Coccidiosis in cats treatment. Reading room

For the owner, the main thing is to help the pet get better as soon as possible. But when a doctor talks about the contagious nature of the disease, it is difficult for the average person to understand the difference between viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Conditionally contagious diseases are divided into parasitic (invasive) and infectious. Protozoa are single-celled parasites.

Cat diseases caused by protozoa are called protozooses. Most of them are dangerous to humans.

Toxoplasmosis is registered on all continents. Characterized by the presence natural foci and periodic outbreaks of the disease. In Russia, it is found in St. Petersburg, in the Leningrad region.

From a sick animal, Toxoplasma is excreted everywhere:

• co ;
• discharge from the eyes, nose, genitals;
• with urine and faeces.

Symptoms of the acute form of toxoplasmosis appear 2-3 days after infection:

• In females - abortion in the first half of pregnancy, the birth of a non-viable offspring, kittens with congenital deformities (hydrocephalus, underdevelopment of the limbs).
• Raising the body to 41 ° C, severe trembling and depression (the cat does not eat or drink).
• and purulent rhinitis.
• Persistent diarrhea with the release of blood and mucus, vomiting, abdominal pain on palpation.
• Mucous membranes are pale or cyanotic.
• Tachycardia and rapid breathing.
• Convulsions, paralysis.

The acute form of the disease can lead to death. The chronic course is characterized by the exhaustion of the animal, diarrhea, unstable appetite and fever. In cats, toxoplasmosis can even be hidden without causing any symptoms.

Infected animals shed immature oocysts in the faeces. They must "ripen" in the external environment for 3-4 days, after which they become infectious. An intermediate host is not required. Oocysts remain dangerous for up to 2 years, are resistant to disinfectants, so the disease is widespread.

Symptoms of isosporiasis appear a week after infection:

• with secretion of mucus and blood, feature- orange or red feces.
• The abdomen is painful and tense.
• Decreased or complete lack of appetite.
• Depression, lethargy.
• Polyuria, urine dark, with an unpleasant odor.
• Severe dehydration and exhaustion.
• Temperature increase (not always).

Without laboratory tests, the doctor may confuse the acute form of isosporosis with or.

Eimeriosis (coccidiosis)

Coccidia of the genus Eimeria live inside the epithelial cells of the small intestine. Only kittens are affected, and adult animals may be asymptomatic carriers. Infection occurs with water or feed. The disease is more common in the south of Russia.

Symptoms usually appear 2 weeks after infection and are associated with mechanical damage intestinal mucosa and layering of secondary microflora. Digestion is disturbed, the absorption of nutrients becomes impossible, which leads to constant starvation.

Signs of coccidiosis are the same as those of isosporiasis, but young animals are sick, lagging behind in growth, losing weight.

Giardiasis

The disease is caused by Giardia canis. Infection occurs with water and food. Giardia do not live inside cells, attaching to the intestinal villi from the outside.

Examination of faeces for the presence of oocysts

A coprological study (according to the method of Fulleborn or Darling) is carried out three times, every 2-3 days, since oocysts are not regularly or in insufficient quantities.

Linked immunosorbent assay

For the diagnosis of giardiasis, there is a rapid test (the answer will be in 5-10 minutes), feces are examined by ELISA.

polymerase chain reaction

Treatment of protozoosis

In addition to fighting the causative agent of the disease (protozoa), it is necessary to eliminate dehydration and nutritional deficiencies in the body.

• Apply subcutaneous or intravenous injections of solutions: Ringer, 5% glucose, Refortan, Reamberin.
• In case of severe depletion, solutions for parenteral nutrition containing amino acids - Infesol, Dufalight. Apply multivitamins (Hemobalance).
• Inside, astringents and enveloping agents are prescribed - a decoction of flax seed, rice decoction.
• With severe damage to the mucosa digestive tract sorbents are used - Phosphalugel, Enterosgel, Polypefan.
• If the doctor suspects that the pathogenic microflora, provoked by damage to the intestinal mucosa, has joined the protozoosis, an antibiotic or metronidazole (Trichopolum) is prescribed.

Diet

• If the cat has previously eaten an industrial diet, use special diets to maintain the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract: i / d; Gastrointestinal and others.
• If you are used to homemade food, use thin, slimy rice porridge with boiled beef, dairy products.

Feed should be easily digestible and not irritate the digestive tract.

Prevention of protozoosis

1. Remove faeces in a timely manner, disinfect animal care items, and maintain cleanliness in the premises.
2. Isolation from stray dogs and cats.
3. Do not feed raw meat and offal.
4. Avoid eating rodents (home keeping, bell on the collar when kept outdoors).

Conclusion

It is very important to differentiate diarrhea caused by protozoa from viral or bacterial enteritis. The sooner the necessary studies are done, the faster the cat will be able to recover.

KotoDigest

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Protozoonoses are diseases caused by protozoa, single-celled organisms that can only be detected under a microscope. Infection with protozoa usually occurs after ingestion of cysts, which, when they enter the intestine, favorable conditions there they turn into mature forms that cause disease.

3.1. Toxoplasmosis

Put the exact diagnosis toxoplasmosis is possible only with the help of laboratory research feces.
Symptoms: redness of the cat's eyes, emaciation, abortion, causeless diarrhea. At acute form disease, kittens present with fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, drowsiness, swollen lymph nodes, diarrhoea, jaundice and disorder of the central nervous system. If your cat has these symptoms, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.
Treatment a cat with toxoplasmosis is treated only by a veterinarian. Effective therapy with the use of chemcoccide, sulfonamides, as well as immunofan in combination with gamavit and clindamycin (inside 2 weeks in total daily dose 25-50 mg per 1 kg of body weight).

