Symptoms of plague in cats are manifestations of a dangerous disease, which often ends in death. It is very important to notice the first signs of pathology in time and immediately consult a veterinarian. The sooner assistance is provided to the animal, the greater the chances of a full recovery. Scientifically, this disease is called panleukopenia, since its first sign is a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the blood. And then this pathology affects the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system of the animal. It must be remembered that such a disease does not go away by itself, without treatment it in 90% of cases leads to the death of the pet.
Causative agent of the disease
Panleukopenia causes parvovirus. It is a very resistant microorganism. He can live in the external environment for about 1 year. It is very difficult to disinfect and destroy the virus. It is not affected by disinfectants, it does not die under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Inhabited outside the body of the animal, the virus retains its morbidity. This greatly complicates the prevention of the disease.
Some animal owners mistakenly believe that this disease is characteristic only of dogs. They have a question about whether there is a plague in cats. Symptoms of this infection can occur in both dogs and cats. However, it is caused by various microorganisms. In dogs, the causative agent of plague is paramyxovirus. It is very similar in structure to the cat panleukopenia virus, but these are different pathogens.
For this reason, dogs and cats cannot infect each other with a plague. Such infections have never been noted. Dog virus is not dangerous for cats. It is not pathogenic for them. Also, the panleukopenia virus of cats is not a threat to dogs.
The symptoms of a plague in a cat are not dangerous for humans either. People do not suffer from panleukopenia. The feline virus does not carry any pathogenicity to humans.
A sick cat can be dangerous only to its relatives. This disease is very contagious. In the absence of vaccination, the virus spreads rapidly in apartments where several cats live, as well as in animal shelters.
How is the virus transmitted?
The source of infection is a sick cat. It secretes viruses with saliva, urine and feces. Infection can enter the body of other animals in the following ways:
- Airborne. If a healthy cat lives in the same room with the patient, then infection occurs very quickly.
- Oral. The virus can enter food and drink water along with the saliva of an infected animal. If a healthy cat eats and drinks from the same bowl with the patient, then it can get an infection.
- Contact. Parvovirus lives on all objects that a sick animal has come into contact with. Infection can bring to the house and a person on shoes or on clothes. Street cats very often suffer from plague, and the soil is contaminated with their stool. A person can bring particles of feces on the sole of the shoe and infect his pet. The sick cat owner may also infect other animals through his clothing or personal items. Therefore, even those cats that never go outside are not immune to the disease.
- Intrauterine. Embryos get infected from a sick mother. In this case, the cubs either die before birth, or are born with all the signs and symptoms of a plague in cats. In infancy, this disease is very dangerous. Kittens with congenital panleukopenia usually live no more than 1-2 days.
- Through the blood. In this case, parasites - fleas and ticks become carriers of the virus. Biting a sick animal, they then transmit the infection to a healthy cat.
The disease leaves a lasting immunity. Animals are not infected with the plague again.
Who is most susceptible to the disease
Some animals are most susceptible to infection with panleukopenia. The most common signs and symptoms of distemper in elderly cats and small kittens. In babies, the immune system is poorly developed, it is difficult to resist the virus. In old age, the body weakens, it becomes more difficult to resist infections. Usually, the disease is observed either in young animals up to 1 year old, or in cats older than 8 years old.
Veterinarians noted that certain breeds of animals are prone to this disease. These are Siamese, British and Persian cats, as well as Maine Coons.
Forms of the disease
How are the symptoms of plague in cats? It depends on the type of disease. Most often, the infection is severe, but erased symptoms are also possible. The following forms of panleukopenia are:
- lightning fast or super sharp;
- spicy;
- subacute.
In most cases, the disease proceeds in an acute form. The symptoms of distemper in cats in lightning fast (super acute) form are very dangerous. In these cases, panleukopenia very often ends fatally. The subacute form occurs with milder symptoms, and it is sometimes difficult to diagnose.
Lightning fast form
The fulminant form often occurs in pups up to 1 year old. Symptoms of plague in cats instantly increase, and treatment is often late or useless. There are cases when a kitten dies for no apparent reason even before the development of signs of infection.
The disease proceeds with a severe lesion of the central nervous system. Its symptoms resemble the clinical picture of rabies. The animal begins to be frightened of light and sounds, stops drinking water, he has cramps. Weakness is growing, the cat is constantly lying, her whole body is trembling.
