Feline calicivirus: treatment, symptoms and causes
What is feline calicivirus?
Feline calicivirus (FCV-Feline Calicivirus) is a viral disease that causes a moderate to severe infection of the upper respiratory tract in cats. The infection often resembles a cold and is therefore called the cat flu, but it can also cause oral diseases and severe infections involving the lungs, joints or other organs. .
The virus is most commonly found in places with a large cat population. However, it can be easily spread in homes, and young cats are more susceptible than older cats, but any cat can be infected regardless of its age.
What are the causes of feline caliciosis?
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is found in secretions from the nose, mouth, and eyes, and a cat can become infected through direct contact with secretions containing the virus from another cat, or indirectly through contact with an object contaminated with infectious secretions.
Once the virus enters the body, it invades the cells of the nose, throat, mouth, and tonsils. More virulent strains can invade the lungs, joints, and kidneys. Signs of the disease usually appear 2-6 days after exposure to the virus, and this is the incubation period for calicivirus.
There are multiple strains of the FCV virus, and sometimes cats in the same environment may be infected with more than one strain. The virus can mutate into a new strain within the cat's body, and the strains vary in their severity in causing disease.
What are the symptoms of calicivirus in cats?
Some cats become infected without showing any clinical signs, but if signs appear, they may range from mild to severe, and severe cases can lead to death. The most common symptoms of cat calici are:
- To sneeze.
- Nasal discharge.
- Ulcers on the surface of the nose.
- Eye infection.
- Eye discharge.
- Sores on the lip, tongue, or other places in the mouth, often accompanied by drooling.
- fever.
- Idleness.
- Drought.
- Loss of appetite due to severe nasal congestion or mouth ulcers.
- In more severe cases, the symptoms of calicivirus in cats are as follows:
- Pneumonia, with cough or difficulty breathing.
- Arthritis, causing lameness or swelling in the affected joint.
- Inflammation of blood vessels, which can lead to multi-organ failure and death, including: swelling of the face and legs, skin lesions, nosebleeds, and bloody stools.
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Is calicivirus fatal to cats?
Feline calicivirus can be fatal to cats, but in rare cases, as the severity of the infection varies between mild and severe, depending on the strain of the virus the cat is infected with and the state of the cat's immune system itself.
In mild cases, the cat may have mild respiratory symptoms or oral and nasal ulcers, and recover quickly with proper care.
However, in severe cases, the virus can spread to the lungs or other organs, leading to severe infections such as pneumonia or multiple organ failure, and this can be fatal.
Young kittens and cats with weakened immune systems are at greater risk for severe infections. It is important to provide supportive care and appropriate treatment as soon as symptoms appear to maintain the cat's health and reduce the risk of death.
Is calicivirus contagious to humans?
No, feline calicivirus is not contagious to humans, as this virus is specific to cats and cannot be transmitted to humans or to other animal species. Therefore, there is no risk to humans when handling cats infected with calicivirus.
Do cats recover from calicivirus?
Most cats will recover from calicivirus within 7-10 days. But they can become carriers of the virus and shed it from their mouth and nose secretions for a long time.
Vaccinations can help prevent the spread of calicivirus in cats, but a vaccinated cat can become infected with the virus, but may show no or mild clinical signs compared to an unvaccinated cat.
Kittens usually receive their first dose of the vaccine at 9 weeks of age, followed by supplemental doses at 12 weeks and 15-16 weeks.
The vaccination dose is increased when the cat reaches one year of age and every 1-3 years thereafter, depending on the type of vaccination used.
FCV is usually given in a combination vaccination called Distemper.
How is Calici transmitted between cats?
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is transmitted between cats through direct or indirect contact with infectious secretions. Among the methods and causes of calicivirus are the following:
- Use of utensils or tools by an infected cat.
- Contact with contaminated surfaces.
- The virus can be transmitted through air droplets when an infected cat sneezes or coughs.
The spread of FCV among cats depends on factors such as the density of cats in the area, availability of vaccination, and level of health care.
Awareness and providing health care for your cat are the best solution to prevent the calicivirus. Providing periodic vaccinations for your cat also helps protect it and maintain its health from these infectious viruses.
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Calicivirus treatment for cats
You may now be wondering how to treat the feline calicivirus. To answer that, you must go to the veterinarian to examine your cat and prescribe the appropriate medication for its condition. In general, we find that antiviral medications are not commonly used to treat FCV, while some other medications may be useful, including:
- Pain relievers for cats with oral or nasal ulcers.
- Oral antibiotics may be used to treat secondary infections (in the nose, lungs, mouth).
- A topical eye antibiotic for cats suffering from eye infections.
- Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation and fever.
- Intravenous or subcutaneous fluids may be used if the cat is dehydrated.
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