How to know if my cat has distemper
Distemper in cats is a viral disease caused by the feline parvovirus virus. It is a very serious condition that can significantly compromise the health of your pet, so that in the presence of the first symptoms it is best to go immediately to a veterinarian. But how do you know if your cat has distemper ? In .com we explain the main symptoms of this disease and the treatment that is usually applied if your animal suffers from this condition.
What is feline distemper?
Feline distemper, medically known as panleukopenia, is a disease of viral contagion that affects the nervous system, digestive and bone marrow of the cat, severely compromising their health and can even lead to death.
This disease is spread by direct contact with the virus, which can be present in another cat, in the mother of the feline, outside, because it is present in the environment, or in infected fluids such as water that our animal drinks.
Feline distemper is a disease that can be prevented if we follow our cat's vaccination schedule, especially if it is completely domestic. However, in animals that are in pet shelters or in those that leave home and move freely having contact with other cats, it may be more difficult to prevent.
What are the symptoms of feline distemper
The symptoms of feline distemper that occur in the first stage can be confused with those of other conditions, such as intoxication or infection. However it is good to be clear that by themselves these signs are alarming enough to take your cat to the veterinarian, so it is not advisable to wait for a long time until the symptoms advance.
During the first days of infection, your cat can present
- Important diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Lack of appetite
- Apathy and sadness
- Runny nose
- Dehydration
If the virus continues to advance then your animal could manifest:
- Seizures
- Attacks himself biting his tail or different parts of his body. Both symptoms occur at a critical stage of the disease.
What do I do if I think my cat has distemper?
It is good to understand that whenever our cat has any symptoms of illness, such as severe diarrhea, fever or vomiting that does not subside after 24 hours, we must take it immediately to a veterinarian for a review.
The distemper is not a virus that disappears by itself, on the contrary it is a virus that can kill your animal quickly, so if you suspect that your cat has distemper you should take it as soon as possible to the veterinarian.
Feline distemper treatment
Feline distemper is very common in cats less than 5 months old, in those that have not been vaccinated against panleukopenia, sick cats and those in direct contact with other cats that can infect them, something very common in shelter animals or cats. stray cats.
There is no proper treatment for feline distemper since no medication can eliminate the virus. However, medical attention focused on reducing symptoms, hydrating the animal and helping it recover can save your life. Once the cat has exceeded the first 5 days with distemper, their chances of survival increase. It is essential to visit a specialist to receive recommendations and relevant medications to try to fight against this virus.
How to prevent feline distemper
The best way to prevent feline distemper is to vaccinate the animal against the panleukopenia virus, which is among the mandatory vaccines present in the vaccination schedule recommended to ensure the health of your cat.
If you have several cats and some of them have contracted this virus, it will be important to isolate it in a pleasant environment but away from the other animals to avoid contagion. Consult your veterinarian about the most convenient measures to implement to prevent the rest of your cats from getting distemper .
