Page 19 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

2 – THE CAT WITH ACUTE SNEEZING OR NASAL DISCHARGE 11

Disease control in the cattery or shelter ● Signs are often milder than feline herpesvirus
Vaccinate kittens early, and vaccinate all cats regu- infection.
larly to maintain immunity. Early signs are often non-specific, and typical of a sick

Isolate sick cats, and pregnant and nursing queens from cat, i.e. lethargy, anorexia and pyrexia.
the main cattery. Nasal and ocular discharge is often only mild and
Vaccinate and isolate incoming cats for 3 weeks. serous or mucoid, or may be absent.
● Avoid introducing cats that are likely carriers, i.e. Sneezing is less prominent than in herpesvirus and is
from catteries with known infection problems. not paroxysmal.

Carrier queens shed virus and infect nursing kittens, Oral ulcers are characteristic and present in 70% of
therefore, remove queens that repeatedly have infected cats.
litters, or wean kittens early. ● Oral ulcers may occur either as small ulcers (2–5
Avoid overcrowding and other causes of stress. mm in diameter) or as a large ulcer.
● Typically ulcers are located on the anterior or lat-
Clean and disinfect cages daily and bowels with eral margin of the tongue. Less frequently they
sodium hypochlorite (0.175%, i.e. 1:32 dilution of occur at the angle of the jaws, on the hard palate,
household bleach) added to detergent. nasal philtrum or lips.
● Footpad ulcers occur occasionally, hence the name
FELINE CALICIVIRUS (FCV) *** “paw and mouth disease”.
Salivation may be profuse in the first few days after
Classical signs ulcers form.
● Lethargy, anorexia, fever. Conjunctiva are generally only mildly hyperemic, and
● Oral ulcers of less than 1 week duration. are not chemotic, as occurs with herpesvirus or chlamy-
● Mild upper respiratory tract signs dophila.
(sneezing, discharges).
Viral pneumonia occurs occasionally with certain
See other reference on page 1137 for details (The Fading strains, and may produce significant mortality. Death is
Kitten and Neonate). often sudden and preceded by labored respiration.
Rarely, vomiting and diarrhea occur as a result of
Pathogenesis enteritis.
Calicivirus replicates in epithelial cells of the upper res- “Limping kitten syndrome” occurs occasionally with
piratory tract, conjunctiva, tongue and in pneumocytes some strains of virus.
of the lung alveoli. ● Acute viral arthritis results in reluctance to move,
and acute swelling and pain on palpation of the
Multiple antigenic subtypes occur with differing path-
joints.
ogenicity.
● Most isolates cause low mortality. A rare variant strain (FCV-Ari) reported from
● Some very pathogenic isolates cause severe pneu- California, USA, produces a high fever, facial and
monia and significant mortality. paw edema (50% of cats), ocular and nasal discharge,
● Other isolates cause “limping kitten syndrome”. conjunctivitis and ulcerative stomatitis (50% of cats),
● FCV-Ari isolate produces high mortality. hemorrhage from the nose, GIT, etc. (30–40% of
cats), icterus (20% of cats) and rapid death.
Mortality is high (30–50%).
Clinical signs
● Swelling of the feet and face is a combination of
Clinical signs vary from mild to severe, depending on edema and hemorrhage, which is thought to result
viral subtype and immune status of the cat. from vasculitis. Hemostatic abnormalities have