1.1.2: Infectious respiratory disease - Cat flu Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in 1.1.2: Infectious respiratory disease - Cat flu Deck (27)
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1
Q

What are the causative pathogens of cat flu?

A
  • Feline herpesvirus
  • Feline calicivirus
  • Chlamydophila felis
  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Mycoplasma felis
  • And others. However, influenza does not cause cat flu.
2
Q

What are the clinical signs of feline herpesvirus infection?

A
  • Conjunctivitis, potentially unilateral
  • Ocular ulcers
  • Damage to nasal bones -> cat flu kittens become chronic snufflers (cat is more prone to infectious disease thereafter)
3
Q

True/false: feline herpesvirus can be shed without the animal showing signs of disease.

A

True
* Animals are infected for life with the virus sitting in nerve cells
* They can shed without showing signs of disease
* Recrudescence occurs at times of stress

4
Q

True/false: feline antivirals have a braod mechanisms of action, with many of them effective against a huge range of pathogens.

A

False
Antivirals are very specific so work against a given virus but not othera
Examples: L-lysine, inferferon omega, famciclovir

5
Q

Describe the clinical signs of feline calicivirus infection

A
  • Flu-like
  • Tongue ulcers
  • “Floppy” kittens = synovitis
6
Q

What type of virus is feline herpesvirus?

A

Enveloped DNA virus

7
Q

What type of virus is feline calicivirus?

A
  • RNA virus (hardy and fast-evolving)
8
Q

What clinical sign is shown here and what causative agent is it suggestive of?

A

Tongue ulcers - Feline calicivirus

9
Q

Describe the relationship between Feline Chronic Gingival Stomatitis and Feline Calicivirus.
What is the treatment and prognosis for FCGS?

A
  • FCGS linked with FCV but causation not eatablished
  • FCGS is frustrating to treat: use dental, antibacterials - sometimes warrants a full mouth extraction.
  • Can also use corticosterioids, interferon.
10
Q

True/false: with Feline Calicivirus it is possible to have outbreaks of severe disease where mortality is high and even healthy vaccinated adult cats are affected.

A

True
* This form of FCV can be virulent and systemic
* There is 50% mortality
* Virus can spread through fomites
* Hospitals have to be shut down when this occurs

11
Q

What kind of virus is Chlamydophila felis?

A

It is not a virus. It is an intracellular, bacteria-like organism.

12
Q

Clinical signs of Chlamydophila felis infection

A
  • Ocular discharge and irritation
  • Red and swollen eyelids and conjunctiva
  • Sneezing
  • Nasal discharge
  • Anorexia/inappetenace
13
Q

True/false: this cat’s presentation is inconsistent with Chlamydophila felis infection because the signs are unilateral.

A

False
Clinical signs of Chlamydophila felis infection can initially appear unilateral

14
Q

Which infectious agent might you associated with the clinical signs pictured and why?

A

Chlamydophila felis
Inflamed, erythematous conjuctiva and eyelids

15
Q

Treatment of Chlamydophila felis

A
  • Antibiotics: doxycycline at 10mg/kg SID for 4 weeks
  • NB: doxycycline can cause oesophageal stricture in cats, but dose above usually well-tolerated
  • Treat all-contacts
16
Q

Of the following infectios agents, which are spread by close contact/poor hygiene, and which are spread by fomites?
* Feline herpesvirus (FHV)
* Chlamydophila felis
* Feline calicivirus (FCV)

A
  • FHV, Chlamydophila felis = close contact/poor hygiene
  • FCV = fomites
17
Q

When might it be important to push for diagnosis of the specific pathogen causing a cat flu outbreak?

A

Push for diagnosis when it will change management. Consider both the individual and the population.

18
Q

What samples should you take to identify the causative pathogen in a cat flu outbreak? How should these be transported and what tests will the lab run? What are the limitations of this test?

A
  • Oral/ocular swabs
  • Viral transport medium (call the lab first and check)
  • Isolation of virus/PCR
  • For FHV/C. felis qPCR is best to give you relative numbers of what is present
  • Calicivirus may be harder to detect as many different strains
  • Absence of herpesvirus on test does not mean the animal does not have it
19
Q

Treatment for cat flu

A

Supportive care
* Can be the most important factor - not to be underestimated!
* Fluids
* Specific diets with appropriate calories, high palatability, easy to digest

Symptomatic treatment
* NSAIDs: meloxicam (consider renal impact if dehydrated)
* Nebuliser - steam/sterile saline
* Lubricate eyes e.g. Viscotears
* Appetite stimulants e.g. mirtazepine

Nutritional support
* NG tube - can be placed conscious/with sedation]
* O-tube - requires GA

20
Q

Describe the specific treatments available for feline herpesvirus (FHV)

A
  • Famciclovir
  • L-lysine: herpesvirus likes arginine to multiply and L-lysine interferes with this. Remember that arginine is essential for the cat, though.
21
Q

Cats who don’t eat or drink can rapidly drop in levels of which electrolyte? What signs might you see associated with this?

A
  • Potassium
  • Cat with ventroflexion (dropped head, only lifting eyes, not head, to look at you) is low in potassium until proven otherwise
22
Q

True/false: FHV is difficult to destroy with common disinfectants.

A

False
FHV is very labile (transient and unstable) in the environment

23
Q

Which disinfectants are not effective against FCV?

A
  • FCV is more resistant than other viruses
  • Quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g. chlorhexidine, Lysol) are not effective
  • Sodium hypochlorite has been proven effective
24
Q

What core vaccines are there for cats?

A
  • Feline panleukopenia virus/infectious enteritis (Feline Parvovirus)
  • Feline Herpesvirus
  • Feline Calicivirus
25
Q

What are some non-core vaccines for cats?

A
  • Chlamydophila felis
  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Feline leukaemia virus
  • Rabies virus
26
Q

Which cats are more prone to Feline leukaemia virus?

A
  • Kittens are more prone than older cats
  • Outdoor cats are more prone than indoor
27
Q

True/false: all core cat vaccines must be given annually.

A

False
* In high risk cats, FHV may be given yearly but feline panleukopaenia (feline parvo) can be given every 3 years

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