My cat has Brugia. Is it heartworm, and what treatment is best?

Mosquitoes transmit heartworm, so if there's any chance that a mosquito can get inside and you are in a heartworm endemic area it would be a good idea. Heartworm disease is not as common in cats as it is in dogs, but there is no treatment for adult heartworms in cats and infection can be fatal.

Yes, that is correct that mosquitoes can lead to heartworms in cats. Symptoms include coughing, lack of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, and asthma-like attacks. Heartworm disease in cats is different than heartworm disease in dogs, and I will put a link below to website that talks about it in more detail. The cat is not a typical host of heartworms, and the worms usually do not survival to the adult stage. Prevention is the only way to keep cats from getting heartworms. There is a chance she could get heartworms, but she is less likely to have adult worms. Read the webpage below to get more information. I hope this helps! https://www.heartwormsociety.org/heartworms-in-cats

Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes. So, your dog will not infect the cat. However, if your cat is indoor and outdoor, she is at risk of contracting heartworms if she is not currently taking prevention.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I like Bravecto for flea and ticks. It is a topical that works for 3 months. Then I would use interceptor monthly for heartworm and intestinal parasites. Or you can use Advantage Multi and the Seresto collar for the ticks. But you are right there isn't a product that gets everything for dogs or cats. Have a great day!

A "low positive" may mean a low adult heartworm burden. The preventive is to kill any immature heartworm (microfilariae). The doxycyline is to kill the wolbachia bacteria. This is an organism that lives within the heartworm parasite as a symbiont. This portion of the treatment lasts 30 days after which medication is given via injection to kill adult heartworm. Treatment is outlined at the link below. https://d3ft8sckhnqim2.cloudfront.net/images/pdf/HeartwormTreatmentGuide_PetOwnerColor.pdf?1561720859

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The worms in the photo appear to be tapeworms or, less commonly, pinworms. these can cause impactions and diarrhea, especially in kittens. Unfortunately, I am unable to prescribe medication for Coco without having examined her. However, your veterinarian can quickly determine the exact type of parasites present with a fecal sample and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Because many parasites are transmitted by fleas, it is important for Coco to be on a monthly flea preventative. You should also be careful when cleaning out her litter box to make sure you wash your hands well with soap and water, as some of these parasites can infect humans. I hope all is well!

Congratulations on your new kitten! The itching is not likely related to the worms and your veterinarian was right to treat for fleas just in case. Generally you will notice a decrease in the itching IF it is related to fleas within 2 weeks. If they are still itching beyond that, it’s may not be fleas. I suspect the Bravecto will be effective. Next time you apply it, try to put it just behind the ears on the back of the skull so that they cannot lick it. Ingesting the product can cause an upset stomach. If the kittens continue to itch, call the veterinarian to ask about next steps. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.