Dirofilariasis (heartworm) in cats is caused by Dirofilaria immitis. Whilst many people are familiar with heartworm in dogs, many owners are less familiar with heartworm disease in cats.

Heartworm disease in cats, although caused by the same organism, is expressed differently to heartworm disease in dogs. Whilst cats can be infected with infective heartworm microfilaria, they are thought to be more resistant to infection with adult heartworms than dogs and generally have lower worm burdens than dogs when infected. That said however, relative to the size of a cat, an infection with only a few worms is considered a heavy infection in regards to worm biomass.

Heartworm infection is spread via mosquitoes. It is important to note that it is essential for part of the heartworm lifecycle to occur within a mosquito so without mosquitoes, transmission of disease producing infections will not occur.

Don’t let your pet become one of the many unclaimed lost pets surrendered regularly to the local pet shelter.

It's August already!  August marks the Australian Veterinary Association’s National Dental Health Month.

This is a great opportunity for pet owners to focus on their animal’s dental health needs. Any pet with bad breath, excess salivation, difficulty chewing or red or bleeding gums may have dental disease. If your pet has any of these symptoms, a visit to your local veterinarian is essential.

Cat lovers revel in the silly things felines do. This is true of cat food time as well. Felines happily satisfy themselves and their enjoyment of cat food can top the list of funny cat moments. However, cats can behave strangely with food. Some owners assume that the animal doesn't like what they are offered, but they are wrong. Felines show certain cat food behaviours due to other causes. Remember: cats are smart and there is always a reason for what they do. Here's your chance to learn.

It's time again for all of us armchair sportsmen and sportswomen to revel in the amazing feats of the elite sports stars of our age as the 2012 London Olympics is played over and over again on our big screens!

Who knows, snuggled up on your lap as you watch the daring leaps, dashes and jumps of our human sports star may be the next amazing dog superstar!

Cat owners need to be intimately aware of the importance of gastrointestinal worm control in their cat via the regular use of a cat wormer. The benefits are for both the health of the cat itself and for the owner and other humans in the vicinity of the cat and its excrement.

Recent reports in the Sydney Morning Herald indicate an increase in animal cruelty by neighbours.

Cat fights and incessant barking are keeping the neighbours awake. Living at close quarters with a whiney mutt or scratchy cat are tipping others over the edge which has led to an incredibly sad urban phenomenon of animal poisoning and even bashing or killing. Even without such a dramatic result, the finding of rude notes in the letter box, angry answering machine messages or phone calls at work places a great deal of stress on the pet owners and neighbours.

Whether it's separation anxiety, after-hours noises or digging under fences, can cat or dog training help relieve the situation for all involved?

One of the most common frustrations for cat owners, especially in multi-cat households, is inappropriate urination by their cat or cats. Urine spraying is one such frustration.

Feline urine spraying refers to the situation in which a cat eliminates urine in a vertical stance directly against a wall or other upright object. During an episode of urine spraying, the offending cat is often seen to stand on all 4 feet, tread the ground and show an elevated quivering tail whilst a stream of urine is deposited against the chosen object. Although feline urine spraying is generally abhorred by owners, it can be a normal urinary elimination technique in some cats. However, feline urine spraying is generally regarded as a communication tool between cats and as a symptom of anxiety or aggression. Many owners are surprised to learn that not only can feline urine spraying be normal in some cats, but that both male and female cats may spray.