Good living conditions Can prevent upper respiratory tract infections
Several measures to prevent and treat upper respiratory tract infections in cats Strong infectious diseases have a high incidence in kittens. For every cat family, it is essential to take measures to prevent the occurrence of URIs. Then to prevent upper respiratory tract infections in cats, we can The transmission route of the virus starts from housing, air pollution, poor sanitation, stress, co-morbidity, parasitic infection, and malnutrition.
1. Reduce stress
Efforts to reduce stress must be ongoing from the moment the cat is picked up, as sometimes even a simple cage change is enough to induce URI in some cats. Keeping everything as clean and hygienic as possible and providing shelter that does not require extensive movement or cleaning is the key to controlling cat URIs. Regrouping cats living in groups in one place has been associated with recurrence of URIs. If group housing is necessary, it may be more beneficial to use smaller groups than larger groups to minimize the frequency of cats moving in and out.
If they need to be kept separately, it is better to divide them in a large room. Considering that cats need places to hide, reducing ambient noise (especially dog barking), maintaining a light-dark cycle and a comfortable temperature, and providing toys and scratchable surfaces are also important to relieve cat stress. Unnecessary treatment should be minimised – agitation to the cat, such as grasping or forced drug administration, must be adequately balanced against the stress caused by these manipulations. Increasing social activity may help reduce cat stress and stress, but it must be done with caution. Taking a cat out of a cage and being carried by a stranger to play in an unfamiliar room may help relieve boredom in some cats, but in others it may be intensely stressful (and prone to certain diseases). spread). Owners should learn to observe the cat’s response to interactive activities and will do things such as grooming or petting inside the cage, or allow the cat to play outside the cage in a clean, quiet area or sit on their lap (health vaccinations only). for vaccinated cats) etc.
Second, Disinfection
Most URI pathogens in the environment The survival time is between a few hours (eg, FHV-1) and several weeks (eg, Baumannii), and can be inactivated with conventional disinfectants. Strict attention to disinfection is required when an FCV outbreak is suspected. 1:32 dilution of household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) on clean surfaces can inactivate calicivirus. Likewise, other household bleaches such as calcium hypochlorite and sodium dichloroisocyanurate (Ucloxine) have also been shown to be effective at killing non-enveloped viruses. Like bleach, these products without detergent properties must be used on surfaces before cleaning. Other agents that have been shown to have disinfectant properties include potassium peroxymonosulfate and fast-acting hydrogen peroxide, which have been reported to have greater detergency and better bactericidal activity on organic surfaces than other bleaches and their compared to related products. Numerous independent studies have repeatedly demonstrated that quaternary ammonium disinfectants are not actually effective against non-enveloped viruses, despite repeated claims and labelling of such products. Caliciviruses also cannot be reliably inactivated by alcohol-based disinfectants, and hand sanitizers commonly used in shelters may not be fully effective against caliciviruses (though they should still be used in all animal shelters to protect public health). Disinfectants containing 60-90% ethanol and propanol are more effective against calicivirus than other alcohol-based disinfectants. As noted above, the stress and risk of contaminant release from cleaning a typical box-style single cage may outweigh the benefits of thorough disinfection. If possible, cat cages should be swept where they live, and cat cages should be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and dried between cats.
In short, the prevention and control of infection mainly depends on proper feeding and management. Dilute the emerging pathogen to the lowest exposure concentration, and newly introduced adult cats or kittens should be isolated and observed for at least two weeks, because the female cat may become the carrier and it is not easy to detect, so the kitten should be weaned at 4 weeks of age. Each cat cage should be at least one meter apart and have barriers. Gloves should be worn when carrying cages, and each cage must be replaced with gloves or disinfected before use.
Three, residence
Good housing conditions, less Stress, a sense of security, and effective cleaning are complementary to promoting cat health. A good home has a direct impact on the cat’s health, and is conducive to cleaning and relieving cat stress. Housing conditions may be the single most important factor in the incidence of URI in shelter cats. A recent study showed that only 60 of 1,434 cats sent to shelters in the UK developed URIs during their stay at the shelters. The cats in this study generally live in large rooms in the rescue station, and can freely enter and exit indoors/outdoors separated by upper and lower retractable doors, and provide sufficient hiding space for cats, separate garbage and food, completely isolated Barking noise, and constant care, etc.
Four. Treatment
Cats should be treated with symptomatic and supportive therapy, especially those with acute onset, should be supplemented with adequate water and nutrients. In the rehydration treatment of sick cats, adding thymosin in an appropriate amount can improve the body’s immunity and enhance disease resistance. Pay attention to the frequent removal of secretions from the cat’s nose and eyes, and use a spray or saline to help clear up purulent secretions. In addition, vasoconstrictor drugs such as 0.25% epinephrine hydrochloride can also be used in the nose to reduce the amount of serous mucus secreted in the nasal cavity, but it is not suitable for sick cats with mucopurulent secretions. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are used to prevent secondary infections. Ampicillin is the first choice, 10-20 mg/kg body weight, intramuscularly or orally, 2-3 times a day. These antibiotics have few clinical side effects and are suitable for the treatment of kittens.
If mycoplasma infection is suspected in cats, doxycycline, 5-10 mg/kg body weight, orally 1 every 12 hours Second-rate. For conjunctivitis caused by chlamydia, chloramphenicol or tetracycline ointment can be used, at least 4 times a day, and should be continued for 2 weeks after the clinical symptoms disappear. Corneal ulcers caused by infectious rhinotracheitis virus can be treated with antiviral eye drops such as trifluridine or acyclovir eye drops every 2 hours, alternating with antibiotic eye drops. Oral lysine 250mg twice a day can interfere with the replication of herpes virus and reduce the severity of infectious rhinotracheitis. Intramuscular injection of 0.2 to 0.4 ml of polymyocytes, once every other day, can inhibit the herpes virus.
