Saturday, May 4, 2019

Caturday Art

One of my favorite things about this time of year is when I walk into the grocery store and realize that some of my favorite fruits are finally back in their prime season. Is that a weird thing to get excited about? Probably. Anyway, I mashed my love for fruit with my love for cats, and ended up with this:


Is that my calico angel Rosie sitting in the grass with a giant bowl of fruit? It sure is! At least I only posed her with one toxic fruit. How sweet of me. Do as I say, friends, not as I doodle. Grapes are toxic to cats and dogs, and doodled Rosie knows better than to pop one of those suckers in her mouth.

Happy Caturday to all!




***
Tip of the Day:

Today, we have the last tip in our series of heartworm tips. It's a long one, and it relates to a fact that especially all cat parents really should know. And this is that there is currently no true treatment for heartworms in cats. There are treatments available for dogs that can kill the adult heartworms, but this does not work the same for cats. One reason for this is that the drug used to treat heartworms in dogs has been found, in some cases, to cause sudden death in cats. This is often due to dead or dying heartworms causing blockages and cardiac failure. Another reason why treatments may not work is because the life cycle of a heartworm is different in a dog versus a cat.

In dogs, the lifespan of a heartworm is longer, around five to seven years. This lifespan includes larvae entering the body after a mosquito bite, traveling to the heart, and then growing into mature, reproducing adults. Dogs are an optimal host for heartworms.

In cats, the heartworm lifespan is far shorter, often two to three years. What’s more, cats are not a prime host for heartworms, and a cat’s body itself often overcomes the heartworms, typically before they can even enter into adulthood. This is why far less adult heartworms are found in cats than are found in dogs. Even immature heartworms, which are typically what would circulate in the blood and be indicative of disease in a canine heartworm test, are often not found in the blood of cats. This is why cats are less commonly diagnosed with heartworm disease. Then again, though, it is not impossible for a cat to have heartworm disease, and in this case, heartworms cannot be killed as they can in dogs.

For cats, one of the only options for a cure is to have the heartworms surgically removed. This, of course, can be tricky and risky. Symptoms of the disease can also perhaps be controlled and the cat made comfortable with various medications and supportive treatments. Given that a cat might be able to outlive the heartworms, it is possible to treat the symptoms while the heartworms go through their cycle and ultimately die. As mentioned earlier, though, heartworms can live for two to three years in a cat, and there is still always the risk of pulmonary or cardiac failure while the heartworms remain.

With such limited treatment options for heartworms in cats, it is incredibly important to again note that the best option is to keep your cats on heartworm prevention. The risk of heartworm disease might seem small, but it is a risk nonetheless. And, just as always, it is better to be safe than sorry.

And, there is one last note for pup parents. Though there is a more successful heartworm treatment for dogs, heartworm disease can cause permanent damage. This can lead to lifelong issues, such as of the heart and lungs, even after the heartworms are eradicated. For this reason, heartworm prevention is of course also recommended for dogs.

11 comments:

Smudge said...

Dad says he feels bad that he wasn't aware that grapes were a danger to cats, but I don't get them anyway. Mom's the same as you with the fresh fruit/season thing. She just brought home a big pile of grapes and some fresh watermelon, and they've already been out picking their own strawberries. Very cute, silly artwork for this fine Saturday morning!

Pam and Teddy said...

I love fresh fruit too - I get some of everything that's fresh and mix it all up in a HUGE bowl and have some of it as a snack every day. YUM!

Hugs, Pam

Catscue Catmom said...

Spring fruits are the best! Love the doodle and the tops - thanks!

pilch92 said...

Very cute drawing. I love fresh fruit too and I get very spoiled with our own strawberries and watermelons. Excellent tips, so important. Those nasty heartworms are awful .

Eastside Cats said...

I'll eat watermelon anytime, anywhere!

messymimi said...

It’s wonderful when good fruit comes in season, it’s best that way.

Melissa, Mudpie and Angel Truffles (Mochas, Mysteries and Meows) said...

That is SO adorable!!! I love fruit season too.

The Island Cats said...

We shouldn't eat them, but grapes are fun to bat around.

meowmeowmans said...

Yeah! We get excited when fruits are in season, too. Yum!

The doodle of Rosie is adorbs. Yes, grapes are a big no no for cats, for sure.

Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty said...

Beautiful art!

Cathy Keisha said...

TW is as excited as you are. She came home with strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes and a mango. The grades they sell here are still from Chili so she won't buy them until they're local. Any fruit she eats the skin on has to be USA or Canadian grown.