The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has recently reported that cats are not as well protected from parasites as their dog counterparts. In a study looking at the incidence of Roundworms in fecal samples from cats and dogs, 6% of cats had eggs from the feline roundworm versus only 2.9% of dogs having eggs of the canine roundworm. This was consistent for 46 states. (Alaska, Arizona, California and Nevada had higher rates in dogs than cats)
When looking at heartworms, a higher percentage of cats tested positive in every state except Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Dogs are routinely tested for heartworms every year as part of the annual wellness exam but often times cats are only tested when they are sick. Because of this, there may be even more heartworm positive cats than the study showed. Unlike dogs, cats are affected by a much lower worm burden than dogs and there is no treatment for cats.
There are a variety of products that are labeled to protect cats from heartworms and intestinal parasites including roundworms. Two of these are Heartgard for cats and Revolution. Talk to your veterinarian today about these products and start protecting your cats like they deserve!
