Cats Flashcards

Question

Why are cats obligate carnivores?

Answer 1

Cats are prone to taurine deficiency and need to collect it from animal tissue - Other species synthesize taurine from sulfur rich amino acids (methionine and cysteine). The enzymes involved in these pathways are in very low quantities in cats Unlike other animal species cats have a difficulty in regulating the activity of hepatic enzymes involved in amino acid catabolism. - Unable to adapt protein catabolic pathways and activities such as urea cycle

Answer 2

Dilated Cardiomyopathy - Heart is too big - Takes too much energy to pump blood - Weak beats - Leads to cardiovascular failure - Can lead to blood clots Progressive retinal degeneration that leads to blindness - Retina is too thin - Light is being reflected through the retina

Answer 3

Note: Hyperthyroidism is usually seen in middle age to geriatric cats - 95% of cats with hyperthyroidism have benign thyroid adenomatous hyperplasia or adenomas (hyper-functional). Excess levels of T4 hormone - This does not spread to other parts of the body - Less than 2% are carcinomas - This does spread to other parts of the body - 70% of most cases are associated with both lobes of the thyroid gland

Answer 4

- Antibodies (initially believed there as similarity to Graves disease in people); **disproven** - Environment: indoor cats: one study cats that used lots of cat litter had higher incidence of disease - Diet: cats on canned food (fish, liver, giblets) and with plastic linings: more incidence of disease - Diets with high iodine: daily fluctuating levels of iodine are associated with higher incidence of disease. Constant iodine levels may modulate disease

Answer 5

Thyroid hormone (T4 longer lasting in blood/ T3 [active form] is derived from T4 and is more potent) affects almost all cell types. Increases metabolic rate of body (increase cellular activity). Uses more oxygen consumption by cells - increases protein synthesis, fat and carbohydrate metabolism (catabolism, breakdown) - **Modulates calcium homeostasis**

Answer 6

- Increased heart rate (tachycardia) and heart contractility (i.e. strength of contraction) - Increased in blood pressure, by increased water retention) (i.e. sodium reabsorption): **increased preload of the heart** - Increased erythropoietin secretion (i.e. increase more red blood cells) - Makes blood “sludgy” (harder to pump)

Answer 7

- Long-term increased heart rate - Heart murmurs - Increased respiration (stressed… visit to veterinary clinic) - Heart arrhythmias - Hypertrophic congestive heart failure - Hypertophic Cardiomyopathy - Heart muscle becomes too large

Answer 8

- **Drug treatment: (Methimazole)**: ~90% effective but reversible - The condition may return - **Radiotherapy: (Radioiodine)**: >90% effective and curative - Radiotherapy effects healthy cells too - **Surgery**: ~ 90% effective and curative - Important glands are located near the thyroid gland (parathyroid glands) - High risk of damaging structures

Answer 9

FIP is caused by Feline coronavirus (FCoV): Group I coronavirus - This virus can survive for 7 weeks in a dry environment - Occurs in domestic and wild cats (more frequent in crowded areas) - Contact virus: usually fecal-oral contact (litter box), rarely by saliva (water bowls) or in utero

Answer 10

1:9 cats infected with FCoV will progress to FIP (a fatal disease) and manly seen in young cats (most of FIP are in cats less that 1-year of age) - Stress: (i.e. surgery, overcrowding etc.) will increase the chance of progressing to FIP

Answer 11

Virus will induce chronic immune stimulation: will result in pyogranulomatous vasculitis (neutrophils, macrophages infiltrating blood vessels) 2 forms: dry (non–effusive) and wet (effusive) form - Dry: characterized by pyogranulomatous lesions of organs - Partial immune response - Wet: polyserositis (lining of body cavities) will exude fluid - No immune response

Answer 12

Weak or absent cell mediated-immune response. - If partial (effective) cell mediated-immune response: dry form - If absent (effective) cell mediated-immune response: wet form - If develop an antibody response (i.e. to S-protein) disease and death progress quickly. - Wet form - Wrong antibody response

Answer 13

Markedly distended abdomen Pleural effusion- Ongoing leaking of fluid into longs and chest cavity Peritoneal effusion (ascites)

