Virus and Bacterial
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What is Feline Herpes Virus?
To clarify, feline herpesvirus isn’t a sexually transmitted disease. It’s a virus infection that is similar to the human virus that causes cold sores. Feline herpesvirus most commonly affects the eyes, the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract. Rarely, feline herpesvirus can potentially affect the skin, the reproductive tract, and the musculoskeletal tract1,2. In cats, clinical signs can be seen within 2-5 days of exposure to the virus.
What is the symptom of the Feline Herpes Virus?
The most common clinical signs seen from the feline herpes virus include:
- Sneezing
- Runny eyes
- Pink eyelids (e.g., conjunctivitis)
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Not eating/anorexia
- Weight loss
- Drooling
- Dehydration
- Increased respiratory effort
- Loud, snoring-like breathing
- Severe ulcers on the eyes (less common)
- Rupture of the cornea (rare)
- Lameness (rare)
- Dermatitis
- Death (rare)
How long does the Feline Herpesvirus live in the environment?
Sharing or food bowls and litter trays.
A contaminated environment (including bedding and grooming aids) – this is less important with FHV than FCV as the virus is fragile can probably only survive for 1–2 days in the environment.
The virus prefers damp environments but even so, can only remain active for 18 hours on a surface without a host and an even shorter period of time as an aerosol.
Symptoms occur after an incubation period of 24-48 hours.
What disinfectant kills feline herpesvirus?
Virucidal activities of several disinfectants against FHV, compared with feline calicivirus (FCV), were studied and the following conclusions were reached:
1) Sodium hypochlorite, iodine complex, benzethonium chloride and chlorhexidine were effective against FHV at commonly used concentrations.
All cats are susceptible but especially those stressed by their environment or another disease.
Your veterinarian may recommend giving your cat amino acid supplements to boost its immune system.
You can also help your cat reduce flare-ups by providing them with a clean, comfortable environment.
How long does it take for a cat to recover from Feline Herpes?
How can I treat Feline Herpes?
- Quarantine: Keep infected cats in quarantine due to the contagious nature of this disease.
- Nursing care: If your cat is showing signs of nasal or eye discharge, make sure to keep your cat kept free of discharge. Blot away any discharge with a damp paper towel or terry cloth rag. This is important to help prevent the nostrils from being blocked up from nasal crusting.
- Moisture: Take your cat into the bathroom while you’re taking a hot shower (Note: NOT into the shower, but into the bathroom). This way, the steam can help humidify the nasal passages and make your cat breathe better.
- Tasty food: With the herpes virus, your cats can eat whatever they want! Try to tempt your cat to eat with tasty canned tuna (in water), meat-based human baby food or any kind of tasty canned food.
- Seek veterinary attention: If you notice abnormal squinting, tearing, redness to the eyes, drooling, not eating, etc., get to a veterinarian immediately!
That’s because corneal ulcers or conjunctivitis may need topical antibiotic ointments (e.g., Terramycin, oxytetracycline, erythromycin, etc.). Topical, ophthalmic anti-viral ointments can also be used (e.g., cidofovir, etc.). In severe cases, where a secondary bacterial infection occurs (e.g., pus coming from the eyes or nostrils), oral antibiotics may be necessary (just like human colds, viruses typically don’t need antibiotics initially). Keep in mind that antibiotics can often cause cats to lose their appetite, or develop vomiting and diarrhoea.
This amino acid is present in every cat's body, but some cats do not have enough of it to ward off infections and illnesses.
Mix the powder in a small amount of food unless otherwise directed.
This medication can take up to a few weeks before full effects are noted, but gradual improvements are usually noticeable after a few days.
Sources:
https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/hubfs/VAH_Resources_/PDFs/Factsheet_FelineHerpesvirus_April2016.pdf?hsLang=en-ca
https://www.vetspecialty.com/feline-herpesvirus-fhv-1/
https://www.greatpetcare.com/cat-health/feline-herpes/
https://www.medicinenet.com/pets/cat-health/feline_herpes_symptoms_and_treatment.htm
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/herpes-virus-in-cats-highly-contagious-a-major-problem/article_6302b796-8f78-5f1c-a9ff-5480ed9b47ff.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19481034/
https://pets.webmd.com/cats/feline-herpes-symptoms-treatment
https://www.nomnomnow.com/learn/article/what-is-l-lysine-and-how-can-it-help-your-cat
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/lysine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6281040/
https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-diseases-conditions-a-z/feline-herpesvirus-101-fhv
By: Malin Sundqvist
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- Nasal discharge (typically clear coloured but may progress to pus-coloured)
- Sneezing
- Inappetance/anorexia
- Discharge from the eyes (typically clear coloured but can progress to pus-coloured)
- Squinting of the eyes (which may be due to ulcers of the cornea)
- Lethargy
- Difficulty chewing food (due to ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth)
- Drooling (due to ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth)
- Pink eye signs (e.g., redness of the eyes due to secondary inflammation of the conjunctiva)
- Ulcers in the mouth
- Noisy breathing
- Increased or difficulty breathing
- Dehydration
- Fever
- Death (rare)
But of course, it's not necessary, but the fewer surfaces you have the easier it is to clean, of course, the most important is to split them up into groups if you do have a large group, make a space that is really clean where you move the cats who recovered completely.
Virkon S is effective for many diseases: https://virkon.se/hund-katt/, this might be available only in Scandinavia but I think a tip is good since it's completely harmless but kills most viruses and bacteria.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-calicivirus-infection
https://www.nasc.cc/pet-university/calicivirus-cats/