Cat Diseases - Common Cat Diseases Including Symptoms
Feline Cystitis:
Cystitis is defined as inflammation of the bladder. It may precede or be secondary to urolithiasis (stones in the urinary tract).
Symptoms include; Straining to urinate, blood in urine, increased thirst, increased frequency of urination, excessive genital licking, sudden halt in litter box useage, crying in the litter box, urinating in places other than the litter box.
Treatment depends on the cause & severity of the condition. Finding & treating the underlying cause.
Some ways to treat cystitis include; diet, increase water consumption, try to feed a diet which keeps the urine pH below 6.5, antiboitics & some medications such as
Feline Hyperthyroidism:
Hyperthyroidism is the over production of thyroid hormone usually due to a benign tumour of the thyroid gland.
Symptoms include; weight loss, increased appetite, increased thirst & urination, vomiting, behavioural changes (nervous, jittery, overgrooming, increased vocalisation), rapid heartbeat, poor coat.
There are three ways to treat hyperthyroidism. Lifetime medication, removal of the thyroid gland or radioactive iodine treatment which involves a single injection of radioactive iodine (radioiodine I-131). This concentrates in & destroys the diseased thyroid tissue, while leaving the normal thyroid tissue intact.
Chronic kidney failure:
Chronic renal (kidney) failure (CRF) is the progressive deterioration of the kidneys, which happens over a period of time & is one of the leading causes of death in senior cats.
Symptoms include; increased thirst, increased urination, urinating outside the litter tray, decreased appetite, loss of weight, poor coat, lethargy, vomiting, bad breath.
Most cases of CRF are irreversible & treatment is based on managing the condition With proper treatment, your cat may still have many months or years of life ahead. Reducing the level of toxins in the cat is important. Fresh drinking water, available 24/7 is extremely important as these cats need to compensate for large urine outputs.
Treatments may include; prescription diet, phosphorous binders, antacids & anti nausea medication & erythropoeitine.
Feline Diabetes:
Diabetes Mellitus ("sugar" diabetes) is a common endocrine disorder in cats. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 in which the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or type two in which the body's cells don't respond appropriately to insulin.
Symptoms include; increased thirst & urination, weight loss, increased or decreased appetite, vomiting, weakness in hind legs, bad breath.
In mild cases, the cat may be managed with diet alone. If the cat is not ill, and has no ketones it may be possible to manage diabetes without the use of insulin. This may include dietary modification & or careful weight loss, under the careful guide of your veterinarian.
Other treatments include; oral medications, insulin injections.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV):
Known as FIV or cat AIDS, FIV is an infectious disease caused by a retrovirus belonging to the lentivirus family. It is in the same family as the FeLV virus, and is similar to the HIV virus in humans. FIV infects both domesticated cats, lions, tigers, pumas & cheetahs.
Symptoms of FIV include; weight loss, poor coat condition, anemia, gastroenteritis, gingivitis & stomatitis, diarrhea, chronic or recurrent infections, cancer.
There is no cure for FIV, once a cat has it, it's for life. The goal is to provide supportive care to the infected cat. This may include; regular vet check ups, proper parasite control, feeding a high quality diet, limiting exposure to disease, anti-bacterial & or anti-fungal drugs, maintaining a proper vaccination regime, blood transfusions where necessary, high calorie supplements.
Feline Panleukopenia:
Also known as feline infectious enteritis, cat plague, feline distemper & feline ataxia, feline panleukopenia is a severe & highly infectious disease caused by a virus from the Parvovirus family. It has a high mortality rate of 25% - 70%. The name panleukopenia is derived from the very low white blood cell count in infected cats.
Symptoms of feline panleukopenia include; depression, listlessness, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration. Infected cats may hang off their food or water bowl, they often have a hunched up appearance & their coat quickly becomes rough. The skin loses it's elasticity due to dehydration caused by vomiting & diarrhoea.
The prognosis for kittens is poor, especially in younger kittens. There are no medications available to kill the virus, therefore the cat is given supportive therapy, giving the cat a chance to fight the virus off with it's own defences. Strict isolation is essential during this period to ensure other animals aren't infected.
Treatment may include; blood transfusions if white blood cells drop dramatically, antibiotics, fluid therapy to treat dehydration & replace lost electrolytes, lots of TLC.
Upper Respiratory Disease (Cat Flu):
Cat flu (also known as upper respiratory tract disease) is a general term used to describe common set of symptoms of the upper respiratory tract.
Cat flu is caused several pathogens (disease causing organisms). The most common causes are Feline herpes virus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV), Feline Reovirus, Bordetella Bronchiseptica & Feline Chlamydophila.
Symptoms include; sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, mouth ulcers, eye ulcers, fever, loss of appetite.
Treatment depends on the cause of the cat flu. There are no drugs to treat viral infections & supportive care is necessary. This includes keeping the nose clear of discharge. Even if the cause is viral, antibiotics may be prescribed to protect against secondary bacterial infections.
Mon May 14, 2012 6:32 pm