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Snuffles, scabs and squitsSnuffles, scabs and squits

Dealing with feline infectious disease in a Dealing with feline infectious disease in a sheltershelter

Maggie Roberts BVM&S MRCVSMaggie Roberts BVM&S MRCVSDirector of Veterinary ServicesDirector of Veterinary Services

Cats ProtectionCats Protection

OverviewOverview

Infectious disease in the Infectious disease in the sheltershelter

Common infectious Common infectious diseasesdiseases Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu RingwormRingworm Infectious diarrhoeaInfectious diarrhoea FeLV & FIVFeLV & FIV

Containing diseaseContaining disease Disease preventionDisease prevention

What makes cats different?What makes cats different?

Cats were originally solitary hunters.Cats were originally solitary hunters. Not evolved to live in close proximity with other Not evolved to live in close proximity with other

cats.cats. Cats can be carriers of disease without showing Cats can be carriers of disease without showing

symptomssymptoms

Infectious disease is more likely Infectious disease is more likely in the shelter situation because:in the shelter situation because:

Population densityPopulation density Transient populationTransient population Frequent introduction of different Frequent introduction of different

infectious agents infectious agents StressStress Environmental factors eg ventilationEnvironmental factors eg ventilation Host susceptibilty eg age, health statusHost susceptibilty eg age, health status

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

CausesCauses Feline herpes virus (FHV)Feline herpes virus (FHV) Feline calicivirus (FCV)Feline calicivirus (FCV) Chlamydophila felisChlamydophila felis Bordetella bronchisepticaBordetella bronchiseptica Mycoplasma spMycoplasma sp

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

SignsSigns Intermittent sneezingIntermittent sneezing Runny nose and eyesRunny nose and eyes Swelling of the eyelidsSwelling of the eyelids UlcersUlcers Dribbling Dribbling High temperature High temperature Quiet and subduedQuiet and subdued Loss of appetiteLoss of appetite Cough or loss of voiceCough or loss of voice LamenessLameness Gingivo-stomatitis Gingivo-stomatitis

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

Feline herpes virus

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

Feline calicivirus

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

Feline chlamydophilosis

Cat ‘fluCat ‘flu

DiagnosisDiagnosis Oral or conjunctival swabs are needed for a Oral or conjunctival swabs are needed for a

definitive diagnosisdefinitive diagnosis

Cat ‘fluCat ‘fluTreatmentTreatment Isolate affected cat and barrier nurseIsolate affected cat and barrier nurse Good nursing careGood nursing care No drugs available to kill virusesNo drugs available to kill viruses Antibiotics for secondary infectionsAntibiotics for secondary infections DecongestantsDecongestants Pain killersPain killers

Cat ‘flu CarriersCat ‘flu Carriers

Cats with herpes virus can become infected for Cats with herpes virus can become infected for lifelife

They can show symptoms or shed the virus They can show symptoms or shed the virus intermittently especially when stressedintermittently especially when stressed

Cats with calcivirus can shed the virus for many Cats with calcivirus can shed the virus for many weeks or occasionally for lifeweeks or occasionally for life

Chlamydophila can be cured but if not treated Chlamydophila can be cured but if not treated thoroughly it will recurthoroughly it will recur

RingwormRingworm

CauseCause A fungus known as a dermatophyteA fungus known as a dermatophyte

90% of cases in cats caused by 90% of cases in cats caused by Microsporum Microsporum caniscanis

Trichophyton speciesTrichophyton species

RingwormRingworm

SignsSigns Hair lossHair loss Crusting and scalingCrusting and scaling ItchingItching UlcerationUlceration Can mimic other skin diseasesCan mimic other skin diseases

RingwormRingworm

RingwormRingworm

DiagnosisDiagnosis Woods lampWoods lamp Hair cultureHair culture

RingwormRingworm

TreatmentTreatment Isolate affected cat and barrier nurseIsolate affected cat and barrier nurse Appropriate disinfectantsAppropriate disinfectants Oral antifungal medicationOral antifungal medication Topical treatmentsTopical treatments If long haired may need clippingIf long haired may need clipping Ideally have 3 negative culture tests before Ideally have 3 negative culture tests before

hominghoming

Infectious diarrhoeaInfectious diarrhoeaCausesCauses

Viral agentsViral agents ParvovirusParvovirus CoronavirusCoronavirus

Bacterial agentsBacterial agents CampylobacterCampylobacter SalmonellaSalmonella E ColiE Coli

WormsWorms RoundwormsRoundworms TapewormsTapeworms

Protozoan agentsProtozoan agents GiardiaGiardia CoccidiaCoccidia Tritrichomonas Tritrichomonas

foetus foetus

Feline parvovirusFeline parvovirus

Greatest disease threat to any rescue Greatest disease threat to any rescue

facilityfacility Very high death rate, particularly in Very high death rate, particularly in

unvaccinated kittensunvaccinated kittens

Feline ParvovirusFeline Parvovirus Three different names for the same diseaseThree different names for the same disease

Feline parvovirusFeline parvovirus Feline infectious enteritis Feline infectious enteritis Feline panleucopeniaFeline panleucopenia

Spread between cats by direct or indirect Spread between cats by direct or indirect contact with contaminated faecescontact with contaminated faeces

