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Basic Health Care Information for Your Cat

Major Infectious Diseases and Parasites

UPPER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES:
These are one of the most common illnesses that affect cats. There are 4 major upper respiratory viruses that affect cats. Signs can range from quite mild to very severe, depending on the overall health status of the cat, and which virus is involved. Clinical signs include frequent sneezing, with watery or mucousy discharge, sometimes coughing, or runny eyes. More severe signs include corneal ulcers and ulcers in the mouth. Oftentimes fever will be present, many cats will stop eating, and may not take in sufficient fluids. Anorexia (not eating) and dehydration are possible secondary effects of these diseases that can lead to a very sick cat. In these instances the cat must be hospitalized and given fluids, force feedings. While there is no treatment that will kill the viruses, most often antibiotics are given to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections. Eye ointments must be applied if the eyes are affected by the virus. It is very important to keep the accumulation of dried mucous cleared away from the nasal openings. This will interfere with the cat's abilitiy to smell, and if the cat cannot smell, he will not eat. Sometimes medications can be given to help dry up the nasal secretions. These viruses are contagious just like colds and flu are in humans. A cat with an upper respiratory virus must be separated from other cats in the household, and especially from kittens. The virus must run its course, but good supportive nursing care will reduce the cat's discomfort. These viruses can hang on for several weeks, especially in the kitten, unvaccinated or immunosuppressed cat. In such cases if adequate nursing care is not provided the cat could die of secondary consequences. Viral diseases such as feline leukemia and feline aids cause suppression of the immune system. Vaccines are available for upper respiratory diseases (Why Vaccinate?), and while they do not protect the cat 100% from contracting the virus, they do seem to help fight off the infection, and result in much milder signs, and a shorter course of illness.
For much more information on upper respiratory diseases click on this outstanding site below:
MarvistaVet Information on Feline Upper Respiratory Diseases

FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS:
This is perhaps the most feared of all cat diseases by persons who love their felines. However, it is not necessarily a death sentence. Not all cats that are infected by this virus will suffer lifethreatening consequences. Some of them will be able to eliminate the virus through a well-mounted immune response. Some cats will become what is referred to as latent carriers, which means the virus is present in the body in a dormant stage and is not causing disease. But unfortunately some will succumb, and this is quite a heartbreaking situation for both cat and owner. Dire consequences of this disease include cancer of the lymphatic system (lymph nodes in the chest and intestines), which can also lead to the presence of cancer in the stomach, the liver, the kidneys, and the intestines; even the eye and the central nervous system can be affected. Sometimes the lung or the heart is involved, or the urinary bladder. The bone marrow can also be affected, causing a nonregenerating anemia, or changes in other cells that are produced in the marrow ("leukemia" actually refers to an abnormally high number of white blood cells in the bloodstream, many of which will be immature and ineffective; this state does not occur in every cat infected with the leukemia virus). Suppression of the immune system is a major, if not the most significant, consequence of this disease, which interferes with the ability of the immune system to fight off even the most minor of infections. Any cat who suffers from chronic or recurrent infections should be tested for the presence of this virus. Yes, there is a very reliable test available through your veterinarian . Because a cat can rid itself of this infection, a cat that tests positive for this disease should be retested in one to two months or so after the initial test. Also, the test must be performed only after sufficient time has passed for the infection to have developed after exposure. Allow several weeks before testing a cat that has potentially contracted this virus. And there are several good vaccines (Why Vaccinate?) on the market that will help prevent your cat from contracting this disease. None is 100% effective but will in most cases protect your cat if it is vaccinated properly and regularly. It is adviseable to have your cat tested for this virus prior to vaccination because 1)if the cat already has the disease there is no point in vaccinating and 2) if the cat tests positive for the virus then it is important to manage the cat's lifestyle so that other cats do not become infected.
How is this disease TRANSMITTED? The virus is shed (this means infective virus particles will be found in these fluids)in the urine but more importantly in the saliva. The virus is most typically transmitted through bite wounds from an infected cat to a noninfected, unprotected cat. However, it is also believed to be transmitted through constant close contact between an infected cat and a noninfected cat that live together, through "grooming" (licking) each other, and possibly through sharing the same food and water bowls. It is also transmitted in the uterus, from infected moms to their unborn offspring.
