Plague in cats is a very dangerous viral disease, which is scientifically called viral enteritis, or panleukopenia. Pathology is characterized by rapid development, therefore, in the absence of timely medical care for a pet, everything can be fatal. Each cat owner must understand the seriousness of this condition and be able to determine the first alarming calls. This will save in many cases not only the health of the furry pet, but also his life.
The danger of viral enteritis
We have already noted that the distemper in cats is very contagious and can infect all members of the cat family. Most often, the disease is diagnosed during the off-season - in spring or autumn. For small kittens, this virus is generally deadly, since the probability of death after infection is almost 100%. It is worth noting that for a person, the plague is not dangerous.
A feature of the disease is the resistance of viral particles to external factors. The pathogen can retain its virulence for a whole year, which allows it to spread among a large number of animals. As a rule, the virus does not react in any way to modern disinfectants. In addition, it can be exposed to solar radiation for a long time and not perceive various enzymes. All this greatly complicates the diagnosis of the disease, especially in the early stages of development. As a result, veterinarians begin to treat the animal when it is already seriously ill.
Plague danger factors in cats:
- high contagiousness;
- fast spread;
- mass nature of the disease;
- high mortality rate among animals;
- death of young animals and pregnant females.
Infection pathways
Modern veterinary medicine has well studied the methods of infection and the symptoms of distemper in cats. As a rule, sick animals and those that are simply carriers of the virus are the source of the dangerous disease. Isolation of the latter occurs with feces and saliva. Ways of infection:
- Upon oral contact, the virus enters the cat's mouth when drinking or eating infected food.
- Airborne infection is possible when a healthy animal is in the same room with the patient.
- The contact method involves the infection of a cat through a harness, toys, toilet tray, bowls, etc. In this case, the virus can be on objects that a sick animal has come into contact with for a long time. Often a plague can be brought into the house by the owner himself on his shoes, clothes or other personal items that were in the access area of the virus carrier.
- The intrauterine route is characterized by infection of the fetus through the placenta. As a result, offspring either die before birth (decompose or mummify), or live after birth for a maximum of two days.
- The transmissible method involves infection of a cat through ticks, bugs and fleas, that is, through blood-sucking parasites.
Many owners are wondering if a cat can develop a plague that comes in contact with a sick dog and lives with it in the same room. Veterinarians advise you not to worry about this. Despite the fact that both dogs and cats suffer from a plague, the viruses that cause the development of pathology are completely different. For this reason, you can be calm - a sick dog will not be able to infect your furry pet.
Cats at risk
Plague - a disease that occurs in almost all feline representatives: cheetahs, tigers, leopards. Plague in domestic cats is also widespread and deadly. At risk are young animals that are not yet a year old, as well as older individuals who are over 6 years old. Unvaccinated kittens are primarily affected by the disease. This is due to weak immunity. Cats aged also lose their ability to withstand serious illnesses, so care for such animals should be more thorough.
The plague is very dangerous for a pregnant cat and its offspring. The immunity of the expectant mother is weakening, and the kittens' own strengths are not enough to repulse the deadly virus. It is worth noting that the pedigree predisposition of cats to the plague still plays a large role here. At risk are Siamese and Persian cats, Maine Coons, as well as the British.
Symptoms of plague in cats
The incubation period of the disease is from 3-8 to 10 days. After penetration into the body, the viral particle begins to multiply actively, while infecting the brain and internal organs. Viral enteritis, as a rule, has lightning-fast development.
Consider how the distemper appears in cats:
- the temperature rises to 41 about ;
- weakness appears;
- eyes fall down;
- diarrhea and vomiting are observed;
- the skin is dry;
- lymph nodes increase in the intestines, which can be felt with the fingers.
Any of the above symptoms should alert the host.
Another sign of plague in cats is the refusal to drink and eat. The animal loses interest in everything and constantly lays. He has greenish or watery vomiting, in which mucus and blood gradually appear. Feces differ in stench and liquid consistency; blood impurities can also be noticed in them. The cat is tormented by constant thirst, however, due to vomiting, she cannot drink. If the virus enters the heart, a dry cough appears. The animal's mucous membranes turn blue, it begins to breathe through the mouth. Sometimes after such symptoms, the cat may feel better, but most often the pet dies as a result of the virus.
Super sharp current
Such a course of the disease, as a rule, is observed in young cats who are under the age of one year. This stage is characterized by the following features:
- trembling in the paws;
- refusal of food;
- dirty and sticky coat;
- severe weakness.
When the virus is damaged by the central nervous system, symptoms similar to signs of rabies may appear:
- the animal is afraid of harsh sounds;
- fear of light;
- constantly thirsty, but cannot take a sip.
Later, foamy yellowish vomiting may appear. The stool becomes very foul-smelling; a large amount of blood is present in them. Small kittens, as a rule, stop responding to their parent.
Acute course
The acute course of the plague is mainly affected by adult cats. This stage is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- difficulty breathing
- loss of interest in everything around;
- the temperature rises to 41 ° C, then it, as a rule, drops to 37 ° C;
- watery stools;
- yellowish or greenish vomiting with foam.
After two days in the vomit, mucus becomes noticeable with small splashes of blood.
If the virus affects the respiratory system, the following symptoms appear in the animal:
- wheezing is heard in the chest;
- eyes turn red;
- cough appears;
- red rashes form on the skin, which are soon filled with purulent contents;
- the nose gets hot.
