mindy rae wrote:
Just to clear something up about Kennel Cough (AKA Bordetella) this is a diesease found in Dogs not cats. In fact cats are not even immunized for bordetella,. Cats contract what is called upper respitory disease. It is passed from one cat to another through the air.
As for your friends cat being sick who is to say that he contracted it from the SPCA.
I POSTED AN ARTICLE ABOUT KENNEL COUGH, written by a licensed vet....you might want to let her know that a cat can't catch it.
Cats can contract kennel cough, too
Dr. M. Margaret King
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — When we hear the term “kennel cough” we immediately think of coughing dogs. However, more recently we have started seeing cats with the same infection.
Most of the time, we see cats with upper respiratory diseases that are caused primarily by viruses. Kennel cough is caused by a bacterium, Bordetella bronchiseptica.
The big difference in clinical signs is the cough. Cats rarely ever cough with upper respiratory infections, but coughing is the primary complaint with kennel cough.
Most often, cats, with kennel cough are adult cats from kennels, shelters, and catteries, or almost any kitten that has been exposed to a sick cat. As with dogs, cats do not necessarily have to board to get it. Outdoor animals can contract kennel cough as it is spread through the air in the environment. When a cat sneezes or coughs, a fine mist of secretions is released into the air.
Any cat within the vicinity can breathe in the contaminated air and contract the disease.
A dry, hacky cough is the primary presenting sign. The cats seem to be gagging. Many times it can be confused with the cat trying to cough up a hairball. They may also have runny eyes, runny nose, sneezing, loss of appetite and a fever, especially early on in the disease. Left untreated, the kennel cough can become serious. Pneumonia and even death have been reported.
Kennel cough can be diagnosed by your veterinarian by taking a swab from the back of the cat’s throat and sending it out to be cultured. Your veterinarian will want to know the likelihood of exposure for your pet. This, along with symptoms or clinical signs and a positive culture for Bordetella can confirm the disease. Occasionally, cats can have a mixed infection of both bacteria and viruses.
On the upside, kennel cough does respond well to antibiotics. Kittens are a lot more likely to get the disease and to have complications from it. They are very contagious and need to be kept away from other cats and kittens.
There is a vaccine available for use in cats and kittens four weeks and older. However, the efficacy of the vaccine is not all that good. It may not totally prevent the disease, but it does usually decrease the severity of the disease, and shorten the recovery period.
Luckily kennel cough in cats is fairly rare except in outdoor cats, catteries and animal shelters. In these animals, the vaccine may indeed be beneficial. We rarely recommend giving the vaccine to single cat households or even multiple cat households that are always kept inside.
You should discuss your particular cat situation with your veterinarian who will make recommendations for prevention and for whether or not you should vaccinate.
Special caution is warranted when bringing another cat into your household.
(Dr. M. Margaret King, a longtime Edmond veterinarian, is a guest columnist. If you have any questions for her, send them to 1900 S. Bryant, Edmond, OK 73013.)
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