By Anthony Prado Basa, DVM
Runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing?
This can be a respiratory disease called chylamydiosis which hits cats.
Chylamydiosis refers to a bacteria-based chronic respiratory infection caused by the Chlamydia psittaci bacterium.
Cats who develop this infection will often exhibit traditional signs of an upper respiratory infection. With treatment, the prognosis is positive. Your cat will survive.
SYMPTOMS AND TYPES
Chlamydiosis infection affects the respiratory system, the eyes, the gastrointestinal system and the reproduction systems of animals.
Cats experience standard upper respiratory tract symptoms:
1. sneezing
2. watery eyes
3. discharge from eyes
4.coughing
5. difficulty in breathing
6. runny nose
7. lack of appetite (anorexia)
8. fever
9. and pneumonia if left untreated. This can lead to death.
CAUSES
While there is a higher prevalence of this infection in kittens, the condition is present in all ages and breeds.
Cats that are kept in crowded quarters with other animals, as in a kennel, are at an increased risk of infection.
Added to the risk is the ease with which this bacteria travels. Transmission can take place even without direct contact with an infected animal, as the molecules from a cough or sneeze can travel across a room.
A human caretaker can carry the bacteria and spread it by touch, or the cat may come into contact with a contaminated object, such as a bedding or items in the feeding area.
DIAGNOSIS
Your veterinarian will take a sample of the eye discharge, also referred to as a conjunctival scraping or swabbing, in order to have a culture of the fluid done to determine what the source of the illness is.
If it is believed that pneumonia is present, an X-ray of your cat's lungs will be performed to check for the presence of fluid.
TREATMENT
Treatment is most often performed on an outpatient basis, starting with antibiotic medications such as tetracycline or doxycycline.
Antibiotic treatments may be given orally or as an external direct application onto the eye.
The entire treatment process may take up to six weeks.
Please ask your vet for proper dosage. Do not decide on this for your cat. Incorrect dosage may cause complications.
PREVENTION
There is no preventative measure that can be taken for this medical issue, but vaccinations can help to reduce the severity of outbreaks when they do occur.
It is thus recommended that you have your cat vaccinated with the tricat vaccine, which also protects your kitten/cat from the deadly panleukemia.