Top Feline Shelter Medicine Diseases Flashcards
what is the classic case presentation of a cat with otodectic mange?
mostly seen in kittens - scratching at the ears, shaking head, inflammation inside the pinna, dark brown waxy debris in the ears, & barely visible white specs moving in debris (may see mild alopecia, redness, or pruritus on head/neck)
what is the etiology of otodectic mange?
otodectes cynotis
how are ear mites diagnosed?
otoscopic exam seeing white moving specs & microscopic exam of mites in debris in mineral oil
how are ear mites treated in the scope of shelter medicine?
preferably, all shleter animals should be treated, clean the external ear canal with ceruminolytic cleanser, & systemic treatment with topical selamectin is cost effective for kittens if prepackaged dosages for large dogs are divided among kittens by weight
T/F: ear mites are very contagious between puppies & kittens
TRUE
what is the zoonotic potential of ear mites?
very low but they can bite humans
T/F: approximately 1/3 of all shelter cats are symptomatic carriers for feline trichomoniasis
TRUE
what clinical signs are seen in shelter cats with trichomoniasis?
chronic diarrhea that may progress from large to mized bowel diarrhea that is yellow green, malodorous, hematochezia, fecal incontence, tenesmus, & flatuelence
what cats are commonly affected by trichomoniasis?
usually densely housed kittens/cats under 2 years old
what is the etiology of trichomoniasis?
tritrichomonas foetus - protozoa
how is trichomoniasis diagnosed?
PCR is the gold standard but can also do a protozoal culture in house with the InPouch feline test which is less expensive than PCR
what is remission like for cats with trichomoniasis?
remission may occur in 5-24 months but relapses are common - infection may persist & be lifelong
how is trichomoniasis prevented?
decrease housing density by increasing the amount of space per cat
is metronidazole effective againts trichomoniasis?
nope
what is used to treat trichomoniasis?
ronidazole
what are the disadvantages of using ronidazole for trichomoniasis?
narrow margin of safety, drug-resistance is becoming more common, don’t use in pregnant queens, & it is expensive
T/F: hygiene & disinfection of facilities is not nearly as effective as decreasing cat housing density when treating trichomoniasis
TRUE
what is fading kitten syndrome?
occurs secondary to vertical transmission of FeLV with hypothermia, dehydration, inability to nurse, & early mortality
what are the clinical signs seen with FeLV?
pale/icteric mucus membranes, lymphadenopathy, fever, neuro signs depending on location of lymphoma, chronic ulcerative proliferative gingivostomatitis
what cats are commonly infected with FIV?
outdoor male cats
what are the early signs of FIV? what are the chronic signs?
early - fever & lymphadenopathy, chronic -
what are the 4 subtypes of FeLV?
FeLV-A: original virus, source of natural infection, other types mutated from this virus, FeLV-B: high incidence of neoplasia, FeLV-C:increases likelihood of erythroid hypoplasia & severe anemia, & FeLV-T: causes destruction of t lymphocytes & immunodeficiency
how is FeLV diagnosed?
snap test antigen test
what is seen on a CBC of a cat with FIV?
non-regenerative normochromic anemia due to bone marrow suppression
how is FIV/FeLV prevented?
FeLV vaccination, spay/neuter pets, keep infected cats separated, keep surfaces clean
how is FeLV related anemia treated?
erythropoietin or darbopoietin +/- steroids if the others aren’t effective & if severe, blood transfusion
how is FIV stomatitis treated?
AZT, antibiotics, & if persistent, removal of all teeth
how is FeLV transmitted?
horizontal through social contact or biting or vertical transmission through utero
how is FIV transmitted?
transmitted through biting - high incidence of FeLV negative b-cell lymphoma
what is the classic case presentation of a cat with an upper respiratory tract infection from calicivirus or herpes virus?
usually seen in kittens, stomatitis/gingivitis/oronasal ulceration in stomatitis, anorexia, lethargy, ocular discharge, nasal discharge, sneezing, & in herpes virus, dendritic corneal ulcers
how are feline upper respiratory tract infections prevented?
vaccination with modified-live or killed FCV/FHV starting at 6-9 weeks of age & then every 3-4 weeks until kitten is atleast 16 weeks old, then annually
how are feline upper respiratory tract infections treated?
mainly supportive care, oxygen/fluids if needed, broad spectrum antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections, nebulization, & keeping eyes/nose clean
what bacteria can cause feline upper respiratory infections?
bordetella bronchiseptica & chlamydophila felis
what is pseudomycetomas?
pyogranulomatous draining nodules in generalized dermatophytosis
what is the most common etiology of dermatophytosis in cats?
microsporum canis
what is the classic case presentation of a shelter cat with ringworm?
kittens most commonly affected on head/extremities, patchy alopecia, often circular or ring like, scaling, crusting, & sometimes pruritus
how is ringworm treated in shelter cats?
clip long haired cats, combo miconazole/chlorhexidine rinses, lime sulfur dips, itraconazole
what is the potential complication of ringworm in devon rex cats?
eosinophilic/mastocytic dermatitis
T/F: ringworm is difficult to eradicate from shelters & expensive to treat
TRUE
if a cat is put on griseofulvin for ringworm, what must be monitored?
CBC every 2 weeks, then monthly - don’t use in pregnant or FIV positive cats!!!
what is the classic case presentation of a cat with panleuk?
fever or hypothermia, depression, anorexia, vomiting, rapid dehydration, thick bowel loops, diarrhea, +/- sudden death (fading kitten syndrome)
why will cats get cerebellar hypoplasia from panleuk?
in utero or perinatal infection
how is panleuk diagnosed?
leukopenia/neutropenia (50-3,000 WBC), can do a snap parvo test
what treatment is used for panleuk?
supportive care only - isolation, aggressive iv fluid, broad spectrum antibiotics
what cats have the highest mortality from panleuk?
kittens under 5 months
T/F: a WBC count under 2,000 from panleuk Is associated with a worse prognosis
TRUE
T/F: long haired cats with ringworm tend to have persistent infections (years) where infections in in short haired cats may be self-limiting
TRUE
what signs are seen with cerecellar hypoplasia cats infected by panleuk in utero?
hypermetria, ataxia with no weakness, intention tremors, & head bobbing
how is panleuk prevented?
vaccination with the inactivated or modified live starting at 6-9 weeks, booster every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age, & then annually
T/F: a pregnant queen cannot be vaccinated with the modified live vaccine for panleukopenia
TRUE