Answer 14

Renal inflammation Ocular Changes - Hemorrage in eyeball - Clots in retina

Answer 15

- Supportive (possible short term): NSAIDS - Euthanasia: the disease is always fatal: - Control: Hygiene, clean and disinfect area. - Try to prevent cats from wondering in areas with known FCoV infections - If you had an FIP infected cat: It's recommended that at least 2 month before bring a new pet into the home

Answer 16

Feline Parvovirus = Feline Panleukopina virus - Rare - Cats never make it to adulthood - In utero infection - Complete loss of motor control - cerebellum is “obliterated” - “drunk” walking - 99% similar to canines parvovirus

Answer 17

Highly contagious pathogen that spreads through cat populations. - Larger cat households or shelters, higher prevalence of virus. 25-40% cats infected - Large colonies of cats: infection prevalence: 50-90% - Small cat households, smaller number of cats infected. <10% of cats infected

Answer 18

+ve single stranded RNA virus and this enables rapid virus mutations. - This can impact on developing long term protective immunity

Answer 19

Cats infected by oral, nasal, conjunctival (eye). - The oropharynx (main route) Transient viremia (virus in blood) 2-4 days (the virus is actively growing) - Then virus found in distant tissues

Answer 20

Virus kills epithelial cells (epithelial cell necrosis) Tongue and mouth eye lungs, synovial membrane (joints) affected Initially: vesicles (blisters) on tongue that rupture into ulcers Tissue healing: 2-3 weeks post injury - Most acute infections: cat recover 30 days - **Some cats will shed the virus for life** The virus is localized in palatine tonsils. Note: tonsillectomy will not clear the virus

Answer 21

Acute oral and upper respiratory tract disease - The disease manifestation is dependent on health, and age of animal. Husbandry practice and virulence (infectivity) of the virus - Often appears in kittens - **Sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, lethargic**

Answer 22

- A transient lameness with in cats - Occurs a few weeks post acute infection (i.e. showing upper respiratory signs) or vaccination

Answer 23

- Ulcers of the cornea - Inflammation of the conjunctiva - Excessive tearing

Answer 24

- Chronic inflammation of the mouth caused by an immune mediated problem (autoimmunity) - Large amounts of lymphocytes invade the tissue

Answer 25

- New disease (~10 years) described in Europe and USA - Highly virulent calicivirus - ••Infects adults more than kittens•• - Characterized by systemic inflammatory response syndrome (hyper inflammation) - Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and multi-organ failure - Causes death in animals - Mortality: 67% of incidence

Answer 26

- Virus isolation - Serology (antibody detection): all cats that have tested positive for serology should be considered suspicious for being a carrier - Molecular techniques: PCR (a technique that allows the detection of a single copy of the virus nuclear material)

Answer 27

- Treat the acute upper respiratory disease: supportive care (can be intensive if cat is sick) - Treat discomfort with NSIAD (ketoprofen) (Ibuprofen like drugs) - Antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection - Antivirals: either toxic or unavailable - **Vaccination (Prevention): very important and effective**. All healthy cats should be vaccinated against calicivirus - Shelters: calicivirus is often present in shelters…therefore vaccinate all healthy cats and new arrivals - Disinfect: calicivirus can survive in environment for 1 month: 5% bleach surfaces - Catteries: vaccinate queen and kittens

Answer 28

- Feline leukemia virus: gamma-retrovirus - Infects domestic and wild cats (i.e. lynx) - Retrovirus: enveloped RNA virus - 4 subtypes: A, B, C T (antigenically similar) - Subtype A: is involved in every infections

Answer 29

Virus doesn’t survive well in the environment (disinfectants, heat and drying will destroy the virus) - Virus can live in moist areas and is easily transmitted from cat to cat or iatrogenic (introduced by procedure; contaminated needles or surgical equipment, blood transfusion, etc.)

