title: Dirofilaria immitis in cats: diagnosis and management.
abstract: Imaging and laboratory studies can help with the diagnosis of heartworm disease in cats, but no test is definitive. Furthermore, even when the diagnosis can be reliably established, therapy directed at the heartworms does little to help the cat. Rather, management is directed at alleviating clinical signs, with an emphasis on prevention for all.
authors.affiliation: Animal Medical Centers of Northeast Alabama, Anniston, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: C Thomas
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D002415:Cats; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D005369:Filaricides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000662:veterinary; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D005369:Filaricides