Cat flu turns fatal, vets pin hope on early diagnosis

KOLKATA: A feline flu caused by a type of haemoprotozoa, or blood protozoa, and spread by infected ticks have sparked concern among pet owners and veterinarians following the death of several cats who showed symptoms of the disease.Experts have linked the infection’s spread to the prevailing weather condition and said early diagnosis and prompt treatment hold the key to the sick animals’ survival.The symptoms of the disease include loss of appetite, severe lethargy, anaemia, vomiting, dehydration and bloody stool. Because of inadequate testing facilities and the protozoa’s incubation period of five-12 days, many infected animals go into fatal shock from dehydration and sepsis by the time the disease is diagnosed.

“The protozoa attack the cells that line the small intestine of cats and cause severe immunosuppression. Early diagnosis is very important for a proper cure of the disease, which affects organs such as the kidneys, spleen and the liver,” said veterinarian Subir Bhattacharya.Cats contract the pathogen mostly when they come in contact with infected ticks and flies, he said.Veterinarian Pratip Chakraborty is getting 25-30 cases of feline tick fever daily.

“Given the outbreak, pet owners should keep their cats indoors as much as possible. They should check the cat’s fur and skin daily, especially on the head, neck, ears and paws. If ticks are found, they must be immediately removed with fine-tipped tweezers,” he said.“The areas where the (infected) cat roamed should also be cleaned so no ticks or eggs remain. Timely medical intervention can prevent fatality,” veterinarian Chakraborty said.Treatment involves prompt administration of intravenous fluids, antibiotics and supportive therapy.Veterinarian Rana Ganguly said, “The flu season usually starts in winter and lingers till the onset of summer. This year the spurt in infections started early because of the erratic weather. The night and early morning temperatures are a bit low, resulting in an early spread of the disease.”He said experts are trying to make people aware of the flu symptoms so they get in touch with a vet without delay.“Our four-month-old cat Jerry was fine until she suddenly stopped eating on Oct 6 and started staying away from home for most of the day. She refused to eat despite our repeated attempts to feed her. She died on Oct 10,” said Rishwav Mondal, a third-year college student from Behala.Chandrani Majumdar, a resident of Jadavpur, didn’t waste time and took her two pets to a vet immediately after they showed symptoms similar to that of Jerry.

A polymerase chain reaction test showed both were suffering from feline flu.“They were put on a drip and given antibiotics. Their condition is improving,” Majumder said.With limited definitive treatment protocol available, veterinarians are stressing the need for prevention and urging cat owners to ensure their pets are vaccinated.“Many owners still hesitate to vaccinate their pets. Every kitten must receive the CRP vaccine, which offers protection against calicivirus, rhinotracheitis virus and panleukopenia virus,” said veterinarian Saikat Ghosh.