Answer 30

Infections have been identified worldwide The cat population density is important: - Individual cats: prevalence<1% - Multiple cat household (unvaccinated): prevalence >20% Viremic (live virus in blood) cats are the source of infection: virus shed in saliva, milk, nasal secretions, feces

Answer 31

Transmission: usually by friendly contact (i.e. grooming,) and bites Pregnant queens: stillbirth/abortions, viremic kittens that succumbed to illness quickly (in utero) or by nursing

Answer 32

**infections starts in oropharynx**: virus infects lymphocytes that travel to bone marrow (bone marrow cells divide rapidly and thus many cells become infected): very viremic - With large amounts virus will then **infect salivary glands and intestine** (shed virus in saliva and feces) - Some cats **develop protective immunity** others are **persistently infected** will develop disease (death 18 months-3 years)

Answer 33

Immune suppression: granulocytes (neutrophils) and lymphocytes are infected by the virus (cells are impaired or destroyed)

Answer 34

Leukemia and lymphoma: classifications - Thymic - Alimentary tract - Peripheral form (multi-centric lymph nodes) - Kills healthy lymphocytes, infected lymphocytes stay alive - Extra-nodal (non lymph node) skin, kidneys, brain etc. - Occasionally get odd tumors (fibrosarcoma) - Tumor surveillance goes down - Immune system is unable to check for cancer

Answer 35

- Elisa test for antibody to p27 - Immunochromatography and immunofluorescence - Virus isolation - Molecular techniques: PCR

Answer 36

Retrovirus: Lentivirus (close relation to HIV) - 5 sub groups (A-E): most common subtype A and B. Important for PCR diagnosis. FIV mutates rapidly (lots of variability and hard to mount and affective immune response

Answer 37

**General management**: - Separate infected cats from non infected cats. All cats should be tested - Multi-cat household/ cattery: test and remove all virus positive cats - Keep cats indoors. Prevent from exposure neighborhood cats **Care of the animal**: - Supportive care: antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections - Blood transfusion and stimulating agents (erythropoietin, stimulates RBC production) to help anemic animals - Antiviral agents: not too effective - Vaccinate (but not 100% successful)

Answer 38

Endemic world wide domestic cats (and wild ones) - Sick cats, male and roaming cats most susceptible **Main route of transmission** - Bites - Saliva - Can be transmitted vertically (in utero [70% fetuses] and nursing) to kittens (but is less common) - Also transmitted by oronasal and venereal spread - Most often appears later in life (4-6 years)

Answer 39

FIV targets CD4 T cells and macrophages/dendritic cells - CD4 T cells: directs/orchestrates immune responses - Macrophages: can initiate immune functions and destroys pathogens and involved in healing - gp120 binds to CD 134 protein on CD4 T cells and the invades the CD4 T cell

Answer 40

Latency: part of the virus (proviral genome) **integrates into cell genome**. Once cell is activated, produces virus. **This acts as reservoir** - Hard for the immune system to remove

Answer 41

Initially FIV replicates in CD4 T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells - 2 weeks later the virus is identified in blood (viremia) - 8-12 weeks post exposure: peak infection: anorexia, fever and depression - Following this the cat recovers (lymph nodes enlarged for up to several months) - Asymptomatic phase: cat remains healthy (last years and in some cats…entire life) - There can be a slow progressive loss in CD 4 T cell number. As well as macrophage dysfunction Immunological impairment - AIDS: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome…death

Answer 42

Most clinical signs are caused by secondary infection leading to sickness and death. bacteria, fungal viral - Tumors develop (lymphosarcoma, bone marrow cell hyperproliferation). - Immune system down, unable to check for tumours - Can rarely get FIV inducing brain injury itself; behavioral changes, seizures, sleep patterns aberrations - Stomatitis - Hemorrhagic necrotizing enteritis-intestinal injury with bleeding and mucosal sloughing

Answer 43

**Diagnosis** - Virus isolation - Molecular techniques: PCR - Serology: detection of antibodies for FIV - T cell function tests **Decontamination** - virus can only survive minutes outside the animal and is easily destroyed by common disinfectants (even hand soap) **Isolation** - **primary form of protection**. Keeps the FIV cat safe (not pathogens from healthy cats) and keeps healthy cat safe. Stops propagation of infection - Keep indoor cats inside - Test all sick animals (isolate or terminate infected animals) - Quarantine up to 3 months **Vacinate** **Routine health checks** **Neutering ingected male cats** **suportive care** **Antiviral therapy** - AZ, ADM 3100 (CXCR4 on T cells blocking drug), interferons - Very expensive - mostly for human medicine

Cats Flashcards

(67 cards)