Is pneumonia fatal in cats?

Can Chlamydia cause pneumonia in cats?

Chlamydiae bacteria have been identified as a cause of pneumonia in cats. This type of pneumonia in cats usually develops in association with the more common chlamydial conjunctivitis and rhinitis. Chlamydial pneumonia is caused by Chlamydia psittaci. Treatment is with appropriate antibiotics.

What is chlamydia in cats?

Feline chlamydial conjunctivitis is an infection caused by a bacterial organism (called Chlamydophila felis ). The most common signs of chlamydia in cats involve the eyes or the upper respiratory tract (nose or throat), and only when infection is not treated does it spread to the lungs.

Can Chlamydophila felis cause pneumonia in cats?

Although disease caused by Chlamydophila felis in cats has been referred to as feline pneumonitis, Chlamydophila rarely causes pneumonia in cats.

How is chlamydial conjunctivitis in cats (feline pneumonia) diagnosed?

Chlamydial Conjunctivitis in Cats (Feline Pneumonitis) Your veterinarian can confirm the diagnosis by taking a smear from the conjunctiva and finding the chlamydial organism on laboratory tests or under a microscope. It is important to identify the organism causing conjunctivitis in order to provide effective treatment. Your veterinarian can…

How is chalmydophila felis (C felis) infected?

In keeping with other similar organisms, Chalmydophila felis (or C felis) is a very fragile bacterium and cannot survive for any significant time in the environment. Infection is therefore mainly through direct contact between animals.

What is chlamydial conjunctivitis in cats?

Chlamydial conjunctivitis is an infection of the membrane around the eye (the conjunctiva). Different strains of Chlamydia felis and Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteria cause significant eye infections in cats.

What is pneumonia in cats?

The disease in cats is also known as feline pneumonitis, which can be misleading because these bacteria rarely cause pneumonia in cats. The infection usually involves the eye and occasionally the nose.

What is Chlamydophila disease in cats?

Feline chlamydophila disease refers to an infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydophila felis. Chlamydophila infection is relatively common in cats – it is thought to be a cause of up to 30% of cases of chronic conjuctivitis.

Which cats are most likely to get Chlamydia?

Those most likely to get chlamydia are cats in multiple pet households or shelters where you have a lot of cats living together in confined spaces. Also stray or feral cats may be more prone to the disease.

How do vets test for chlamydia in cats?

The most common way for a vet to diagnose chlamydia is by taking a swab from the infected eye. If other symptoms such as wheezing or coughing are present, xrays of the lungs may also be carried out. This is to rule out pneumonia. What treatment will infected cats get?

What are the signs of chlamydia in cats?

The most common signs of chlamydia in cats involve the eyes or the upper respiratory tract (nose or throat), and only when infection is not treated does it spread to the lungs. This bacteria has also been reported to infect the genital tract and joints.

How do you treat Chlamydophila felis in cats?

Treatment of Chlamydophila felis A number of antibiotics can be used to treat C felis infections. A group of antibiotics known as tetracyclines are considered the treatment of choice, being most effective. Doxycycline is one of these antibiotics and only has to be administered once daily to infected cats.

What is feline Chlamydophila disease?

Feline chlamydophila disease refers to infection with a type of bacterium called Chlamydophila felis. This was formerly known as Chlamydia psitacci var felis.

How many species of Chlamydophila are there?

The genus Chlamydophila contains four species , C. pneumoniae, C. felis (formerly C. psittaci var felis), C. pecorum and C. trachomatis. C. felis is the causative in cats.

Can a cat get conjunctivitis from Chlamydia?

Conjunctivitis related to chlamydia can be difficult to diagnose, but your vet would take a swab. Known as chlamydial conjunctivitis, it would probably be painful for a cat and spread to both eyes if not treated. If your kitty has this condition you may be able to see the third eyelid protruding across the eye.

What is the incubation period for chlamydial infection in cats?

In cats, the incubation period after exposure to a cat with chlamydial infection ranges from 3 to 10 days. Signs can include serous to mucopurulent conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, and sneezing. Cats with signs of rhinitis in the absence of conjunctivitis are unlikely to be infected with C felis.

Can pneumonia kill a cat?

Like in humans, pneumonia can be lethal for cats. It severely damages the lungs, and it is also common for sick cats to refuse to eat food and drink water, which easily makes them develop severe dehydration.

Can parasites cause pneumonia in kittens?

Parasitic – This form of pneumonia is rare in cats and almost always occurs in either young kittens or immunocompromised cats. Parasites that can cause pneumonia include lungworm, toxoplasmosis, liver flukes, roundworms.

Can feline Chlamydia cause upper respiratory infection?

… Feline chlamydia is a bacteria-based disease that causes upper respiratory infection in cats. Many different viruses cause cat respiratory infections, with feline calicivirus being the most common.

What is the treatment for chlamydophilosis in cats?

The current recommended treatment for feline chlamydophilosis involves daily oral administration of antimicrobials to all cats within an affected group for a prolonged period of time (4-6 weeks). Not surprisingly, owner compliance can be poor resulting in apparent treatment failure. Recent anecdotal …

How do you get rid of chlamydia in cats?

Whenever cats are maintained together longer term, they should be vaccinated regularly. In catteries with endemic Chlamydia infection, the first step is generally treatment of all cats in the household with doxycycline for at least 4 weeks to attempt to eliminate the infection.