El feline typhusAlso known as infectious panleukopenia, it is one of the most dangerous diseases that our furry friends can suffer from. Once the virus enters your body, it reproduces very quickly, thereby weakening your immune system. As a result, the animal is exposed to other diseases, which can cause death, especially if it is a puppy less than one year old.
Fortunately, today it is difficult for a cat to suffer from this disease, but if the vaccination guidelines recommended by veterinarians are not followed, the risk is high.
What is feline typhus?
This is a disease that is transmitted through the infection of a virus, specifically the feline parvovirus. It is known by various names, such as feline distemper, feline fever, or feline typhoid. This virus is found in the environment, so all cats are exposed to it at some point in their lives.
Once it enters, it destroys cells, especially those of the bone marrow, those of the intestines, and also developing fetuses. It is very, very contagious among felines (not just cats), but not between cat and person, since the virus does not affect humans.
How do I know if my cat has it?
The symptoms of this disease are very similar to those of others, such as infection with the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), or feline leukemia (VLF), so the final diagnosis can only be made by the veterinarian with an analysis full of cat feces. To this must be added that cats only express their discomfort when they can no longer. Even so, we can sense that something serious happens to him if:
- It shows listless and sad, to the point that he spends a lot of time resting.
- Start eating less and less, even not wanting to eat anything at all throughout the day.
- By eating less, he is losing weight, so its growth stops.
- You have nausea and vomiting.
- You can go to the fountain, but you won't drink much, or it won't at all.
- Your stools are very soft.
- You have nasal secretions.
- Can have fever.
If he has any of these symptoms, do not hesitate for a moment to take him to the vet, as his life could be in danger.
How are cats infected with the feline typhus virus?
Cats that have been infected, or those that have been exposed to the virus in some way, can shed the virus through urine, feces, and / or nasal secretions. If a cat with a weak defense system comes into contact with the virus, it will enter their body. But also, it must be taken into account that this is a virus that can survive up to 1 year in the environment, so even if in a bed or in a trough it is found, it can become infected equally.
With this in mind, if you have a friend who is infected or you think they may be, you must keep him and his things isolated from the others, because they could be infected.
Cleaning in these cases is of vital importance. To remove the virus, you can dilute bleach 1:32 in water, and use it to clean floors, beds, carpets and more (For the feeder and drinker, a normal dishwasher will continue to be used for safety).
What are the cats most susceptible to it?
En general, anyone who has not been vaccinated, or is young or sick, has a high risk of contracting this diseaseespecially if you live in a warm climate.
Transmission
Recovering a cat that has this disease is very difficult, especially when it is less than two months old. Unfortunately, there is no cure, so the treatment consists of alleviating the symptoms, providing the animal fluids and antibiotics until the immune system itself can take over.
Can you avoid feline typhus?
The truth is that yes, perhaps not 100%, but if some measures are taken, it is very difficult for our cat to have typhus. Those measurements are:
- Get vaccinated: one of the mandatory vaccines to be administered to cats aged 6-8 weeks is precisely that of feline panleukopenia. This vaccine is nothing more than an inactive virus that will cause the defense system to produce antibodies, which will keep the cat protected if it comes into contact with an active virus tomorrow.
- Clean the home thoroughly: Although it is logical, it is very important to clean all the corners of the house, since as we said before, the virus can live up to 1 year in the environment.
Feline typhus is a very serious disease that urgently needs veterinary attention. If you see that there has been a change in your cat, even just a small detail, do not ignore it. See a professional as soon as possible.