It is most commonly found in male cats, especially unneutered male cats, that spend time outdoors - these cats tend to roam more frequently, and get in fights more frequently, therefore they are more often exposed to this disease. Any cat that is allowed outdoors is at risk, as there are likely to be stray cats or uncared for cats in the neighborhood that they will come in contact with. We strongly urge anyone who has a cat that goes outdoors to be first tested for the leukemia virus, and then if the result is negative, to be vaccinated according to the veterinarian's recommendations.
A cat that is found to have a positive result with the leukemia test should be kept strictly indoors for several reasons. This will prevent the infected cat from possibly infecting another cat. It is also important to reduce the cat's exposure to other diseases, as the immune suppression caused by this virus will make the cat much more susceptible to any disease or infection it is exposed to. Also, stressful situations should be avoided as much as possible, as stress itself can reduce the effectiveness of the cat's immune system. Good nutrition is quite important as well; this cat should be fed a high quality, highly digestible, calorie dense food. Ask your veterinarian what he or she recommends for this; there are several very good products on the market, but these will have to be purchased through a reputable pet store or veterinary clinic. And remember, some cats are able to eliminate this virus from their system, so be sure to have the cat retested after a couple of months to confirm that the cat is still infected.
What are the SIGNS of this disease? Most often, the symptoms that a cat infected with the leukemia virus exhibit are not specific for this disease, that is, there are many disease processes that can cause the same symptoms. The signs will depend on which parts of the body that are affected by the disease. The cat may show a decrease in appetite, chronic (over a period of time) weight loss, pale gums, decrease in energy level, more frequent or chronic infections, or infections such as bladder infections or abscesses that don't seem to heal very quickly, sores in the mouth or dental disease. They can have kidney or liver problems, they can also show signs of respiratory distress - difficulty in breathing. If the virus affects the eyes one might see a bulging eyeball due to a mass(tumor) behind the eye, sometimes the pupils will be unequal in size, or there may be other signs of inflammation of the eye. Signs that the virus has affected the central nervous system include seizures, blindness, changes in behavior, or weakness or paralysis.
Your suspicions should also be based on the history of the cat - that is, has the cat been in any situation where it might have been exposed? Has your cat ever been around any other cats? Has your cat ever gotten in a fight with another cat? Do you know what circumstances your cat lived in before it came to live with you - was it a stray? did it come from a shelter? did it come from a home that did not provide proper care?
Is there a TREATMENT? There is no specific treatment that will kill the virus, it will be there no matter what you do, but much can be done to treat the consequences of this disease. Infections (bacterial) can be treated with antibiotics, perhaps given in a bit higher dose and for longer time period than usual; problems with the liver or kidney can be treated with fluid administration (either IV or under the skin), good nutrition (as mentioned above) will help, reduction of exposure to stressful situations; just some common sense and good nursing care can go a long way to extending the cat's life somewhat and making them more comfortable for the life they have left.. There are some circumstances in which chemotherapy can extend both the quality and length of life in a seriously affected cat with leukemia. Specifically, leukemia will sometimes cause cancer that will affect the lymph nodes in the chest. The lymph nodes will enlarge to the extent that the cat's breathing will be quite compromised. There is a chemotherapeutic treatment for this that carries few side effects and can reduce the enlargement of the lymph nodes for a time, therefore giving the cat some improvement in both quality and length of life. However, once the disease attacks the bone marrow, and the cat becomes anemic, the time has come to consider the possibility of euthanasia. This is a nonreversible situation, and the consequences of this anemia will create much suffering in the victim...

FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (FIV):
This is also a major viral disease in our domestic cats. This virus, similar to what occurs with the human AIDS virus (PEOPLE CANNOT CONTRACT THIS DISEASE FROM CATS!!), infects and destroys certain white blood cells of the immune system and therefore its major effect is suppression of the immune system. This creates within the cat a greatly compromised ability to fight off infection of any kind.
The virus is TRANSMITTED in the saliva via bite wounds from an infected cat. As with the leukemia virus, those cats that are allowed to freely roam neighborhoods and become engaged in battles with other cats are at greatest risk. This disease does not seem to be easily transmitted through close contact between cats that live together unless they fight each other.
