Coughs & Sneezes Spread Diseases
Dr Jules Wilson MRCVS of the Maunu Rd branch of the Northland Veterinary Group HAS THIS SAY...
Cats that are coughing and sneezing are the most common cases seen just now at our clinic. There are lots of reasons why cats cough and sneeze each reason having a different solution.
With the current cold and wet weather there are lots of colds around, as many in cats as in people. These "common colds" can range from a runny nose to a full blown "double-barreled shotgun". In the first instance, keeping your cat inside, warm, dry and well fed may stop the problem progressing any further. BUT if the green / grey / white yucky discharge from nose & eyes has appeared then you need to take your cat to the vet as soon as possible for rapid treatment.
A bunged up cat feels ill & head achy, they soon stop eating and quickly lose condition and weight. That is why seeking help quickly is the key to successful treatment.
In some cases specific 'cat flu' viruses are at work and in some cases these can be fatal. Vaccination helps to prevent the cat from catching most of these viruses and is the best way to prevent the problem in the first place.
But don't forget the other things out there:
The classic cause of coughing and gagging is the ubiquitous hairball. Modern cat diets have the best answer to this perennial problem
More and more cats are being diagnosed with feline asthma, often allergic to House Dust Mites, among other things.
Other cats have lungworm parasites living in their chests causing persistent coughing.
Of course there are many other causes of respiratory disturbances in or feline friends and your vet is the best person to sort all of these problems out.
Most importantly don't forget that "coughs and sneezes spread diseases" it may start off with just one cat but soon all the other in-contact cats may be infected and be the start of a mini epidemic, not as bad as the recent SARS stuff, but food for thought....
Issue 7
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