Distemper in cats is a disease that, fortunately, can be prevented if the animals are given the corresponding vaccine. However, if you manage to infect them, the consequences can be fatal, as there is no cure and it is also very contagious among felines.
For this reason, and to avoid surprises, I am going to tell you how distemper affects cats, and how to take care of a sick furry.
Table of Contents
What is distemper?
The distemper, also known as feline panleukopenia, is a disease transmitted by a virus that attacks and kills rapidly dividing cells, such as those found in the intestine or bone marrow. In this way, the animal weakens, presenting the following symptoms:
- Loss of appetite and weight
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Runny nose
- Diarrhea with or without blood
- Fever
- In severe cases, you may have seizures, and / or will start to bite parts of your body.
It is a common disease in kittens that are less than five months old, and in those that have not yet been vaccinated.
How is it spread?
A cat can be infected if the blood or any type of discharge from another feline comes into contact with it. The virus is eliminated through urine, feces or nasal secretions, so if you live with two or more furry animals, it is very important that you keep them separate until they have healed.
Treatment of distemper
In the absence of medicine to eliminate the virus, treatment consists of reduce symptoms presented by the cat, from the clinic or veterinary hospital since there is a very high risk of death.
There, you will be given serums to keep you hydrated, and antibiotics for infections.
How to care for a cat with distemper?
In addition to giving you the medicine you need, we have to keep him company and give him a lot of love every day. Thus, the chances of its survival will increase considerably. It is also important to make sure that drink plenty of clean water. In the event that you do not want to drink, we will give it to you with a syringe without a needle.
To avoid weight loss and the problems that it would lead to, you need to eat quality food, with a high percentage of animal protein (minimum 70%) and without any cereals or by-products. In this way, you can heal little by little.
Distemper is a very serious disease that must be treated as soon as the first symptoms appear. If you suspect your friend is sick, don't hesitate to take him to the vet.