Dr Hart's Emergency Pet Clinic: Feline Upper Respiratory Infection

Calcivirus/Herpesvirus
Feline upper respiratory infection is a very common viral infection, caused most commonly by calicivirus or herpesvirus. It is compared to the human common cold, and usually lasts for about a week. The viruses are spread through moist contact, like sneezes, infected discharges or sharing dishes.
These viruses are recurring, sometimes over a cat's entire life. Herpesvirus usually recurs about a week after a stressful incident (like a new pet in the house, boarding, surgery).
Susceptible cats include:

Shelter cats
Outdoor cats
Kittens (because their immune system is not strong)

SYMPTOMS:
The following symptoms indicate a mild infection, just like a human cold:

Sneezing and coughing
Discharge from the nose, mouth or eyes
Ulcers in the nose, mouth or eyes
Hoarse voice

If the infection becomes more serious, you will notice the following symptoms:

Loss of appetite
Difficulty breathing with an open mouth
High fever and lethargy

In kittens, these viruses can lead to pneumonia or arthritis. Call your vet immediately.
DIAGNOSIS:
Your vet may be able to diagnose your cat with a simple physical exam.
Additional tests may include:

PCR testing: a simple throat swab which is an extremely sensitive test for viruses in your cat's DNA
Immunofluorescence: uses a fluorescent dye to illuminate viruses or their antibodies in body tissue
Radiographs: may show inflammation or infection of the lungs, indicating pneumonia

TREATMENT:

Hospitalization: your cat will be boarded in a cage with proper humidity and oxygen to help breathing
IV fluids for dehydration
Anti-bacterial medication: This does not help against the actual virus, but will prevent and treat any secondary bacterial infections that can result from the virus
Oral medications for ulcers
Eye ointments
Nose drops for congestion
Vaccines

PREVENTION:

Follow the vaccine schedule recommended by your vet
Only allow vaccinated cats in your house
Separate infected cats from other cats
Wash your hands after handling the infected cat, because contaminated hands can spread the disease to other cats
Maintain a stress-free environment to prevent recurrence

PROGNOSIS:
Your cat may need to be hospitalized to safely survive the symptoms, but there is a very good prognosis. Death in adult cats is unusual; serious illness and death in young kittens is more common.

Emergencies: When to call the vet

Whether you’re a seasoned dog owner or newbie to owning a kitten, as a responsible pet owner there are countless times when you may want to call the veterinarian in case of emergencies. Maybe Sparky doesn’t seem to breathing normally or your feline is a little lethargic. Well, that is what your veterinarian is there for. While we’re not advocating calling your vet after any tiny concern, we support being aware of your pet’s health and well being, being observant, and getting help. After all, when in doubt as it relates to vet emergencies, it’s better to err on the side of caution that something is wrong than assume everything is alright.

Here are some red flag indicators which indicate cause for concern and a reason to call your veterinarian in case of emergencies. This list is just an overall guideline for responsible pet owners to give you an idea of veterinarian emergencies; of course if you’re concerned about your pet and the symptom is not on the list be sure to call your vet anyway.

While some of the items listed below are visible and apparent, others are not. For instance, symptoms of heat stroke include difficulty breathing, vomiting, high body temperature, and collapse. While it’s important to call the veterinarian in this emergency, you can also help by placing your pet in a tub and running cool water over it or gently soaking your pet with a garden hose or wrapping it in a cool, wet towel.

Seizures – seizures in dogs and cats cause reason for concern but most importantly you may not always be present to witness them since it may occur during the day when you’re not home or early in the morning or later in night. The post-seizure effects include disoriented, confusion, restlessness or responsiveness.

Unconsciousness

Bite wounds

Breathing stops

Heat stroke

Shock

Difficulty or inability to urinate

Bloody diarrhea

Uncontrollable bleeding

Lethargy – you may simply think your pet is fatigued. Well, it’s important to take notice to this symptom as a possible emergency. Lethargy may be a cause of a life-threatening condition such as poisoning or rabies.

Vomiting blood – this is very scary. Although hematemesis is the clinical term, the reasons for vomiting blood could represent a variety of things such as a foreign object in the system, poisoning, blood disorders, ulcers, or even cancer.

Dr Hart's Emergency Pet Clinic

Feline Upper Respiratory Infection

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