Rhinotracheitis in the feline family is a viral disease. The main sign of this ailment is inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. The pet begins vision problems, so you do not need to postpone the treatment of rhinotracheitis at home.
Causes of Rhinotracheitis in Cats
This disease is very widespread. There are many hidden carriers of the pathogen. They are not all sick, but they are able to transmit this virus. The most common causes of the disease are:
1. The virus can bring a cat directly to humans.
2. Infection easily passes through the air, which is very easy to inhale.
3. In case of stress, the sleeping virus is activated in the carrier of the infection. Getting sick is not necessarily serious, but nonetheless infects the rest.
4. The abundance of homeless animals.
5. The contents of most animals in shelters.
6. Infection occurs by direct contact with the carrier.
Very often, kittens become infected from a sick mother in utero. Some cat breeds are just prone to this ailment. These include cats with a flat face:
Scottish fold
Persian
· British Shorthair;
· Exotic shorthair.
Sick pets and kittens with reduced immunity are also very often affected by the disease.
The causative agent is excreted on Wednesday, not only with saliva, but also with liquid secretion from the eyes and nose of an infected pet. Therefore, infection of a healthy cat occurs upon contact with the patient. Also, infection is observed if the cat licks household items.
Sick Cat Care
The pet is extremely ill, so he needs to provide good conditions. This is the basis for the competent treatment of rhinotracheitis at home. For this:
1. Avoid drafts. The cat family is extremely poorly tolerated.
2. Necessarily warm. The pet can shiver, so it must be placed in a warm and calm place.
3. Feeding. Since the animal does not feel well, it will refuse to eat. He needs help to ensure that eating is painless.
The animal must be on a diet. The following foods can be consumed:
· Meat and fish broths;
Raw eggs;
Semi-liquid cereal;
· Boiled minced meat;
Grated boiled vegetables.
In this condition, the pet should receive a contented amount of vitamins. If the animal resists and refuses, then it must be fed from a spoon. Infectious rhinotracheitis is a very common ailment, so it is necessary to begin immediate treatment. Otherwise, complications may begin. A hunger strike for cats is very dangerous, as it provokes liver diseases. If the cat refuses to eat, it must be forced to do so. Infusion therapy is important to help avoid dehydration.
Home treatment
Despite the complexity of the disease, it is possible to treat rhinotracheitis at home. Good therapy will help to quickly eliminate the symptoms of the disease. But this can only be done after examination by a veterinarian. Only a specialist can prescribe a pet therapy regimen. A blood test will not give an exact answer, so a smear from the oral cavity is mandatory. It is also possible to withdraw the mucus that is secreted from the eyes.
Therapy of the disease should only be comprehensive. It is as follows:
1. Nasal lavage with saline. It should be warm. Also, nasal treatment includes Anandin drops 2-4 drops in both nostrils 3-5 times a day. Vitafel immunoglobulin is prescribed 3 drops three times a day in both nostrils. Dense secretions can be dissolved by inhalation with an ultrasonic nebulizer. Fluimucil in liquid form should be added to saline.
2. Sores may appear on the tongue. They are very painful and therefore require treatment. In this case, treatment of the oral cavity will be required. For disinfection, Chlorgescidine and Iodinol are used. For healing, Actovegin gel and Solcoseryl are used.
3. Atony of the intestine. If the infection is chronic, then such a pathology may appear. It causes constipation. Such an ailment also requires treatment. Laxatives and microclysters are indicated. To recover, the pet is transferred to soft food. Antibiotics do not cure the disease, but help prevent the attachment of a secondary infection. This can happen due to weakened immunity.
4. High temperature. In case of temperature increase it is necessary to give an antipyretic agent. It is forbidden to bring down the temperature on your own, as you can aggravate the situation and cause poisoning.
It is imperative to adhere to all the advice of a specialist.
Treatment of ailment
Since there is no specific treatment for rhinotracheitis at home, the therapy is symptomatic. It aims to maintain the pet's immunity. It consists in:
1. For conjunctivitis, use topical eye drops. They must contain antibiotics. These include Lacrican and Tsiprovet. Treatment must be taken very seriously to prevent ulcers on the cornea. This is an irreversible process.
2. Viral infections are not amenable to antibacterial treatment, but drugs are indicated to prevent the attachment of concomitant bacterial infections. They are also necessary to prevent secondary infections that complicate the course of the disease. These are the bacteria that quite often accompany herpesvirus infection. It is important to know that such drugs cause discoloration of the teeth.
3. Treatment of rhinotracheitis at home involves inhalation of a heated bath with water vapor for 10-15 minutes. They need to be done several times a day.
4. From time to time, wipe the animal's face with a damp cloth. This will help to avoid irritation from the accumulated dried secret from the eyes.
5. For the general strengthening of immunity showing Interferon.
Adult cats must be isolated from other animals. This will help to avoid the further spread of the disease. If a new pet appears in a room where there are already animals, quarantine will be required for a couple of weeks. This will minimize the transmission of infectious diseases.
Prevention of rhinotracheitis
There are preventive measures that must be followed:
1. Vaccinations. There is a vaccine against such a disease. It effectively protects the animal. If there are several animals and there was no vaccination, then the sick animal must be isolated. The chance of not getting infected increases significantly.
2. Disinfection. It is important to sanitize the room where the infected cat was. Everything is exposed to processing with what the animal contacted. First of all, it should be a bowl and all the accessories of the animal. For carrying out manipulations bleach is suitable. Since the virus is very tenacious, chemistry must be kept for at least half an hour.
3. Strengthening immunity. A healthy cat that has high immunity, the virus will not pick up. Be sure to stimulate mobility, monitor the diet and eliminate stressful situations. Use immunomodulators.
4. Do not allow the contact of a healthy animal with a newly ill.
The treatment of the disease is not so difficult, but requires patience. You just need to complete a couple of weeks all the appointments of a doctor. It is very important to provide the cat with a calm environment, where it will always be warm.
Rhinotracheitis in cats is an acute illness and very contagious. It is characterized by inflammation of the eyes and respiratory organs. General prevention consists in compliance with sanitary standards. It is also important to exclude contact with sick and homeless pets. With the introduction of serum, specific immunity is produced.
