Calicivirus in cats

Calicivirus in cats is an acute infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the oral mucosa, conjunctiva, and respiratory system. This disease is quite dangerous, so it's important to protect your pet from it. Today, we'll discuss the pathogen, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of this disease. What causes calicivirus in cats? What are the symptoms of this infectious disease? Calicivirus in cats is caused by an RNA-containing virus from the Caliciviridae family. Furthermore, there are over 20 serotypes of this virus, which causes the production of a large number of specific antibodies.

How and to whom can calicivirus be transmitted from a cat?

How is calicivirus transmitted in cats? Kittens aged 2-12 months are most susceptible. Tiny and newborn kittens are protected by their mother's antibodies, which enter their bodies through milk (provided the mother has been vaccinated against the disease). Once a pet becomes infected, it becomes a danger to other cats because it spreads the virus through saliva, urine, and feces.

Even after full recovery, the virus remains in the carrier state for a long time (several months). Therefore, if a cat in the area has had calicivirus and it wanders outside or the contents of its litter box are thrown out, the area will remain dangerous for a long time (the disease is stationary). Cats are most likely to become infected during cold weather and during rainy periods.

Infection occurs both through airborne droplets and food and water. However, the precise nature of the disease's progression remains unclear. It has only been established that the virus replicates in the tissues of the conjunctiva, mouth, and respiratory system.

Symptoms

Symptoms of calicivirus in cats appear after the incubation period, which lasts on average 1-3 days (in chronic cases, the disease can last up to 19 days).

• The first signs of the disease are refusal to eat and lethargy.
• The respiratory system also suffers. Coughing and sneezing appear (later developing pneumonia), the mucous membrane of the nose and mouth swells.
• The conjunctiva becomes red and inflamed, and serous exudate accumulates in the corners of the eyes, and in more advanced cases, pus forms.
• The most obvious symptom of calicivirus in cats is increased salivation. Small blisters initially form on the bridge of the nose, the base of the tongue, and the mucous membranes of the nasal and oral cavities. These blisters then burst, revealing an erosive surface (ulcers) underneath.

This disease is often complicated by the addition of secondary microflora, which leads to the development of pneumonia in cats. The body temperature rises. On average, the illness lasts 7-21 days.

Treatment

How to treat calicivirus in cats? Treatment for a cat should begin with an accurate diagnosis. Calicivirus can be confused with panleukopenia, chlamydia, and herpesvirus. Therefore, treatment cannot be started without confirming the diagnosis (each infectious disease has its own pathogen, and therefore, its own specific treatment). In the case of calicivirus in cats, it is necessary to prescribe a specific hyperimmune serum containing ready-made antibodies to the pathogen.

If the doctor has doubts or does not have time to confirm the diagnosis (after all, cultivating (growing, in simple terms) the virus in cell culture will take time), then a polyvalent (multicomponent) hyperimmune serum should be immediately administered against three infectious diseases at once: panleukopenia, calicivirus, and infectious rhinotracheitis.

Important points to consider when treating your cat for calicivirus:

Physiological solutions

If the animal has not eaten for a long time, or is vomiting, having diarrhea, or has a high fever for a long time, intravenous fluids (IVF) or subcutaneous saline (0.9% sodium chloride solution, 5% glucose solution, or ready-made Ringer-Locke solution) are administered at a dose of 20-50 ml every 6-12 hours. Remember that it is not recommended to administer more than 20 ml subcutaneously at one time (in one site).

It's good to alternate these solutions. For example, administer sodium chloride in the morning, glucose at lunch, then saline again, and then glucose again. Glucose is an excellent detoxifier and accelerates the elimination of toxins, while sodium chloride restores the water-salt balance that is disrupted by dehydration. This alternation helps prevent cell death.

Diet therapy

After recovery, dietary therapy is necessary, as well as the introduction of probiotics (medications that help restore beneficial intestinal microflora). And remember that even after full recovery, your pet is not completely safe, as immunity only lasts for six months, but they remain carriers of the virus. Therefore, remember to prevent calicivirus.

Other medications and therapy

Other medications for calicivirus in cats:

Prevention

Prevention of calicivirus in cats depends primarily on timely vaccination. This should be administered at 2-3 months of age after two deworming treatments. You may be offered several vaccines to choose from: live and inactivated, monovalent (against a single disease) or polyvalent (complex, against several infectious diseases). Immunity after vaccination lasts for up to a year, so be sure to renew it annually.» vaccination against calicivirus in cats.

A little about vaccines and vaccination

The most popular vaccines against calicivirus are Multifel-2 (against IRT and calicivirus), Multifel-3 (calicivirus, rhinotracheitis and panleukopenia) and Multifel-4 (Chlamydia is also added to the three infectious diseases listed above.) The dose per animal is 1 ml of vaccine. The kitten is given a second dose after 20-28 days. However, during this "waiting" period (as well as 14 days after the second injection of the inactivated virus), do not let the kitten outside or allow it to interact with other cats (even if they appear healthy). Immunity will only develop two weeks after the second injection of the same vaccine (i.e., you cannot give the kitten a second injection of Multifel-4 and then a second injection of Multifel-2).

A kitten's first vaccination is given between 8 and 12 weeks of age. However, only completely healthy animals are vaccinated. Therefore, if your pet has recently had a poor appetite, has been lethargic, or has been ill, don't rush. Otherwise, the vaccination could only worsen their condition (even to the point of them contracting one of the diseases the owner is so eager to protect them from).

Worms also undermine the immune system, preventing it from producing antibodies. Even though vaccines are inactivated, they're still not harmless water; otherwise, what good would they be? Your next visit will be scheduled when the kitten is 10-12 months old. This time, there's no need to bring the kitten back in 20 days (assuming you vaccinated it at 2-3 months).

Don't be afraid of vaccinations. If your pet is healthy, everything will go well. A slight fever during the first 24 hours, slight swelling and redness at the injection site, and loss of appetite shouldn't alarm you. However, if the situation doesn't improve or worsens the next day, don't hesitate to contact your veterinarian for advice or assistance. In addition to vaccinations, monitor your pet's whereabouts, what they eat, and who they interact with. Avoid contact with stray or "suspicious" (apparently sick) animals. If you know a neighbor's cat has recently been sick, try to limit contact between the animals (and it's also undesirable for your pet to interact with anyone close to the sick pet, as there are many factors that can transmit the virus). Avoid using grooming items and toys that belonged to another animal. The virus is stable in the environment and can easily survive for weeks on the surfaces of these items. Don't risk your furry friend's life. And remember to vaccinate.

Any questions? You can ask our website's staff veterinarian in the comments below, who will answer them as quickly as possible.

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