3.2. coccidiosis

3.3. Leishmaniasis

Symptoms: in the acute form, fever, anemia quickly develops, appetite disappears, weakness increases, the mucous membranes of the eyes, eyelids, nose become inflamed and then ulcerated, skin lesions are observed, kidney failure. In the chronic form, dryness and skin lesions are more common.
Treatment: meglumine antimoniate (glucantim), allopurinol, fungizone, pentamidine, antimony preparations, gamavit.

3.4. Blastocystosis

Diseases caused by pathogenic protozoa are very common in nature. Fortunately, this is more true for countries with warmer and milder climates, but we also have our own “microscopic villains”. It is these that cause isosporiasis in cats.

The causative agents can be two types of protozoa - Isospora rivolta / I.felis. These are the smallest unicellular organisms living in the intestines of cats, other domestic and wild animals, as well as humans (for each species there are specific species). In most cases, isosporiasis develops in kittens younger than six months of age, as well as in old and weakened animals. Often this disease is secondary, developing against the background of some other pathological processes, leading to a significant decrease in the immunity of animals.

Adult cats are resistant to isosporosis, but most often it is not about full immunity, but about carriage. Isospora rivolta/I.felis at the same time become, as it were, a “conditionally pathogenic” intestinal microflora, which can manifest itself only in severe immunity disorders (including age-related ones associated with aging). Such carriers play the role of a kind of reservoir host, since isospore cysts enter the external environment with the feces of the animal, infecting still healthy cats.

Transmission routes

It must be emphasized that protozoa cannot overcome the placental barrier, and indeed, they live exclusively in the intestines. And therefore, even a cat whose intestines are full of pathogens give birth to healthy kittens (of course, if the mother does not show clinical signs).

Attention! Infection occurs very quickly: the cat constantly licks itself, maintaining the cleanliness of the coat, the cysts spread over the entire surface of the body, including on the nipples of the animal. When kittens are fed, infection occurs. In young animals, the course of the disease is very severe. Quite often, young animals (especially in animal shelters) die from severe dehydration, which in some cases develops in a couple of hours.

Read also: Frostbite of paws in cats: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Thus, being in the same room with other infected animals is the most common cause of this infection. But veterinarians warn that some varieties of isospores can be transmitted when cats eat infected mice and other game. But still, such cases are much rarer than the usual alimentary transfer. We emphasize once again that the disease is especially dangerous for kittens, since they the immune system has not yet been properly formed, and therefore cannot resist the causative agent of the disease.

Simply put, they live and multiply in epithelial cells, as a result of which the latter begin to die off and collapse en masse. Since the mucous membrane in the gastrointestinal tract plays the role of not only a “sponge” that absorbs nutrients, but also the protective shell, the internal structures of the intestine quickly become inflamed. Of course, what actually digestive function organ is damaged.

The onset of the disease, symptoms

It takes about 13 days from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first clinical signs. That is why initially the kittens look completely healthy. Because of this, many breeders believe that the culprit of isosporiasis is another animal or person that has brought the infection. Of course, this also happens, but if the kittens of your pet suddenly fell ill with isosporiasis, you should take their mother to the clinic and check the animal's feces for the presence of pathogen cysts.

The symptoms of isosporosis in cats are very monotonous: the disease manifests itself in profuse diarrhea, and the feces look watery and as if slimy. Mucus is quite understandable: millions of dead intestinal epithelial cells are thrown out. The progression of the pathology is evidenced by bloody diarrhea and vomiting. But you should not worry about diarrhea, but about a strong one. Its consequences are extremely serious. In severe cases, it is fraught with severe neurological seizures.

Important! Note that small kittens with coccidiosis can rarely live longer than two days, so contacting veterinary clinic better not to over tighten. Weakened and old cats can also die. In any case, constant diarrhea will not add health to their body for sure.

Diagnosis and treatment

In principle, at the sight of vilifying two-week-old kittens, a presumptive diagnosis can be made with a high degree reliability, but still, in any case, it is necessary to conduct an analysis of feces. Cysts are quite specific in appearance, so that microscopic examination is usually sufficient for a definitive diagnosis.

Sourced from www.merckmanuals.com

Entamoeba histolytica lives inside the colon, and sometimes there may be no noticeable symptoms. In other cases, the amoeba can invade the intestinal mucosa and cause inflammation, injury, and bleeding. Behind a short time may develop severe diarrhea. The disease can be fatal for a cat, progressing to chronic stage or suddenly stop. With a long course of the disease, cats may lose weight, lose their appetite, and may have strenuous defecation or diarrhea. Some of these signs may be permanent or recur periodically.

Coccidiosis in cats.

The most common symptoms of coccidiosis in severe cases are diarrhea (sometimes bloody), weight loss, and dehydration. For diagnosis, veterinarians use fecal analysis data, external signs of illness and intestinal disorders.

Cats usually do not require treatment, as the body is usually able to clear the infection on its own. However, if necessary, sick cats can be treated with medication.

For the prevention of coccidiosis, it is very important to provide good sanitary conditions, especially in catteries or houses where several cats live. Should be cleaned more often toilet trays and avoid contamination food products and water with faeces. Cages, utensils, toys and other accessories of cats must be cleaned daily. raw meat must be excluded from the diet of cats. It is also necessary to treat the area from insects.

Giardiasis in cats.

Giardia protozoa live and reproduce by attaching to small intestine cats. They form cysts that are excreted from the body with feces. Transfer occurs when it enters the cat's mouth.

Treatment of giardiasis in cats is carried out with drugs that are effective on protozoa. Exist vaccines from Giardia, relieving symptoms and reducing the number and duration of cyst release into the environment. Your veterinarian can recommend a suitable vaccine for your cat.