This disease runs course in 3 stages. The initial infection will result in very SUBTLE and NONSPECIFIC SIGNS 4 weeks or so after infection. Many of the cats will develop a fever that may last several days. The lymph nodes will become enlarged but this may be very difficult to detect. In the second stage, the cat will become asymptomatic (without any symptoms) for a long period of time, sometimes years, before signs of the disease recur.
In the TERMINAL STAGES of the disease, as the immune system becomes weaker and weaker, the cat will fall victim to recurrent infections that become more severe and more difficult to treat. You may notice ulcers in the mouth or severe dental disease in such a cat. They can develop chronic urinary tract infections, or severe upper respiratory infections, even pneumonia. Some cats will have diarrhea due to inflammation of the intestinal tract. They will suffer from chronic weight loss, and some will become very anemic. Not commonly, this virus can affect the central nervous system causing behavioral changes, odd mannerisms, or even seizures. While FIV is not believed to directly cause cancer, certain cancers are more common in cats infected with FIV and this is believed to be due to the diminished capacity of the immune system to keep such cancers in check.
There is no TREATMENT for FIV other than supportive care for the problems that develop, and to date there is no vaccine to protect your cat against this disease. Unlike the leukemia virus, once a cat is infected with FIV it will remain infected. There is a reliable test for FIV which tests for antibodies against the disease. Something to keep in mind - a kitten that has been born to an FIV infected mom will carry these antibodies in its bloodstream for several months after birth, even if the kitten is not infected with the virus. Such a kitten will show a positive result to the test until these antibodies have been eliminated so it is recommended that a young cat not be tested until it is over 6 months of age. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS VIRUS IS NOT TRANSMITTED FROM THE QUEEN TO HER UNBORN IN THE UTERUS.
Remember that this disease may not show any adverse effects on the cat for many years. I do not recommend an otherwise healthy cat be put to sleep simply because it has tested positive for the FIV virus. It is important, however, that the lifestyle of the cat be changed so that it does not expose other cats to this disease, and also that the cat is kept in an environment that is as stress free as possible, and exposure to disease should be kept at a minimum to maximise its lifespan and good health - in other words, keep the cat strictly indoors, warm, loved, well-fed, and it is best not to introduce any new cats to the household.

FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS (FIP):
This disease is also caused by a virus, but there are some very curious differences between this and other viral diseases. Much of this disease is still not understood but research is bringing to light some new information.
FIP is a DEADLY disease. It is virtually 100% fatal. The effects of the disease are actually not caused so much by the virus itself, but by an interaction between the immune system and the virus: the formation of antigen-antibody complexes between the virus and the antibodies made by the immune system to fight it! It is thus termed an "immune-mediated" disease. These complexes lodge in the walls of blood vessels and other organs of the body, creating pockets of inflammation and tissue destruction.
There are two forms of the disease: the "dry" form and the "wet" form.
In the WET form, the immune complexes lodge in the blood vessels of the abdomen and/or chest cavity and the resulting inflammation and tissue damage creates leakage of fluid from the bloodstream into these compartments. When fluid leaks into the abdomen, the "belly" becomes distended. Some owners perceive such a cat as just getting fat, but a closer look at the cat will reveal that the belly is becoming disproportionately big compared to the rest of the body. In fact the cat will be losing fat and muscle mass as the disease progresses and the hips and the ribs may become noticeable, an indication that the cat is actually losing weight.
When this form of the disease affects the chest, as the fluid continues to leak into the chest cavity, the space in which the lungs expand to take in air becomes smaller and smaller and the cat will have more and more trouble breathing. This will soon become a lifethreatening situation in which the fluid must be drawn from the chest by a veterinarian to restore the cat's ability to breathe. Unfortunately, over time the fluid will return.
In the DRY form, there is no fluid leakage, but the immune complexes may lodge in any vital organ, including the liver, the lung, the kidney, the eye, and the intestines.
OOPS, PART OF THIS HAS BEEN DELETED! WILL BE BACK SHORTLY TO REPLACE.

