Q: Is it necessary to give my dog heartworm prevention during the winter?
A: The American Heartworm Society recommends year-round heartworm prevention for cats and dogs starting at 6 weeks of age. The AHS information comes from a panel of experts including several veterinary parasitologists; they are considered the leading experts on heartworms.
Year-round administration ensures a routine schedule so prevention is not forgotten in the very early spring. It also de-worms the animal for common intestinal parasites.
In areas where winter climates fluctuate, mosquitoes could hatch at an early date. It only takes one mosquito bite to cause heartworm disease. Heartworms enter a dog or cat via the bite of a mosquito. It takes months for the worm to mature and the dog to test positive after the bite; therefore, the possibility of a false negative test result exists.
Once the heartworm larvae enter the animal they migrate to the pulmonary arteries where they grow and reproduce. Without treatment the heartworms remain in the animal causing pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, hepatic and renal diseases, respiratory disease, and joint and ocular disease. Heartworm-positive animals are often not identified until the disease has progressed; this is especially true for cats because there is not a foolproof test for them.
Treating heartworm disease is expensive, requiring numerous tests, drugs and hospitalization. And the worst part of treatment is often overlooked, the dog must be confined at home and have exercise restrictions for months to prevent dead heartworms from becoming an embolus in the blood stream.
My recommendation, and what I do for my own animals, is heartworm prevention year-round. An ounce of prevention is cheaper, safer and healthier for your dogs and cats than treating this deadly parasite.
Q: I have a new kitten and I want to declaw it before it destroys my house. What are your thoughts?
A: Cats scratch vertical surfaces to maintain claws and mark territory. It is a normal behavior but difficult to tolerate inside a home with nice furnishings.
Declawing (or onychectomy) is a serious and irreversible amputation of the last bone of each digit. The surgery is painful and cats that are declawed must live inside because they are more susceptible to predators.
There are alternatives to declawing to try first, including regular nail trimming, plastic nail coverings, scratch deterrents like double stick tape and aluminum foil placed on surfaces, and behavioral training.
Training a cat can be difficult, but young cats are more amenable. Start by providing a scratching post or pad in your home. Reward your kitten with a treat when it approaches or uses the post. When it scratches unacceptable objects, distract it by making a loud noise - a can filled with coins works well - but do not yell at your cat. During the training period the cat should be constantly supervised or confined. Give the training a chance and hopefully you can avoid this surgery for your kitten.
Tracy Dewhirst is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.