Signs of distemper in a cat: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment methods, reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

In almost every family, people try to get a pet, and dogs and cats are of course given great preference. Cats, like people, are not immune from disease. One such disease is the plague. Although there is a saying among the people that a cat has 9 lives, this circumstance will absolutely not be able to help the animal avoid the sad outcome of this disease. It is necessary to figure out what kind of disease it is, what are the signs of distemper, how to protect your pets from such a disaster.

What is distemper in cats?

Panleukopenia ("feline distemper") is a viral disease of cats that is very difficult to cure. Even with proper care, in most cases it turns out that the veterinarian can simply relieve the pain of the animal. In 90% of cases, this disease leads to the death of the pet in the absence of proper treatment. No one can simply guarantee a successful outcome.

This virus is a huge danger to the cat's body. It affects the cells of the brain, blood and gastrointestinalintestinal tract, and stem cells. If a cat is pregnant at the time of infection with distemper, then the disease can easily penetrate into the developing body of kittens. Kittens and lactating animals endure the disease most severely, their immunity is greatly weakened, and the body simply cannot fight the pathology on its own.

Methods of infecting a cat

Cats that live in the house and do not go outside are not at all immune from contracting this disease. This, of course, reduces the risks of developing the disease, but cannot reduce them to zero. The virus itself is very tenacious and can roam on the owner's clothes if he has been in contact somewhere on the street with an infected animal or its secretions.

This virus is mainly transmitted:

• When an animal comes into contact with fluids contaminated with a virus. It can be drool, animal secretions, blood, urine, etc.
• Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes are also possible.
• Intrauterine. If at the time of pregnancy the mother was sick with distemper, the virus will pass to the kittens too. In this case, the consequences will be noticeable. Kittens may be born underdeveloped.
• Contact when the owner brought the virus on clothes.

Full and quick recovery does not happen immediately. The virus in the body of an adult animal remains for 2-3 months, and in kittens - up to 1 year. The animal's immunity suffers for life, it remains weak.

Main symptoms

Let's look at the main symptoms of distemper in cats and the signs of this disease. They usually develop quickly. After being infected with the virusafter 2 days, the first signs of distemper in the cat begin to appear. They will indicate that the animal is unwell.

These days it is important that the owners notice these first signs of distemper in cats for timely treatment of the animal. After all, a positive result of therapy directly depends on the timely start of treatment of the animal. Consider the first signs of distemper in cats:

• Cat passivity.
• The temperature rises to 41 degrees.
• Nausea.
• Lack of appetite.
• Cats stop grooming themselves.

The fever lasts for about 2-3 days, after which it may drop. And this is extremely dangerous, as it means that the animal's body has ceased to fight the virus on its own. After that, the animal begins profuse diarrhea, in appearance which resembles water. With diarrhea, dehydration of the body only increases, all mucous membranes become dry.

If you did not notice the first symptoms and signs of distemper in cats in time, then the complication of the disease and the manifestation of new symptoms are not far off:

• Diarrhea.
• There is an unpleasant smell from animal feces.
• Cats are having difficulty breathing due to pulmonary edema.
• Bleeding appears.

Such symptoms are hard to miss in an animal living with you in the house. Therefore, most often people go to the veterinary clinic precisely after the appearance of these signs of distemper in a cat.

How does the disease develop in cats?

Panleukopenia, or "felinedistemper" is somewhat similar to a dog's. These viruses came from the same family, but have different subspecies. In dogs, in most cases, the nervous system suffers, and in cats, the intestines are affected.

First of all, the virus itself enters the body. He can get in two ways:

1. Oral - through food or drink
2. Respiratory when the animal inhaled the virus

The virus eventually enters the circulatory system of the animal, spreads throughout the body. First of all, bone marrow cells and lymphoid tissue suffer. When the body is severely damaged by the virus, the process of producing leukocytes is suspended, as a result of which the body is not able to fight the pathology on its own.

