very sure it’s accurate based on his pretentious and condescending facial expressions and eye rolls. “Oh look Linus, it’s time for your heartworm medicine,” I say cheerily. “Good for you, you can read a calendar and count to 30,” he replies haughtily, “Am I supposed to be excited about this?” “Come on Linus, the mosquitoes are bad this year,” I say sweetly, trying to butter him up. “They could be carrying those dangerous little heartworms, and what if one of those mosquitoes bit you? You’d get sick if you didn’t have your heartworm medicine.” He sits silently thinking for a moment, but finally replies slyly, “But...it would probably come from a mosquito biting a dog with heartworms, then biting me, and that beastly dog Harley is on heartworm preventative, so I should be fine.” Exasperated, I reprimand him, “Don’t call Harley names. Harley is on heartworm preventative, and doesn’t fuss like a baby about it either, but -” “I’m no baby! You have made the cat angry. You do not want to make the cat angry!” “Chillax Puss-in-boots. No more TV for you. Just look away for a moment and I’ll put it on before you even notice. And as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, Harley is on heartworm preventative, but the neighbor’s pets may not be, and we live in the country, which seems to some people to be a wide open animal shelter because dogs are left on our gravel road all the time. They might very well have heartworms, and if you miss a dose you will be susceptible.” “It would be a dog’s fault if I got heartworms. It’s always a dog’s fault.” I crinkle the wrap just slightly, but Linus hears it, jumps to his feet and heads toward the stairs to probably hide under some clothes, but I head him off and put the packet of medicine in my pocket, showing him that it’s out of sight. I try to put some sweetness back in my irritated voice. “Well, if there were quite a few infected dogs in the area, that would just increase your chances of getting it. If I had to test you for it, you’d need to have bloodwork, x-rays, and a sonogram of the heart because it’s harder to detect in cats as they have lower worm burdens. Why don’t you just let me put the medicine on you and save us both some time?” “Aren’t infection rates lower in cats? I live on the edge,” he says haughtily. “Okay, fine, live on the edge, but it could cause a cough from lack of oxygen and other respiratory problems, vomiting, weight loss, possibly even sudden death….” I pause as I had an idea, “Oh no, it also causes lethargy, do you know what lethargy is?” “Who do you think you’re talking to, I know what lethargy is. I’m a cat!” He yells indignantly. “Linus, you may already have heartworms. You haven’t let me put the medicine on you right away this morning, and I feel like this conversation has dragged on for days. Maybe you already got it because you, my sir, are quite lethargic.” “But -” “Do you feel run down?” I ask in my serious doctor voice. “Well, yes, but-” “Do you want to take a nap right now?” “Of course, but I sleep around 14 hours a day so-” “You’re looking a little thin.” “Thank you, but oh...” he replies with worry.
“Oh well, it might be too late anyway.” “Ugh, you’re so dramatic. Where’s the medicine? I’ll let you put the medicine on me, but not for you. Someone’s got to be here to bring some respectability to this house, so I better take care of myself.” And that’s how you trick a finicky cat into taking his medicine. Remember, make sure your pet gets tested for heartworms and gets a regular dose of a heartworm preventative.
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Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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