INTESTINAL PARASITES: Common intestinal parasites include worms, coccidia, and giardia. The major intestinal worms of cats are ROUNDWORMS and HOOKWORMS. Both ROUNDWORM and HOOKWORM infections can kill a small kitten. ROUNDWORMS will clog the intestines and interfere with digestion and absorption of nutrients, and can cause diarrhea. HOOKWORMS latch onto the lining of the intestines and suck blood. A severe HOOKWORM infection can kill a kitten by causing very severe anemia. The presence of intestinal worms can make the kitten's belly appear "fat" or "swollen", this is referred to as "WORM BELLY". Often the haircoat will apppear dull and dry. ALL KITTENS should be dewormed at age 3-4 weeks, and again at 6-7 weeks according to the guidelines of your veterinarian. COCCIDIA is a single celled organism that is very contagious through contaminated feces. It is most commmonly spread in crowded kennel conditions, especially in humane shelters. COCCIDIA IS ALSO CONTAGIOUS TO HUMANS! It can cause severe diarrhea in the very young kitten, but is in most cases self-limiting with the help of medication. GIARDIA is also a one celled organism that can infect the intestines. It is also contagious and most easily transmitted in crowded unsanitary environments, but is not so common as the other parasites mentioned above. It is most commonly contracted through the drinking of contaminated pond water. It too can easily be treated. Remember that diarrhea from any cause can make a kitten very ill through loss of fluids and electrolytes. Such a situation must be treated right away by a veterinarian.

EAR MITES, FLEAS, AND TICKS: These are the major external parasites of cats.
EAR MITES: These are contagious little bugs that infect the ear canal and make the ear extremely itchy. They are not life threatening and are not contagious to humans, but they cause a great deal of inflammation and discomfort to the animal. They are transmitted by very close prolonged contact with an infected dog or cat. The mites are transmitted as they crawl from the infected animal to the noninfected animal. These mites are most commonly transmitted in crowded situations such as breeding kennels, humane societies, and other environments where multiple animals are housed together. These are not lifethreatening and are very easily treated with apppropriate medications from the veterinarian. It is important to have this problem accurately diagnosed by a veterinarian as there are other types of infection that can cause ear problems in dogs and cats. Treatment involves administering a topical ointment provided by your veterinarian. All pets in the household should be examined for these, if one has been diagnosed with them, and treated if present.
FLEAS: Well, I guess we all know about these most prevalent little obnoxious pests! FLEAS are bloodsuckers, and in small puppies and kittens they can cause anemia so severe that the puppy or kitten could die. They also transmit a disease of the blood that causes anemia, hemobartonella, which can easily become lifethreatening, if not treated; however, this disease is easily cured with proper dosing of a tetracycline antibiotic. Fleas also can cause TAPEWORMS in dogs and cats, puppies and kittens. These are worms that are transmitted to the intestines when the animal swallows a flea. TAPEWORMS do not usually result in serious disease but they should be properly treated by your vet. It takes a special medication to get rid of them. They can sometimes be detected on a fecal exam, but often do not show up in this test. Most often the owner discovers them in the stool as little white flat worms that may wiggle, or as what looks like little grains of rice either adhered to the hair around the rectum or in the environment. Segments of the worm will be passed in the stool, but this happens only occasionally and can easily be missed by the owner. There are several excellent products on the market now for killing fleas and these products can significantly reduce or completely eliminate fleas from the environment and on the animal. Two of the best products are Frontline and Advantage. These are topical products that are available through your veterinarian. They are an oily substance that is applied monthly to the back of the dog or cat, and they spread over the skin like oil on water. As the fleas crawl about, the active ingredient will come in contact with the flea and kill it. The fleas will be killed before they have been on the animal long enough to reproduce; this is how these products can completely eliminate the fleas in the pet's environment, as long as there is no incoming source of new fleas, as long as they are used for a period of time to allow all of the eggs in the environment to hatch and the fleas to jump on the animals and die. Then the environment will be flea free, and no more protection is needed. There are over the counter products that are applied similarly to these, but they do not work and some of them can cause toxic reactions, especially in cats. If the flea infestation is severe, it is advisable to use an area treatment in conjunction with these products. Frontline will also help a great deal in tick control.
TICKS: Ticks are prevalent in the warmer months, spring and summer. They are picked up by cats and dogs from the underbrush in the back yard or woods. They too are bloodsucking parasites and carry several very serious diseases. Cats do not seem to pick up ticks as readily as do dogs. Ticks can be removed simply by pulling them off the animal. Flushing them down the toilet is a simple and convenient method of disposing of them, if you have no tick killing spray available. Paramite dip is an excellent dip for killing the ticks that are currently on the animal. For residual control, Frontline is an excellent product for controlling these dangerous pests.