The animal is very thirsty, but due to severe pain it cannot. If you do not urgently seek help at the veterinarian, the cat will die in a few days. If your pet still suffers from the disease and cures, it will develop immunity to the plague for several years.
Subacute form
If the animal has strong immunity, then the plague can take a subacute form of development. In this case, the incubation period will be several weeks. As a rule, in a cat, the symptoms are mild, and if the body is strong, it is possible to completely cure the pet.
Diagnostic measures
If you notice at least one of the signs of an infectious disease in your fluffy beauty, immediately bring her to the veterinarian. Do not forget to grab the pet’s passport, where all his vaccinations are marked. The diagnosis, as a rule, is based on an examination of the animal, its history, laboratory and clinical analyzes. First you need to examine the feces for the presence of virus particles. For this, the PCR method (polymerase chain reaction) is used.
However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the analysis can show a positive result if your cat has recently been vaccinated. The main sign of plague is a decrease in the number of leukocytes in the blood of an animal. To check this, you need to conduct a blood test. Before treating plague in cats, differential diagnostics are prescribed to exclude diseases such as pancreatitis, feline leukemia, intestinal perforation, immunodeficiency and various poisonings.
Treatment
It is worth considering how to treat plague in cats. To date, unfortunately, there is no specific drug that could destroy the plague virus. For this reason, veterinarians can only alleviate the course of the disease and fight the elimination of its symptoms.
In order to avoid dehydration, infusion therapy is prescribed to the sick animal. To do this, use a glucose solution, saline and Ringer-Locke solution. These drugs are administered subcutaneously or intravenously. With their help, the electrolyte balance is normalized, and fluid reserves are replenished in the body. The duration of such procedures is determined only by the veterinarian, based on the symptoms and severity of the disease.
It is very important during this period to strengthen the immune system. For this, vitamin preparations as well as immunomodulators are prescribed to the animal. The following remedies will be effective for the plague: Gamavit, Fosprenil, Ribotan, Glycopin, Roncoleukin. Also, to save the animal, human immunoglobulin and such drugs as Timogen, Interferon, Anandin can be administered.
Treatment of plague in cats involves the appointment of vitamin A, which helps restore intestinal epithelium. To activate the immune system, ascorbic acid will be useful, and B vitamins will help strengthen the nervous system. The work of the heart muscle can be supported by caffeine and cordiamine. To prevent the attachment of a bacterial infection, a sick cat is shown antibacterial therapy. In this case, the choice of an antimicrobial drug will depend on the overall clinical picture of the disease. Such drugs are usually administered parenterally. If the disease was defeated, the cat will not need any rehabilitation measures or additional treatment.
Vodka treatment
Treatment of plague in cats at home is unacceptable, because the animal may simply die. However, it is not always possible to seek the help of a veterinarian. In such cases, you can try to save the pet with ordinary vodka, which should be mixed in the amount of one spoon with chicken yolk. Such a home-made medicine must be injected into the oral cavity of a cat 2-3 times a day. However, note that this method only works in the first two days after the penetration of the plague virus into the body of the pet.
Rules for caring for a sick animal
Plague - cat disease, which requires competent care for a sick animal. Immediately after detecting the first symptoms, the pet should be isolated in a separate room where it will be warm and dry. It is better to curtain the curtains so that bright daylight does not irritate an already exhausted patient. For drinking the animal should use only warm boiled water. If the doctor allows, you can give anti-inflammatory herbal decoctions with a small addition of ascorbic acid.
At first, it is recommended to feed the animal with warm meat broth, but after a couple of days you can add buckwheat and rice porridge, as well as lean beef, chicken and low-fat cottage cheese. The cat should eat fractionally, up to six times a day. As the animal recovers, it can be gradually transferred to its usual diet.
Some veterinarians advise a sick cat to have cleansing enemas, for which it is worth using antiseptic agents and herbal infusions. This will contribute to a quick recovery. During the treatment period and for four months after it, the pet should not be allowed into other animals, since it can still carry the virus and be dangerous to others.
The consequences of a viral disease
It is necessary to timely administer to the animal a vaccine against plague. For cats, this may be the only chance to escape. Such a disease can not go unnoticed, and in many animals it subsequently provokes the development of serious complications. Typically, cats have respiratory problems that become chronic. In addition, the central nervous system and cardiac muscle are often affected. For such animals need special lifelong care.
The plague is treated very difficult and often leads to the death of the pet. To preserve the health of your furry pet, you need to take care of all preventive measures in advance. All animals that live in the house should be vaccinated, since the virus is highly resistant to various external factors.
Plague prevention
A timely plague vaccination for a cat can save a life. In order to prevent a deadly ailment, veterinarians advise to adhere to some rules:
- new animals must be quarantined for at least two weeks;
- the cat's diet should be full and balanced;
- it’s necessary to maintain the pet’s immunity at a high level, for which you can use such supplements as “Quadricate”, “Multifel”, “Nobivak”.
As for the plague vaccine for a cat, its effectiveness depends on how competently the preliminary deworming was carried out. An important point is the antiviral prophylaxis, which is prescribed before vaccination.
So that your pet does not get sick and delights you for many years to come, learn to identify the slightest symptoms of malaise, so that you can contact the veterinarian in time and provide appropriate medical care to your furry friend. Timely diagnosis and treatment will give your animal a chance for a further full life. Remember, the plague is not a sentence, but the health of your pet in this case depends entirely on your actions.