After that, nothing prevents the virus from multiplying inside the animal's body and capturing more and more territories, infecting and killing more cells. This process lasts from the first to the third day of illness. At this moment, the first signs of the plague can be noticed. After the body stops producing leukocytes, the virus calmly makes its way to the cat's intestines, as a result of which the cats begin to have intestinal inflammation - enteritis.

Distemper development stages

When the virus enters the body, signs of distemper in cats begin to appear, the symptoms develop one after another. As with many diseases, the stages and speed of development of the pathology may differ. Distemper has three stages of development:

1. Subacute stage. This stage can develop in animals that have been vaccinated, butthe risk of getting sick is very small. Mostly adult cats with good immunity are susceptible to the disease. In the subacute stage of development, the same set of symptoms appears as in the acute stage, only they proceed in a milder form for the animal. Such animals can expect a positive result of treatment in most cases.
2. Acute stage. This stage occurs in adult cats. Redness of the eyes, severe wheezing with a cough are added to the main signs of the disease. Cats have a constant desire to drink, but because of the pain when swallowing and getting something into the body, they simply cannot quench this thirst. Possible damage to the tissues of the heart, this can lead to the development of heart failure. It is almost impossible to cure the disease without the intervention of doctors. But there are also miracles. If an adult animal managed to recover from the disease, then it acquires immunity. In the case when you applied on the third day after the infection of the cat, you can count on a positive result of treatment.
3. Super-acute stage. This stage is most common in young kittens, as their body is not yet strong. When a kitten is infected with a virus, the kitten's body becomes weakened, and with every minute and hour, his condition worsens greatly. At this stage, the kittens may suffer nervous system. They become more shy, afraid of the light, start running from side to side. In addition, infected kittens quickly become dirty wool, it sticks together in different places. It is also possible the appearance of vomiting in the form of yellow foam. At this stage, it is necessary in the first hoursconsult a doctor, as sometimes kittens cannot live for a day with this pathology.

Absolutely at any stage, a cat needs urgent treatment. Therefore, without delay, if you see signs of feline distemper in your pet, go to the veterinary clinic. There are also cases when the disease does not manifest itself in any way and flows in a closed form. Then the cat suddenly becomes ill, she dies within a day. Such cases are rare, but they cannot be ruled out.

Prevention

The best prevention against such diseases is to vaccinate your pet. The first vaccination occurs at about eight weeks of age of the kitten, the next vaccination is done after 4 weeks. In the future, vaccination should be carried out once a year. Modern vaccination, of course, protects the animal for much longer than one year, but doctors play it safe and still recommend getting vaccinated every year.

By vaccinating your pet properly, you will certainly save your money and time on his treatment in case of illness. This is a very painful disease, so it’s better not to risk your pet’s he alth, but to take all preventive measures on time.

Vaccination cost depends on what medicine you plan to inject. An imported vaccine will cost a little more than a domestic one. The price also varies depending on where you live. We can say for sure that it is cheaper to vaccinate in the clinic than to call a doctor for this at home.

Diagnosis

If you observe your pet started as-sometimes behaving strangely, becoming less active and refusing to eat, this can sometimes indicate the first signs of distemper in cats. The first thing you can do is take your pet's temperature at home. To do this, you must have a thermometer and a regular glove. In order not to stain the thermometer, cut off one finger from the glove and put it on the head of the thermometer. The thermometer itself is inserted into the anus of the cat. If the temperature is 40-41 degrees, it means that you should see a doctor.

You can also try to check the cat's belly yourself. If you start to lightly press on it, then this will cause discomfort and pain in the pet. This is because there is an infection in the intestines and all the tissues inside are inflamed.

Each doctor at the first visit to the veterinary clinic collects an anamnesis of your pet: what vaccinations he has, whether the animal is allergic to drugs. During a visual examination, if the doctor suspects signs of distemper in a cat, he needs to find out who the cat has been in contact with.