HEARTWORMS: Heartworms are roundworm parasites that infect the right side of the heart and some of the blood vessels of the lungs. They are contagious to both cats and dogs, however, cats are a more resistant host. These worms are transmitted by mosquitoes.
To have a good understanding of HEARTWORMS, it is important to understand their LIFE CYCLE. Because dogs are the main reservoir for this deadly parasite, this life cycle is described as it occurs in the dog. In cats, the situation is a bit different.
ADULT HEARTWORMS live in the RIGHT SIDE of the heart (the side of the heart that supplies blood to the lungs), and in some of the blood vessels of the lungs. They are visible with the naked eye, they look very similar to the roundworms that live in the intestines-in other words like spaghetti. They exist as male and female, and they mate to produce microscopic babies called MICROFILARIA. These baby forms flow through the bloodstream. When a mosquito bites a dog that has these immature forms in the bloodstream, the mosquito will ingest them. While they are inside the mosquito, the little microfilaria will go through life cycle changes to become LARVAE. Then, when this mosquito bites a cat or a dog these larvae are injected into the tissues at the bite site. This is the INFECTIVE (disease causing form) life cycle stage of this parasite. These larvae will migrate through the tissues to the heart, where they become adults and the life cycle begins again as they reproduce to give birth to the microfilaria. The potential life span of an adult heartworm is about 3 years.
It is important to know that the MICROFILARIA in the bloodstream DO NOT MATURE into adult heartworms within the infected animal. These must be ingested by the mosquito to transform into the larval stage and then deposited into the host to have the ability to grow into adults. So, the number of adult heartworms that live in the heart is dependent upon the number of mosquito bites that inject the larvae into the animal. As you can see, one bite from one mosquito will not result in a large enough number of worms to create an "INFECTION". The dog or the cat must be repeatedly bitten by larvae-carrying mosquitoes. However, once a dog has at least one male and one female adult worm living in its heart, producing babies, then it is a simple matter for a continual cycle for reinfection to occur through repeated mosquito bites. And this infection will be also transmitted to cats and other dogs living nearby. As mentioned, it appears that cats are a more resistant host to heartworms than are dogs, as they seem to be diagnosed with this condition much less frequently. However, keep in mind that accurate testing for this disease in cats has only come about recently, and certainly there are many cats who have been infected that have never been diagnosed.
The process by which microfilaria develop into infective larvae inside the mosquito is dependent on the maintenance of warm temperatures for a period of time. This is why, during the winter, when the temperatures drop very low, heartworms are not transmitted, and in colder regions use of PREVENTION can be suspended for a period of time. In the SOUTH, this is a very UNPREDICTABLE situation, and ALL dogs should be kept on heartworm prevention ALL YEAR to insure that they are protected from infection. Use of prevention in cats is up to the discretion of the owner, but we would strongly recommend that a cat who spends a great deal of time outside be put on heartworm prevention. There is currently only one product available for cats - Heartgard.
Only recently has an accurate and reliable TEST been released on the market to test cats for heartworms, but most veterinarians now carry this test and should have it available for your pet. In part because the heart of the cat is so small, only a very few number of worms will infect the heart. And the microfilaria seen in the bloodstream of the dog are very rarely found in cats. For these reasons, designing an effective test has been difficult.
The SIGNS of HEARTWORM DISEASE in cats are a bit more subtle in cats. Some cats may only show intermittent vomiting, others may develop a cough or respiratory distress. Sometimes sudden death, without any other signs, can occur.
TREATMENT FOR HEARTWORMS: In cats, to date there is no treatment to kill the heartworms that will not kill the cat. A cat diagnosed with heartworms should be put on the preventative, Heartgard, to prevent further infection, while the worms present are given time to die off. The life span of a heartworm is up to three years, and during these 3 years the cat is still at risk for complications, even death, caused by the worms that are living in the heart. However, if a cat is put on the preventative, and outlives the heartworms, the cat will be cured (and should be kept on prevention the rest of its life so that it doesn't pick them up again!)
For much more information on heartworms click on this outstanding site below:
MarvistaVet Information on Heartworms