Local Cats Sick with Tularemia
The News Gazette had an article last week about cats in Savoy with Tularemia, a serious
infectious disease that can affect pets, wildlife and people. Check out the article here. So, what does this mean for our pets here in
Douglas county?
Tularemia is a bacterial organism that causes an infection
in the lungs, skin, eyes, and sinuses of animals. It is most commonly found in rabbits, mice, sheep, and people although cats and dogs can become infected also. The disease is treatable with antibiotic
provided the infection is detected early.
Common signs of the disease are fever, skin abscesses, nasal
discharge, eye discharge, or pneumonia.
It may take 1 to 10 days before symptoms develop. The disease is spread primarily through
ticks, fleas and biting flies. Dogs and
cats can also become infected by eating the raw flesh of the rabbits or
infected animals. Ticks, fleas and
biting flies can also spread the disease from one animal to another when they
suck the blood and bite another animal. Humans become infected by skinning hunted
animals or handling hit by car wildlife without wearing gloves. Cats rarely spread infection directly to
humans. It is usually handling the dead
wildlife that the cat has brought in that causes spread of the infection.
The disease may be difficult to diagnose at first because
the symptoms are similar to other infections. Be sure to tell your veterinarian if your dog or cat is allowed to run
off leash at all, even for short periods. Cats are very good hunters, and can kill mice and small rodents within a
short time outside, even if they are not hungry. Blood tests and cultures can confirm the
diagnosis but these tests may take up to weeks to get the results.
To protect your pets and yourself follow these guidelines:
Keep a veterinary recommended flea and tick product on your
dog or cat. Preventing those tick and
flea bites is an easy way to protect your pets and yourself. Revolution is a good product to kill fleas,
ticks, heartworm and other diseases in the dog and cat.
Do not handle any dead wildlife without gloves on and wash
your hands after handling. Use a shovel
to clear any road kill.
Walk your dogs on leash and limit how much time your cat
goes outside. Have your cat wear a
breakaway collar with a bell to warn wildlife.
Take your pet to the vet as soon as they are not eating
normally, acting quiet or having any eye or nasal discharge. Cats do not show the signs of disease as
obviously as dogs do, so anything that has your cat "off" take them
in or have the veterinarian come to your home.
You can read more about Tularemia at our Pet Library.
|