In the veterinary clinic, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive examination of the pet, be sure to take blood for tests to determine what problem your pet has. Even if you applied at the first signs of distemper in cats, you still need to get tested. The blood will show a reduced number of leukocytes in the blood. This means that the blood is affected by the virus. You will also need to take a stool test. Such an analysis shows the maximum amount of the infectious agent for about a thirdday.

Treatment of distemper

To date, there is no specific and standard treatment for feline distemper. Therefore, it is highly not recommended to treat a sick cat at home. As soon as you notice signs of distemper in a cat, go to the veterinarian. The doctor, after conducting an examination, will orient in the treatment of the animal. Basically, it is support and assistance to the body in the fight against the virus. Therefore, the first thing the doctor prescribes is a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Next, it is imperative and important to give serum to stimulate immunity.

If the animal has severe dehydration, it will be necessary to put a dropper. It is also recommended to use products with a high content of glucose and vitamins, this will perfectly help strengthen the immunity of the animal. Depending on the situation, some doctors prescribe antibiotics and antivirals.

All treatment should be strictly under the supervision of a doctor, so that if new signs of distemper disease appear, the doctor can adjust the therapy. Such treatment can last from 5 days to 3 weeks, it all depends on the condition of the cat in which it was taken to the hospital. It is difficult to cure an animal from feline distemper, but it is possible with the timely response of the owner and the good work of the veterinarian. In no case should you treat the animal yourself. If you do not have a medical education, you can only aggravate the disease.

Actions of the owner in case of illness of the pet

The very first and most important thing is, of course, to recognize the signs of distemper in cats in time. If younoticed that the cat refuses to eat, you do not need to force it into it, you must immediately measure the temperature. If the temperature is above 40 degrees, it is necessary to take the animal to the doctor.

The doctor will start treating your pet. But you should also know the simple rules by which your pet will certainly strive for recovery:

• Mandatory ventilation of the room where your pet is. During the ventilation of the room, the cat must be moved to another place so as not to aggravate the disease.
• Dispose of all cat feces immediately. She should not be near them, as they contain infection.
• Since a cat’s eyes may become swollen a little and foam may form in the mouth area, it is necessary to wipe these secretions so that they do not cause unnecessary discomfort to a sick animal.
• Proper nutrition. This is an important step on the path to your pet's recovery. Nutrition needs to be adjusted according to the condition of the cat. Fruits, vegetables, greens are forbidden to give during the period of illness. They are also not recommended to be given after an illness for 3 months. Food should be served to the animal in puree form, it should be warm and easily digestible. It is also not recommended to impose large portions, the cat at the time of illness will not eat much. Therefore, serve food in small portions, you can increase the number of feedings up to five times.
• It is necessary to carry out wet cleaning of the room every day. And it is desirable to maintain an average temperature in the room.

Consequences of treatment

With positive treatment, the disease, of course, leaves its mark on the cat's later life. Main consequences:

• Disturbances in the proper functioning of the animal's body.
• Undermined immunity.
• It is possible that the disease will become a chronic disease in the animal.

To summarize all of the above, it becomes clear that your pet certainly needs the help of an experienced veterinarian, no matter what signs of distemper he has. The most important thing you can do to protect your pet from such a disaster is to vaccinate on time. This will help your cat stay he althy.

Remember that if your animal is at home, it is not immune from distemper. You may not see signs of distemper in a cat on the street, stroke it and return to your pet with the virus. Take care of your pets and promptly respond to changes in the behavior of the animal. Watch out for symptoms and signs of distemper in cats.

Reviews

Such a terrible disease has claimed many lives of four-legged, while there is no specific treatment, it will take pets. But after a while, doctors should find a cure for feline distemper.

Many people are faced with the problem of distemper in cats. They say that the animal stopped eating, became lethargic. In the veterinary clinic, the doctor examined the cat, took tests. Since the owners reacted in time, the treatment helped - the animal was saved.

Other people treated the cat for almost 2.5 weeks. But most importantly,that the doctor chose the right treatment and was able to help the cat. They claim that the cat caught the virus while walking on the street.