Thank You! 4/1/2013
Thank you Gene Winters for the play cube!
Thank you Skelloton Queen for the privacy tents!
Thank you Beatriz Cotias for the food, toys and tent!
Thank you Thomas Powers for the food!
Thank you unnamed for the Freshstep!
Thank you unnamed for the privacy tent, foods and kickeroo!
Thank you unnamed for the foods!
Thank you unnamed for the toys, crystal litter, food and rainbow toy!
Thank you Christine Robbins for the cat litter!
Thank you Reia Barber for the kitty cubes and spring toys!
Thank you Kathy Davis for the foods!
 |
| Joey jumping for joy for boxes |
Thank you John Lawrence for the food!
Thank you Jaclyn Horrod for the food!
Thank you Dawn Stewart-Owens for the food!
Thank you Monica for the beds and foods!
We will be opening boxes Wed and Thursday
right after noon tour.
Please email me that you bought ticket: alana@blindcatrescue.com Please consider helping team Raleigh Rock the money! Please LIKE & Share
Vaccinations for Your Cat
Feline Calicivirus
By Jill Anne Sparapany
Vaccinations can be
confusing! We’ve all heard of parents who do not believe in vaccinations for
their children. What about your pets? How important is it to have your pets
vaccinated? What vaccinations do they need to stay healthy?
First, vaccinations,
especially in kittens, are extremely important! Many of the cats at Blind Cat
Rescue became blind due to untreated Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) when
they were kittens. If they would have been vaccinated, they would not have lost
their vision.
Second, vaccinations can
prevent premature death in your pet cat should he/she come in contact with an
infected cat and, subsequently, become ill themselves.
We will review the
vaccinations needed for your pet cat to stay healthy.
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| Paul as a baby with a bad upper respiratory infection when he arrived |
Feline
vaccinations are divided into two groups: Core Vaccines and Non-Core Vaccines.
Core vaccines are the Herpesvirus 1, Calicivirus,
Panleukopenia Virus and Rabies Virus vaccines.
Non-Core vaccines are the optional vaccines for Feline
Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Virulent
Calicivirus Vaccine, Feline Chlamydia felis Vaccine and Feline Bordetella
bronchiseptica Vaccine.
“Other” feline vaccines
category includes the Feline Infectious Peritonitis Vaccine (FIP). This is
given as an intranasal modified live virus.
Modified live virus vaccines have the
target viral agent altered into a form that is incapable of causing severe
infection. Sometimes it may be a portion of the viral agent’s structure
attached to a weaker pathogenic agent to stimulate an immune response. When the
immune system reacts to the weaker pathogenic agent, it also “sees” the
attached portion of the viral agent and produces
antibodies to it.
The efficacy of the FIP
vaccine remains controversial. The vaccine appears to be safe, but the duration
and immunity may be short.
We will limit this
series of articles to the core vaccines and the diseases they prevent.
Feline
Calicivirus
This is another cause of
URI’s and oral disease in cats. Depending upon the strain of the calicivirus and
its virulence, the severity of illness will vary greatly. There are 40
different strains of FCV. It can affect cats of all ages, but cats at boarding
facilities and cats with weak immune systems are more susceptible. Kittens and
cats over 10 years of age are at greater risk of contracting viral infections.
 |
| Mickey the day he arrived sick with an upper respiratory |
Symptoms
·
Nasal
and eye discharge, clear or purulent
·
Ulcers
of the mouth, tongue, gums, lips or palate and nose, which may cause drooling
·
Anorexia
·
Periodontal
disease, i.e. gingivitis
·
Inflammation
of the nasal passages
·
Painful
lameness in the joints, occurring more frequently in kittens
·
Fever
·
Lethargy
·
Squinting
·
Enlarged
lymph nodes
Symptoms tend to be more
severe in young kittens. One strain, VS-FCV, affects adult cats more severely.
Transmission. This is very contagious and
transmitted in saliva, secretions from the nose or eyes, and airborne particles
from sneezes. Airborne viral particles can be sprayed several meters through
the air.
Direct contact with
nasal and eye discharge of infected cats is the most common form of
transmission of the calicivirus, but pets within close proximity to cats with
the eye discharge are also likely to become infected.
