A 1 year old male intact cat was brought in the clinic complaining for poor appetite, runny nose, sneezing and having a nasal discharge for a couple of weeks. The cat was not yet vaccinated and dewormed. Physical examination revealed that the cat has a fever (temperature 39.9), pink mucous membrane, lung sounds were fine and he was mildly dehydrated. The eyes were slightly swollen and red with discharge. Complete blood count was done to diagnose the condition of the cat. The result showed that he has a viral infection.
Cat flu is a viral infection that can be spread from cat to cat contact and with contact from the discharges from the nose and eyes. The virus also can live outside the body of the cats for a period of time and so the infection can be transmitted thru fomites like bowls, cages and feeders. The affected cat should be isolated for a couple of weeks to prevent transmission of virus to other cats.
Antibiotic medication was given for 10 days to prevent secondary bacterial infection, because viral infection has no specific treatment. Intravenous fluid was also given to correct dehydration. Vitamin C was also given to boost the immune system of the cat. After the 2 weeks treatment the cat was brought again in the clinic for follow up checkup and he was fully recovered. To prevent cat flu, make sure your pet is vaccinated against viral infection.
Dr. Rico Pangan
