Rabies in cats is related to the acute infectious diseases, which are accompanied by lesions of the Central nervous system and lead to the death of the animal. Rabies is anthropozoonoses disease, which is true both for animals and for humans. For the disease characterized by symptoms similar to other diseases: epilepsy, paresis, rabies.
The causative agent of the disease is rabies virus, which is widespread in the environment. Description of the pathogen was done
even in Ancient Rome by Cornelius Celsus, studying the causes of rabies. The search for drugs against the disease was continued by Louis Pasteur, who managed to develop a rabies vaccine. Later, the origin of the disease was continued by other scientists.
The virus is not exposed to antibacterial drugs, compounds of phenol and low temperatures. Its destruction is the result of exposure to alkali, high temperature and ultraviolet radiation.
Rabies is common in places where fixed foci. The source of the disease, as a rule, are stray or wild animals.
Infection with rabies occur in several ways: through contact with infected or sick animals; in contact with the saliva by the bite of an insect; the intestines, if the virus had time to collapse under the influence of gastric enzymes.
The most common way of infection is the bite where the cat can be infected and sick with rabies.
The virus is not transmitted through blood or urine. Pet will not become infected if they sniff or eat anything. The chances of Contracting the vaccinated animal is much lower. Human infection occurs by the bite or contact with skin saliva of an infected animal.
The disease affects the nervous system. In cats, there is increased nervous excitability, hydrophobia, paralysis of the muscles of the respiratory system and extremities.
Rabies is always fatal, so you must know how to identify rabies in a cat.
The incubation period of rabies in cats
Latent or incubation period of rabies in cats lasts from 3 to 6 weeks of age up to seven days. Very often the latent stage of the disease can reach one year. Once infected, the disease does not manifest itself. The behavior of the animal is usually. After the incubation period, early signs of rabies in cats.
The probability that the cat will get sick depends on:
- the number and depth of scratches and bites on the animal’s body;
- localization of damage;
- the number and degree of activity of the virus, trapped in the body of the pet.
The rabies virus spreads and multiplies in the Central nervous system. When detecting the bite or any damage should immediately deliver the animal to the vet.
The first signs rabies cats are:
- muscle pain;
- anxiety;
- fever;
- fear of bright light;
- refusal of food;
- difficulty swallowing, and vomiting;
- dry cough.
What is rabies in cats
The disease can occur in several forms, each characterized by specific features and peculiarities of animal behavior.
Quiet or paralytic form
Sick cat becomes affectionate, obsessive, tries to stay far from their master. In this form of the disease the rabies virus is contained in saliva of an animal and very dangerous. Sick animals are not aggressive and not trying to bite. Over time the cat becomes restless.
2-4 day begin to show the first symptoms of the disease:
- strong salivation, creating foam around the mouth;
- the omission of the lower jaw, changing appearance;
- difficulty swallowing and breathing;
- paralysis of hind limbs and of the muscles of the body.
After 3-4 days, the cat dies.
Violent form
The cat becomes lethargic, does not respond to the host, eschews home, trying to hide in a dark place. Then he begins to show signs of anxiety and irritability. Crazy cat tries to swallow inedible items, refuses to eat.
For this form of the disease characterized by such symptoms:
- the cat scratching the bite;
- hydrophobia, in which the animal is not suited to water;
- strong salivation;
- attacks of aggression that occur when loud sounds or flashes of light;
- the animal refuses food and water;
- the voice becomes hoarse and disappears;
- strabismus and corneal opacity.
3-10 days after the onset of the disease, the cat dies.
Atypical form
The cat shows signs of gastritis or enteritis: diarrhea with blood, vomiting.
If rabies is treated? Rabies in cats is not treated. A vaccine and a cure for this disease has not yet been invented. Pathologic changes which are caused by a virus, irreversible and impossible to stop them.
If you suspect that the cat is sick, you should take her to a specialist for quarantine. After observing the animals it becomes clear she is sick or not. The veterinarian will take the necessary tests to identify the source of the disease.
Diagnosis of the disease is possible only after the death of the animal when carrying out histological studies of the cerebral cortex in vitro. In the presence of brain cells in specific formations – Taurus the Babes-Negri – confirmed rabies.
Antemortem diagnosis is tentatively based on the epidemiological situation in the region, symptoms of disease, the presence of bites as a result of contact with other animals.
If the cat came in from a walk with the bites, you should take her to a veterinary clinic where it will be inspected and immunization of the animal. The animal should be quarantined. At the end of the term of confinement in isolated conditions, can be said to have a sick pet or not. If a cat diagnosed with rabies, the animal immediately euthanized.
Prevention rabies in cats
Pet owners should be aware of the danger of infecting animals and people with rabies, so it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of keeping of Pets in urban environments.
Vaccination against rabies is the cat at an early age and then annually. Sick vaccinated animal can still. This can be caused by poor-quality vaccine or incubation period of the disease. But vaccination can prevent infection in 98% of cases.
What to do if a cat has bitten or scratched
Most importantly, you should not panic.
If the cat attacked by stray animals should:
- To examine the injury, wearing gloves and fixing the jaws of the animal to avoid bite;
- Flush the injury with plenty of water with a disinfectant, the hair around the bite to cut out;
- Call the vet at home, which will put the animal rabies vaccine, or to contact the veterinary clinic. Revaccination will be delivered in 14 days.
- Within 10 days should be watched closely for a pet. If the cat has been bitten or scratched by infected animals, the disease can develop over the next two days. If its only scratched, the symptoms can appear within two weeks. In rare cases, the virus will make itself felt after a few months.
- Upon detection of symptoms of disease pet should be isolated in another room. If the animal will manifest itself in an attack of aggression, it can cause harm to others. If you have other Pets, you should protect them from contact. You should not approach the animal, even during feeding.
You need to call the vet and notify the physician. You can do the analysis for rabies at the clinic, but the result will be known only after 15 days, while the incubation period.
What are the dangers of rabies cats to humans
If the animal is sick with a dangerous disease, the high risk of being infected by a rabid cat. It is important to know the ways rabies is transmitted from animal to human.
The person is not infected with a fatal disease, if Pat a rabid cat. The rabies virus is transmitted with saliva as the result of damage to the skin. Infection is possible by ingestion of an infected animal saliva into the wound. The first symptom of defeat they will be itching and pain at the site of the bite, then depressed and fever.
Further development of rabies in humans is associated with symptoms such as excessive drooling, increased anxiety and fearfulness, breathing and swallowing.
At the late stage of rabies, the patient develops hydrophobia, in which the patient experiences a disgust from the sight or sound of running water. May cause hallucinations, bouts of anger and aggression.
Then comes paralysis of the muscles and the patient dies.