Then the symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting in the form of a yellow foam, diarrhea with a very unpleasant odor, and sometimes with an admixture of blood, join in. The younger the kitten, the more rapidly its symptoms increase and the worse the prognosis of the disease.
Acute form
What are the most common symptoms of plague in cats? In most adult animals, the disease proceeds in an acute form. After infection, a short incubation period passes, it lasts only 1-2 days. Then the animal becomes lethargic and lethargic, loses its appetite and constantly lies. These are the initial signs of the disease, but they are characteristic of many feline ailments.
Further, there are signs of gastrointestinal damage: vomiting in the form of a greenish or yellowish foam, diarrhea with the release of mucous light feces. The animal rises to 41 degrees. In the future, the fever decreases, but the condition of the cat does not get better. If the temperature drops below 37 degrees, then this indicates an unfavorable course of the disease. About a day later, a bloody impurity is found in the vomit and feces.
The cat is worried about constant pain in the abdominal cavity, because of this she is forced to take a tense posture. Due to the large loss of fluid, the animal suffers from dehydration. But at the same time, the cat can not drink due to spastic events in the throat. The coat becomes dull and dry, and the third eyelid sinks. These are very dangerous symptoms of plague in cats, and treatment in such cases should be started immediately. Otherwise, the pet will die from dehydration.
In addition, signs of heart damage may be observed. There is shortness of breath, blueness of the mucous membranes. Respiratory organs also suffer, it resembles cold symptoms. There is a cough, as well as discharge from the nose and eyes. Lymph nodes are enlarged.
Subacute form
Symptoms of cat disease plague can occur in an erased form. This happens in vaccinated animals or with very high immunity. The signs of pathology are similar to the manifestations of an acute form, but they are not so pronounced and are much easier to carry. The incubation period in this case can last up to several weeks.
Possible consequences
Even if all the signs and symptoms of the plague in a cat have long disappeared, and the treatment was carried out correctly, then the long-term consequences of the infection for the body may occur. This disease greatly undermines the health of the animal. Abnormalities in the functioning of the heart and respiratory organs may be noted. A cat becomes more vulnerable to many infectious pathologies, as her immunity worsens. Deviations in digestion function often persist, and the pet needs to follow a sparing diet for life.
Diagnostics
Symptoms of plague in cats can be similar to many other diseases: food poisoning, salmonellosis, leukemia, viral immunodeficiency. Therefore, it is very important to conduct an accurate differential diagnosis.
When a pet with high fever, vomiting and diarrhea is brought to the veterinarian, the specialist always suspects a plague in an unvaccinated cat. However, additional studies will be needed to confirm the diagnosis:
- Take a general blood test. He will show one of the most important symptoms of plague in cats - a sharp decrease in white blood cells. When the animal begins to recover, the number of white blood cells again rises to normal.
- Assign studies by PCR diagnostics. This helps to identify the pathogen. Blood, feces or discharge from the nose and eyes are taken for analysis. However, it must be remembered that the virus can be detected in the blood of a healthy cat if it has recently been vaccinated from a plague.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to make a diagnosis during the life of an animal. With a fulminant form of the disease, the symptoms increase so rapidly that the owner does not have time to take the cat to the veterinarian. In this case, the disease is detected only posthumously.
Treatment methods
How to treat plague symptoms in cats? So far, no drug has been developed that could destroy parvovirus. Therefore, therapy is aimed at combating dehydration, strengthening the immune system and removing the manifestations of the disease.
The following treatment methods are used:
- First of all, a cat is given droppers with infusion solutions. This helps to fill the lack of fluid and restore the water-electrolyte balance. For infusions, a glucose solution or saline solution is used.
- To make the body easier to fight the infection, immunomodulators are prescribed: Gamavit, Roncoleukin, Ribotan, Glycopin, Fosprenil, as well as interferon-type drugs.
- Vitamin A is used to strengthen immunity. It promotes both healing and restoration of the intestinal mucosa. Vitamins C and group B are also prescribed.
- Antibiotics are not able to destroy parvovirus. However, antibacterial drugs are used to treat plague, since a bacterial infection often joins a viral infection.
- Immunoglobulins and serum from the blood of cats with panleukopenia help to neutralize parvovirus somewhat. This is an effective tool. which helps to cure even seriously ill kittens. However, such drugs are effective only in the very first days of the disease or in the incubation period.
- At high temperatures, antipyretic drugs are prescribed.
