Why Is My Kitten Sneezing? | Cat Flu | Vet Explains

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide on cat flu, an upper respiratory infection in cats caused by feline herpes and glycovirus. It explains symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, emphasizing the importance of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories for secondary infections. The script advises on supportive care, diet, and hygiene for recovery and stresses the need for core vaccines to prevent the highly contagious disease. It also covers the long-term implications of the virus and the importance of separating infected cats from healthy ones.

Takeaways

• 😷 Cat flu is an upper respiratory infection in cats caused by feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus.
• 🧬 The feline herpes virus affects the eyes and nose, while the feline calicivirus affects the mouth, causing inflammation and pain.
• 💉 Secondary bacterial infections are common with cat flu, often caused by bacteria like Bordetella bronchiseptica and Chlamydophila felis.
• 🐾 Cat flu is highly contagious and can affect kittens, older cats, and those with weakened immune systems like feline leukemia or AIDS.
• 🤧 Symptoms include a runny nose, teary eyes, lethargy, weakness, fever, and loss of appetite, with severe cases leading to pneumonia.
• 🏥 Diagnosis involves physical examination, looking for secretions, mouth ulcers, and signs of compromised breathing, possibly with blood tests and x-rays.
• 💊 Treatment focuses on managing secondary bacterial infections and supporting the cat's immune system, using antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and mucolytics.
• 👁️ For severe eye infections, vets may prescribe pet-specific eye washes and topical antibiotics.
• 🍼 Kittens with severe symptoms may require intensive care, including fluid therapy, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and immune boosters.
• 🍽️ Diet should be soft, palatable, and high in calories, with nutritional supplements like lysine to help manage the feline herpes virus.
• 🚫 Prevention includes core vaccinations, separating sick from healthy cats, and maintaining hygiene by disinfecting shared items and washing hands.

Q & A

What is cat flu?

Cat flu is a broad term used to describe an upper respiratory infection in cats, typically caused by the feline herpes virus and feline glycovirus.

How do the viruses causing cat flu affect a cat's body?

Feline herpes virus attacks the cell lining in the eyes and nose, while feline glycovirus attacks the cell lining in the mouth, specifically the tongue, gums, lips, hard palate, and throat, causing inflammation and pain.

Which cats are more susceptible to cat flu?

Young kittens, older cats, and those suffering from feline leukemia or feline AIDS are more prone to cat flu due to their weaker immune systems.

How is cat flu transmitted?

Cat flu is highly contagious and can spread through direct contact with other cats, air droplets from sneezing or coughing, and contaminated objects like shared bowls and food dishes.

What are the common symptoms of cat flu?

Symptoms include a runny nose, teary eyes, sneezing, coughing, drooling, lethargy, weakness, fever, and inappetence. In severe cases, secretions can turn yellowish-brown and become thickened, forming crusts that block the airways.

What is the role of bacteria in cat flu?

Bacteria, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica and Chlamydophila felis, can cause secondary infections in cats with weakened immunity due to the viral infection, exacerbating the symptoms.

How is cat flu diagnosed?

Diagnosis is usually based on the cat's appearance, history, physical examination, and may include blood tests, chest X-rays, and swab tests for bacterial culture or PCR to confirm the presence of viral RNA.

What is the treatment for mild cases of cat flu?

Mild cases are typically treated with injectable broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin clavulanate, anti-inflammatory drugs like meloxicam, and mucolytics to clear the airways. Kittens may also be prescribed a pet-specific eye wash and topical antibiotics.

What care is needed for kittens with severe cat flu?

Severe cases may require hospitalization, intravenous fluids, injectable antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and immune boosters. Nasogastric tubes may be used to feed kittens that refuse to eat.

How can you support a kitten's recovery from cat flu?

Providing tender loving care, maintaining hygiene, ensuring a clean environment, and offering soft, palatable, and high-calorie food can support recovery. Steam inhalation can help loosen secretions, and nutritional supplements like lysine can limit the multiplication of the feline herpes virus.

How can you prevent cat flu?

Ensuring cats receive their core vaccines, separating sick from healthy cats, disinfecting shared items, and starting treatment for all kittens in a litter can help prevent the spread of cat flu. Once infected, cats may carry the virus for life and can have relapses, especially during stressful events.