Infectious disease of chlamydia is caused by intracellular parasites of chlamydia. The purpose of these bacteria is the epithelium, as well as cells of the immune system of animals.
Chlamydia is transmitted by airborne, sexual and contact routes. Transmission can occur during contact with the discharge from the nose and eyes of the cat, as well as in contact with feces or urine of the animal. Kittens can get chlamydia from their mother either during delivery or transplacental.
It is necessary to know that such infections are local in nature, and the incubation period is five to fifteen days.
Dangers of Chlamydia
The first thing that begins to develop is acute and chronic conjunctivitis . At first he is one-sided. Expiration from one eye, photophobia, and then swelling of the conjunctiva. And after a certain period of time another eye is affected. In this case, we get a bilateral conjunctivitis, and the discharge from the eye can take a purulent character. The disease can last from several days to months, and sometimes grows into a chronic form.
In addition to the eyes, chlamydia also affects the respiratory system, genitourinary system, gastrointestinal tract. In that case, you get a source of infection if you have cats in your house, and they all go in the same tray .
I must say that in its pure form, a clamidiosis infection exists only at the first stage. Since chlamydia affects open cavities, where there are accumulations of other microbes, they thereby create a comfortable development environment for the latter. In this case, the animal receives a secondary infection, and then the disease proceeds more severely.
Signs of chlamydia in cats in the case of secondary infection can be expressed by urethritis, affecting the organs of the scrotum. And this is already threatening infertility. Cats can also become barren if they have been infected with chlamydia during the first pregnancy.
Chlamydia neonatal conjunctivitis in infecting kittens from the mother can lead to pneumonia and, further, to death. Often a generalized infection is possible in an adult cat, when the disease spreads throughout the body, causing the animal to die.
Symptoms of the disease
Chlamydia in cats can manifest as the following symptoms. In the first days the cat has a fever. Although the appetite and overall well-being do not change. In case of acute conjunctivitis, the discharge from the eyes can be purulent, and the conjunctiva acquires a red-brick shade.
But the onset of the disease manifests itself in the form of rhinitis - discharge from the nose. A cat can sneeze, cough. In the absence of treatment in young animals there is a risk of pulmonary edema.
But more often the disease passes in a lighter form. Conjunctivitis and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract are all that can happen to an animal. Symptoms of infection of the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract you will not notice.
In the future, depending on the immunity of your pet, the disease can degenerate into a latent form, when chlamydia, not multiplying, exist in the body, or in subclinical form,
Than to treat a clamidiosis at cats?
Treatment of chlamydia in cats is done by antibiotics of the tetracycline series. Sometimes immunostimulants are added. Since chlamydia is an initial infection that only stimulates the development of a secondary infection, treatment should be done under the supervision of a doctor, otherwise one can leave the pet carrier of the pathogen or the bacteria become immune to drugs.
In addition, do not panic if your pet is sick. Although chlamydia can be passed on to a person from a cat, it is not dangerous and is easily treated by both.