Pet owners often get worried about their cat’s eye discharge and sneezing. This is probably, a common symptom of feline upper respiratory disease. While checking the available Bengal kittens for sale online, you should have a look at this guide to get some important information about your cat’s health. The above mentioned condition affects the mouth, sinuses, nasal passages, upper airway and in some cases eyes in kittens and cats.
Causes of this disease:
A number of reasons are responsible for this complexity. More than 80% of the cats/kittens suffer due to feline herpes-1 and calicivirus. Other causes of sneezing are, Chlamydophila felisi, Bordetella bronchiseptica, mycoplasmas, etc.
How this infectious disease spread?
Feline rhinotracheitis virus and calicivirus are spread through discharge from the eyes and nose of an infected cat/kitten. Similarly, the viruses spread through direct contact, sneezing, food, hands, bedding, etc.
Symptoms of feline upper respiratory disease:
The symptoms in cats/kittens vary due to the difference in virus or bacteria, age, and some other health factors. Common symptoms include, sneezing, nasal discharge, fever, joint pain, oral ulcer, etc.
Diagnosis:
The diagnosis of this disease is made on the basis of medical history, special laboratory test and clinical signs. Laboratory tests include,
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
- Fluorescent staining of cells taken from the conjunctiva
- Virus isolation
Treatment:
The treatment process includes,
- Keeping the nasal passage clear by removing the discharge
- Managing food and water intake
- Keeping the cat/kitten warm
- Controlling bacterial infection and treating oral ulcers with medication.
Due to the contagious nature of this disease, you don’t need to hospitalize your cat/kitten unless until it is severe. When the infection is chronic, you may need to provide fluid therapy, oxygen and a tube to feed the pet if necessary.
Vaccination is an important aspect of disease control; still you have to be careful towards boarding facilities and catteries of your pet to avoid infection.
