As spring approaches closer, pet owners, particularly in Kansas, need to begin thinking how to protect their pets from spring pests, especially mosquitoes. Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center’s clinical associate professor Susan Nelson said that mosquitoes carry a deadly parasite called heartworm.

Close to 100% of dogs that are exposed to heartworm develop the disease. The prevalence is less in cats, but it is still a potentially fatal condition. Nelson said, “Cats are sometimes a little less obvious with their heartworm disease.” She added, “It can be just a little weight loss or lethargy, but we can also see asthma-type signs in cats. They can have trouble breathing, develop a cough, chronic gagging and vomiting.”

Cats can face significant harm with just one or two heartworms. Unlike dogs, cats have no treatment for heartworm once they are infected. This is why prevention is critical. “We really want to preach prevention for our pets because it's so much easier and so much cheaper for them, especially since treatment is hard on them,” said Nelson. She also stressed that year-round prevention is crucial to protecting a pet because mosquito season is unpredictable.