Heartworm Flashcards
Dirofilaria immitis geographic distribution
south, southwest parts
Dirofilaria immitis sex
dioecious
Dirofilaria immitis PPP
6-9 months
Routes of infestation
through mosquito, en utero
En utero transmission causes
only circulating L1 but not patent infection
2 types of heartworm infestation
patent and occult
percentage of patent infections
75%
patent infections
adults in heart and circulating L1
percentage of occult infections
25%
occult infections
adults in heart, no circulating L1
adults site of infestation
right ventricle, pulmonary artery
microfilaria site of infestation
peripheral blood, tissue, ectopic in cats (eyes,cns,body cavities, lungs
pathogenesis(5)
eosinophilia, obstruction of capillaries, right heart failure(ascites), pulmonary embolism, acute dyspnea
Clinical signs(6)
exercise intolerance, coughing, hemoptysis, lethargy, pulmonary hypertension, intermittent persistent cough
severe heartworm infestation
caval syndrome
Microfilaria DX tests (6)
Direct drop, blood smear/cytology, Microhematorit techniques, saponin technique, filter technique, modified knot technique
Adult DX tests
ELISA, IFA
Direct drop tests looks for
microfilaria, motility
scan direct drop on
10x
Blood smear tests for
microfilaria, motility
scan blood smear on
4x
buffy coat method tests for
microfilaria, motility
buffy coat layer centerfuge
6000rpm, 5 minutes
view buffy coat on
10x on slide
tube method tests for
mircofilaria, motility
saponin technique put what on slide
sediment
filter technique stain with
methylene blue
ELISA stands for
Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
ELISA tests for
Ag only from dogs from adult female
IFA stands for
immunofluorescence assay
IFA detects
antigens from adults and microfilaria
Heartworm preventatives
Macrocyclic lactones
4 macrocyclic lactones
ivermectin, moxidectin, selemectin, milbemycin oxime
ivermectin brand names
heartguard 30, nuheart, heartguard 30 plus(pyrantel)
Milbemycin Oxime brand name
interceptor(off market), sentinal( with lufenuron flea birth control), Trifexies( with spinocide)
Moxidectin(higher risk) brand names
Proheart, doesn’t kill L1 circulating larva
Selemectin brand name
revolution (broadspectrum)
microfilaria can live
2 years in the body
Adult treatment
Melasomine dihydrochloride 3 times total deep IM
microfilaria treatment
ivermectin
give antihistamine when treating with ivermectin because
anaphylaxis from dying microfilaria
doxycycline given because
reduce pathology associated with dying heartworm, also distrupts tranmission because kills spirochete that they need to breed
prednisone with
melarsomine injection
exersice restriction how many weeks after last melarsamine injection
6-8 weeks
feline heart worm what percent of canine
10%
occult infestations more likely in cats because
can only house 1-6 worms
2 stages of heartworm in cat
- Arrival of heart worm in pulmonary vasculture. 2. death of adult heartworm
Heart worm symptoms term in cats
Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease
PIM stands for
pulmonary intravascular macrophage
