Mary Allen
The feline disease is considered an epidemic in the animal kingdom that is life-threatening to infected cats. However, vaccinations can reliably protect your velvet paw from it. Here you can find out everything about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of cat disease.
SOS: First aid tips for cat disease – what can I do myself and when do I have to go to the vet?
- If you suspect that your cat could be infected with feline plague, you must go to a veterinarian immediately!
- After treatment, give your cat plenty of rest and sleep.
- Avoid stress and physical exertion for your cat.
- Pay more attention to good hygiene.
- Give your velvet paw attention and affection.
- After consultation with the veterinarian, feeding them bland foods such as cooked chicken or cottage cheese can be useful.
What is Cat Disease?
Feline distemper is a contagious, life-threatening viral infection also known as panleukopenia, agranulomatosis, feline plague, cat distemper, feline infectious enteritis, or panleucopenia infectiosa felis. The disease occurs primarily in young cats between the ages of two and six months. Older cats can also get sick. The cat disease should be treated as soon as possible since young cats in particular can die from it within a day.
Cat Disease: Causes – How Does the Disease Come About?
Cat disease is caused by the feline panleukopenia virus. This pathogen is very closely related to parvovirus B19, which causes a similar infection in dogs. The virus is extremely long-lived and can live on objects such as glasses for up to a year at room temperature. B. toys or the basket survive. It is also resistant to the most common disinfectants. No direct contact with an infected animal is necessary for the infection. Transmission occurs through contact with infected material such as feces, urine, nasal discharge, soiled food, drinking bowls, or other contaminated objects. Indirect transmission via fleas or other insects is also possible, and unborn kittens can be infected even in the womb if the mother cat is not vaccinated.
The incubation period, i.e. the time from infection to the outbreak of the cat disease, is 3 to 12 days.
Cat disease: Symptoms – How Does Cat Disease Make Itself Felt?
In the peracute form of infection, there are no symptoms of the disease and sudden death occurs within a few hours. This often affects very young cats whose immune system is not yet fully developed.
In the acute form, which occurs suddenly, the following symptoms appear:
- food refusal
- exhaustion and tiredness
- (bloody) diarrhea
- vomit
- high fever
- dull fur
- lack of water
- due to the lack of white blood cells (leukocytopenia), cats suffer from an immune deficiency that can lead to fatal bacterial infections.
In the subacute form of cat disease, the symptoms are often less pronounced. However, diarrhea can become chronic and thus no longer treatable.
Cat disease: Diagnosis – How Can Cat Disease Be Detected?
If you suspect your cat has the feline disease, the cat must be treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The diagnosis is based on a blood test and a stool test. The causative agent of the cat disease, the parvovirus, can be directly detected in the feces. A blood test shows the number of white blood cells (leukocytes), which often decreases dramatically in feline diseases.
Cat Disease: History – How Dangerous is Cat Disease?
Cat disease is basically curable if the affected cat is treated by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. Adult, well-fed animals usually only suffer from mild symptoms. However, the infection can weaken the immune system to such an extent that other diseases are encouraged. As a rule of thumb, if a cat survives the first 5 days of infection, chances are very good that it will recover.
The chances are worse for young, sick, and unvaccinated cats. The disease can be fatal between the ages of 6 and 16 weeks.
Sick young animals that have already been infected in the womb may suffer lifelong consequential damage such as e.g. B. suffer from blindness or coordination difficulties.
Cat Disease: Treatment – What Treatment Options are There for My Cat?
How can the vet help my cat?
The cat disease must be treated as quickly as possible and sick cats must be stabilized. Treatment is primarily with the help of supportive measures. To protect the cat from dehydration, it is given infusions of electrolytes and sugar solutions. In some cases, she also receives heparin against increased blood clotting in this way. In the event of vomiting and diarrhea, the sick velvet paw is given medication to counteract nausea, stomach protection tablets, and painkillers. If a bacterial secondary infection occurs as a result of the weakened immune system, this is treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Immunoglobulins can also support the immune system. In an acute course, the cat must be admitted to a veterinary clinic as an inpatient. In particularly severe cases, the cat may need a blood transfusion.
How can I help my cat? These home remedies help with cat disease
Cats suffering from feline flu need immediate veterinary care. The only home remedies that can be named are rest and sleep. Avoid stress and physical exertion for your cat and pay more attention to good hygiene. Give your velvet paw attention and affection. After consultation with the veterinarian, feeding them bland foods such as cooked chicken or cottage cheese can make sense.
Homeopathy for cat disease
A cat suffering from feline distemper must always be presented to a veterinarian and given appropriate medical care.
In addition to conventional medical care, homeopathic remedies can support the treatment symptomatically. You should discuss these remedies with your veterinarian. The preparations are selected individually and depending on the general condition.
Veterinary Costs for Cat Disease: What Do You Have to Pay for Yourself?
For vaccinations with the combination vaccine against cat flu and cat disease, cat owners have to reckon with costs of 30 to 60 euros each. The costs of all veterinary services are determined by the “Fee Schedule for Veterinarians” (GOT). This schedule of fees is publicly available at www.bundestieraerztekammer.de. Based on this, veterinarians can calculate the single, double, or even triple rate for the examination. The billing rate always depends on the effort. In the emergency service, for example, up to four times the rate can be billed.
If your cat is infected with feline distemper, you will have to expect costs for the general examination and medication. If your cat’s condition does not improve or even worsens, further examinations or treatment by the vet may be necessary. Thus, the costs also increase.
Prevent Cat Disease
The best way to prevent cat disease is vaccination. This is the only way to guarantee lifelong immunity. The first prophylactic vaccinations are carried out at the age of 8, 12, and 16 weeks. The first booster vaccination is then given after 15 months and then, depending on the vaccine, every two to three years. If the vaccination is not started until the cat is old, it is sufficient to vaccinate twice at intervals of four weeks. The refresher takes place after one year.
FAQs on the subject of cat disease
Is the cat disease also contagious for humans?
The feline panleukopenia virus is not compatible with human cells and is therefore not contagious to humans. In addition to cats, there is also a risk of infection for animals such as raccoons and mink.
Is cat disease also contagious for dogs?
Feline distemper is an infectious disease caused by parvoviruses. The parvoviruses in dogs lead to parvovirus, which is also called canine feline disease. Feline parvovirus is closely related to canine parvovirus and causes the actual feline disease in cats, also known as panleukopenia. Dogs and cats cannot infect each other, only each other.
Is infection with cat disease possible despite vaccination?
It is very unlikely that cat disease will break out despite vaccination. The vaccine against this disease is a so-called live vaccine. This contains weakened pathogens and effectively protects against infection.
Is cat disease notifiable?
Unlike some other infectious diseases, feline distemper is not notifiable. If you suspect your cat has been infected with feline distemper, it is best to call the vet beforehand to discuss how you should behave so that no other animals are infected in the practice.
All statements are without guarantee.