- For severe vomiting, Cerucal is used, and for stomach pains, antispasmodics and analgesics.
Many pet owners are wondering if treating the symptoms of distemper in cats at home is possible. In severe cases, the pet has to be placed in a hospital. With a milder course of the disease, the animal can be left at home. In this case, the owner of the cat must comply with all the recommendations of the veterinarian.
Treatment of panleukopenia with folk remedies is unacceptable and impossible. This is a complex disease that cannot be cured with decoctions of herbs and other home remedies. Only a competent professional approach to therapy will help to defeat parvovirus infection.
Care and feeding during illness
Treatment of symptoms of plague in cats at home can only consist in the proper care and feeding of the animal. This will complement drug therapy. In this case, you must follow the advice of the attending veterinarian.
The sick cat must be kept in a warm room with no drafts. It is necessary to protect the animal from any hypothermia.
The room must be darkened, as photophobia may be observed in sick cats. It is necessary to clean the eyes and nose of accumulated secretions. It is also necessary to keep the room where the sick cat is kept clean, remove the tray in time and remove the vomit.
A sick animal may refuse to eat, in which case it should not be tried to force-feed. In the early days of the disease, when the cat feels very ill, you can give her a warm chicken broth. If the animal cannot eat at all, then parenteral nutrition is carried out in a veterinary clinic.
When the pet's health improves, cereals, chicken and cottage cheese are introduced into the diet. Food should be given in pureed form and in small portions. The frequency of nutrition is about 5 times a day. It is not recommended to feed the sick animal with vegetables and fruits, as well as greens and cereals. Such a sparing diet must be followed within 2 months after recovery. If the disease is unfavorable and with consequences, then you have to adhere to food restrictions for life.
A cat should always have a bowl of warm boiled water. Due to dehydration, the animal needs fluid. You can add ascorbic acid to your drink.
Is it possible to treat plague with vodka
Sometimes, on forums where catwalkers communicate, one can find information on the treatment of symptoms of distemper in cats with vodka. Some pet owners report that such “home therapy” has helped their pet. Should I follow this recommendation?
Veterinarians are extremely negative about such methods of treatment. The animal body is not suitable for drinking alcohol, and during the illness, even a drop of alcohol can cause irreparable harm.
Alcohol enhances dehydration during panleukopenia. In addition, alcohol causes intoxication and irritates the intestines, which is inflamed during the disease. The use of vodka can only aggravate the course of the plague.
Ethanol is not able to destroy parvovirus. Therefore, its use is meaningless and harmful. The treatment of plague should be completely entrusted to a specialist.
Vaccination
The only reliable protection against plague is vaccination. For this, combined preparations are used: "Nobivak", "Multifel", "Quadricate". They protect pets not only from panleukopenia, but also from calcivirosis, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, and some types of vaccines prevent rabies.
Before vaccination, the animal must be proglistonized. Adult animals are vaccinated once a year. Small kittens very often die from the plague, so they need to be vaccinated at the age of 6-8 weeks. Then the vaccination is repeated after 21-28 days. In the future, the animal needs to be vaccinated every year.
Can vaccinated cats get plague? Such cases are extremely rare. Usually sick animals with sharply weakened immunity. But even if the vaccinated cat became infected with panleukopenia, the disease will proceed in a mild subacute form and will end in complete recovery.
How to protect a cat from infection
There are times when two pets live in an apartment, and one of them has symptoms of distemper in cats. How to save a second pet from infection? It is necessary to isolate the sick animal as soon as possible. After contact with an infected cat, you need to change clothes and wash your hands thoroughly so as not to pass the virus through your hands and clothes to another pet. A healthy animal is recommended to introduce serum, and in the future to be vaccinated against panleukopenia.
If you decide to pick up a kitten from the street or take it from a shelter, and a cat already lives in the apartment, then you need to keep the new pet in quarantine for about 2 weeks.
It often happens that a cat has died from a plague, and after a short time he brings a kitten to the house. Often this ends with the fact that a new pet dies from panleukopenia. It is necessary to remember the stability of parvovirus in the external environment. It can be stored on any surfaces of objects up to 1 year. It is during this period that it is not recommended to start a new cat. Treatment of premises and things with disinfectant solutions does not always destroy the virus. It is better to wait the necessary time so as not to endanger the animal, and in the future, a new pet should be vaccinated against the plague.