Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

FELINE UPPER RESPIRATORY DISEASE COMPLEX

• Illness typified by rhinitis, conjunctivitis, lacrimation, salivation, oral ulcerations. By feline viral rhinotracheitis (herpes) and feline calicivirus. Feline pneumonitis (chlamydia) and mycoplasma are less important.

  

• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis – Herpesvirus. Affects conjuctiva and nasal passages. Fever, sneezing, bilateral conjunctivitis, rhinitis, salivation, fluctuating fever. Oro nasal discharge (s → p). Excitement or movement induces sneezing. Ulcerative stomatitis, ulcerative keratitis in debilitated cats. Treatment corneal ulcers with topical acyclovir. Lysine. Avoid sec inf. Vax.
• Feline Calicivirus – Loves oral mucosa and Lower respiratory tract. Ulceration of oral mucosa. Serous rhinitis, bilateral conjunctivitis. No inclusions.
• FCV may produce alt leg lameness with pain and fever in kittens which resolves on its own. May occur with Feline calici virus vaccine - No Upper respiratory tract signs.
• Feline Pneumonitis – Chlamydia - Chronic, low grade conjunctivitis (one eye initially, other eye later). Diagnosis by Giemsa stained conjuctival scarappings. Treatment with tetracycline.
• Mycoplasma – Severe edema of conjunctiva and a less severe rhinitis. Diagnosis as chlamydia. Extracellular coccoid bodies on conjunctival epithelial cells.