The virus can also be
transmitted on carrier surfaces such as food and water bowls. Cats at boarding
facilities should be kept at a safe distance between individual units and have
separate food and water bowls.
The virus may survive
for up to one week in contaminated environments, longer in cool damp areas.
People who have touched contaminated objects or an infected cat can transmit
the virus to susceptible cats.
Actively sick cats
should be kept away from healthy pets and prevented from roaming outdoors.
When a cat is exposed to
calicivirus, there is an incubation period of 2-6 days before symptoms develop.
If the infection is uncomplicated, it will usually last for 14-21 days,
depending on the particular virus. During this time, the cat will be infectious
to other cats.
Infected cats will shed
virus in body secretions for 2-3 weeks.
After recovery, about
half of all infected cats may become carriers. They will shed the virus
particles intermittently or constantly. Sometimes, the carrier state may last a
few months, but for a small percentage of cats the carrier state may persist
for their lifetime. Carriers may or may not show symptoms of infection when
actively shedding the virus particles and they are an important source of
infection to susceptible cats. Carrier cats may shed the virus during stressful
times.
Female cats that are
carriers can pass the viral infection on to their newborn kittens.
It is wise to isolate a
new cat from other cats in the house for at least 1-2 weeks to minimize
transmission risk of calicivirus or any other infectious diseases.
Hand washing is a key
measure to prevent transmission of the virus. Contaminated objects can be
disinfected by soaking for 10-15 minutes in a solution of 1 part bleach to 32
parts water.
Diagnosis is done by health history, physical
exam and determining risk of exposure. The gold standard lab test is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test
that detects DNA of certain strains of viruses and it yields quick results.
Oral ulcers are a strong
clinical indication of the calicivirus.
A sample from the
conjunctiva will be collected to look for secondary bacterial infection. If the
calicivirus is not found, a fluroscein stain test will be done to diagnose
corneal ulcers associated with feline rhinotracheitis.
X-rays may be done to
rule out injury or other causes of lameness.
Other diagnostic tests
may include testing for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia
virus (FeLV).
Treatment. Uncomplicated infections can be
treated at home with eye medications for purulent discharge. Broad spectrum
antibiotics may be given to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
Prescription eye
medications will be used for purulent eye discharge.
Nasal and airway
congestion can be helped by humidification – a steamy bathroom for 10-15
minutes several times a day.
To minimize irritation
from nasal and eye discharges, gently wipe the face and eye area with moist
tissues.
Anti-inflammatory
medications may be prescribed to relieve symptoms of lameness and joint
discomfort.
Since it is difficult to
smell food with respiratory infections, your pet may have a decreased appetite.
Feeding a highly palatable canned food may help stimulate their appetite. Also
appetite stimulants may be prescribed.
Some pets may become
depressed or be unable to eat or drink, due to the oral ulceration discomfort
caused by the virus. Persistent ulcers may benefit from treatments that support
the immune system.
If the cat becomes
dehydrated, depressed or has severe illness, the vet may recommend intensive
care, including IV fluids, oxygen tent or intermittent humidification and other
supportive treatments.
If an infected cat is
not treated promptly, it can lead to pneumonia and chronic gingivitis.
Pets with persistent
symptoms after treatment need to be further evaluated for possible underlying
health conditions.
Prognosis is poor if the cat is not treated
with medication and may be fatal.
Vaccination Schedule:
The standard feline core
vaccines include immunization against the calicivirus and will help reduce the
severity of the disease and shorten the duration of illness if your cat is
exposed.
Initial vaccination
should be given as early as 6 weeks of age. It is usually combined with the
other core vaccines for herpesvirus 1 and panleukopenia virus. Kittens require
several boosters between ages 6 and 16 weeks.
One booster vaccination
is given at one year and revaccination is recommended every 1 to 3 years.
If your cat will be in a
high risk situation, such as boarding, grooming or to a cat show, or any
exposure to cats that could be potential carriers, it is important to ensure
your cat is current on vaccinations. Your vet may recommend an additional
booster if your cat will be in any of these higher risk situations.
All cats should receive
the core vaccines to protect them from fatal infections.
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