Survives in the environment a long timeSurvives in the environment a long time

Feline ParvovirusFeline ParvovirusSignsSigns Severe vomitingSevere vomiting Severe diarrhoea with Severe diarrhoea with blood and mucusblood and mucus High temperatureHigh temperature DehydrationDehydration Weight lossWeight loss Lack of appetiteLack of appetite Sudden death with no signsSudden death with no signs

Feline ParvovirusFeline Parvovirus

DiagnosisDiagnosis Faecal sample Faecal sample Blood testBlood test

Feline ParvovirusFeline Parvovirus

TreatmentTreatment Isolate affected cat and barrier nurseIsolate affected cat and barrier nurse Appropriate disinfectantsAppropriate disinfectants Good nursing careGood nursing care No drugs available to kill virusNo drugs available to kill virus Fluids – oral, I/VFluids – oral, I/V Antibiotics for secondary infectionsAntibiotics for secondary infections Vaccinate in face of outbreakVaccinate in face of outbreak

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)

Most common in young catsMost common in young cats Recurrent secondary infectionsRecurrent secondary infections High temperatureHigh temperature LethargyLethargy TumoursTumours AnaemiaAnaemia Very poor outlookVery poor outlook

Feline immunodeficiency virus Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)(FIV)

Non-specificNon-specific Often older catsOften older cats May survive many May survive many

yearsyears

Recurrent secondary Recurrent secondary infectionsinfections

GingivitisGingivitis DiarrhoeaDiarrhoea Neurological diseaseNeurological disease Skin diseaseSkin disease TumoursTumours

FeLV and FIV in the shelterFeLV and FIV in the shelter

Virus does not survive long in the Virus does not survive long in the environmentenvironment

Usually needs direct contact (grooming, Usually needs direct contact (grooming, fighting) to be transmittedfighting) to be transmitted

Housing singly and using good hygiene is Housing singly and using good hygiene is sufficientsufficient

Containing Containing DiseaseDisease

Some infectious diseases are Some infectious diseases are ZOONOTIC ZOONOTIC eg ringwormeg ringworm Some infectious diseases can survive in the Some infectious diseases can survive in the

environment for a long timeenvironment for a long time– Parvovirus survives up to 12 monthsParvovirus survives up to 12 months– Ringworm spores up to 2 yearsRingworm spores up to 2 years

Disease Disease transmissiontransmission

Direct (from cat to cat)Direct (from cat to cat) Saliva e.g. FeLV Saliva e.g. FeLV Sneezing e.g. cat ‘flu Sneezing e.g. cat ‘flu Fighting e.g. FIV Fighting e.g. FIV Rubbing e.g. RingwormRubbing e.g. Ringworm

Indirect (from people or objects)Indirect (from people or objects) Pens e.g. RingwormPens e.g. Ringworm Litter trays e.g. CoronavirusLitter trays e.g. Coronavirus Food bowls e.g. FeLVFood bowls e.g. FeLV People’s hands,People’s hands, shoes etc e.g. shoes etc e.g. Parvovirus Parvovirus

Containing DiseaseContaining Disease

Keep infected cat isolated Keep infected cat isolated from all other catsfrom all other cats

Wear and use Personal Wear and use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Protective Equipment (PPE)

Use suitable disinfectant that Use suitable disinfectant that is effective against the is effective against the diseasedisease

Clean and handle infected Clean and handle infected cat lastcat last

Containing diseaseContaining disease Have separate cleaning utensils for Have separate cleaning utensils for

isolated catisolated cat Use disposable litter trays and food bowls Use disposable litter trays and food bowls

or return trays and bowls to same cator return trays and bowls to same cat

Containing Containing DiseaseDisease

Use disposable bedding or soak in Use disposable bedding or soak in disinfectant before washing on hot cycledisinfectant before washing on hot cycle

Wash contaminated bedding last and Wash contaminated bedding last and separate from other beddingseparate from other bedding

Use footbaths containing disinfectantUse footbaths containing disinfectant

Containing diseaseContaining disease

Deep clean area for Deep clean area for 5 continuous days 5 continuous days after housing after housing infected catinfected cat

Steam clean first if Steam clean first if possible possible

Stop the movement Stop the movement of cats in or outof cats in or out

Disease preventionDisease prevention

Avoid over-crowdingAvoid over-crowding Keep cats singly or only with cats from Keep cats singly or only with cats from

the same sourcethe same source Use full height sneeze barriersUse full height sneeze barriers Quarantine new arrivals and isolate sick Quarantine new arrivals and isolate sick

catscats

Disease preventionDisease prevention

Reduce stress as much as possibleReduce stress as much as possible Health check by a vetHealth check by a vet Screen for disease where possibleScreen for disease where possible Good preventative medicineGood preventative medicine

VaccinationVaccination CoreCore - essential in all - essential in all

rescue facilities as a rescue facilities as a minimumminimum FHV FHV FCVFCV FPV FPV Rabies in endemic Rabies in endemic

areaarea

VaccinationVaccination

Non-core – Non-core – depends depends on risk, funds on risk, funds available available

FeLVFeLV Chlamydophila felisChlamydophila felis Bordetella Bordetella

bronchisepticabronchiseptica

AfterAfter

Thank youThank you

BeforeBefore