If your little fluffy pet has started to cough, pay special attention to it: maybe he has rhinotracheitis. Among cats this infectious disease is quite common. Its causative agent is the herpes virus. It is not dangerous to humans, but for an animal it can become a source of many problems.
Symptoms of rhinotracheitis in kittens
Most often the disease is acute. It all starts with sneezing and a cold, to which in 1-2 days conjunctivitis and coughing joins. Then the animal rises to 41 ° C. The kitten becomes passive and sluggish, sleeps a lot, can refuse to eat and drink.
The peculiarity of rhinotracheitis in kittens is secondary infections, which often complicate this disease. Basically, it is pneumonia, where the virus gets from the bronchi. Such complications lead to the fact that the treatment is very difficult and can even lead to a fatal outcome.
Sometimes rhinotracheitis can be subacute or chronic. In the first case, the general condition of the kitten is more stable and the disease develops more slowly. If the disease passes in a chronic form, then its symptoms you may not notice until another disease , hypothermia or just stress will trigger the activation of the virus.
Scheme of treatment of rhinotracheitis in kittens
How to treat rhinotracheitis in kittens, every vet knows. The task of the host is to ask for medical help as early as possible, since this disease among young animals from birth to 1 year is very dangerous. The immune system of the baby is not yet strong enough, and the mortality statistics from rhinotracheitis among kittens reaches 30%.
So, the treatment of rhinotracheitis in kittens suggests:
- the use of antibiotics and other drugs prescribed by the veterinarian;
- washing of the eyes and nose with antiseptic solutions;
- providing the sick animal with quality care and dietary nutrition;
- Isolation of a sick kitten if it is contained among other animals.
And to protect your pet from re-infection, you should conduct an annual preventive vaccination of the kitten from rhinotracheitis.