Causes, symptoms and treatment of coronavirus in cats. Coronavirus in cats: ways of infection, symptoms and possible treatment Coronavirus in a cat is eliminated by itself

Disease Definition

Feline Viral Peritonitis (FIP) is a subacute or chronic viral disease of wild and domestic cats caused by one of the feline RNA coronoviruses.

Occurrence

It is found everywhere on the entire planet. All types of wild and domestic cats get sick. More common in kennels and other crowded cats. Of domestic cats - purebred get sick more often than outbred. The disease does not choose sex and age.

epizootology

There are many types of coronaviruses, but some cause disease and some don't. Most coronaviruses cause only short-term diarrhea in kittens. Other coronaviruses cause dangerous and often fatal diseases. Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to determine whether a cat is infected with a practically harmless coronavirus or a deadly one that causes FIP.

Cat coronoviruses are usually divided into two groups according to the degree of pathogenicity of the strains.

• Highly pathogenic strains are Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV).
• Strains that cause mild enteritis or are generally safe for health are feline intestinal coronoviruses (FECVs).

Both groups of strains are considered a single population of viruses, but with varying degrees of pathogenicity. However, FIPK has been found to be a mutation of TSVK that occurs spontaneously in cats during the course of the disease (Pedersen, 1981). Under natural conditions, the main route of transmission of the virus is considered oral. There is also evidence of the possibility of transplacental infection (Pederson, 1987). Upon oral infection, virus replication occurs primarily in the tonsils and small intestine. The causative agent of coronavirus enteritis directly affects the intestines, which can be manifested by mild diarrhea, but more often it is asymptomatic. Undoubtedly, all strains of feline coronovirus are very closely related and theirs, but with the help of monoclonal antibodies, it is possible to differentiate between FPV and TLCC (Fiscu & Teramoto 1987).

Cats become infected through the nose and through the mouth, i.e. faeces of sick animals, through saliva, through household items, it has been proven that kittens are infected through the mother when passing through the birth canal. The introduction of the virus into the body of a cat occurs in the nasopharynx and at the tips of the villi of the epithelium. This is how the coronavirus infection occurs. For unknown reasons, a simple coronavirus begins to mutate into a dangerous one, causing viral peritonitis in a cat. At what point this event occurs, for what reasons this transformation occurs - no one knows yet. Therefore, there is no reliable way to protect a cat from FIP.

The causative agent of coronavirus infection

Coronaviruses are common causative agents of serious illness and are closely related strains of the same virus.

According to the Baltimore Classification of Viruses, the causative agent of coronavirus infection IV: : (+)ss RNA viruses Coronaviridae.
And what a large number of them!

The coronavirus family includes the following viruses:

• chicken infectious bronchitis (IBK)
• porcine infectious gastroenteritis (IGI)
• neonatal calf diarrhea coronavirus (NVT)
• turkey bluish disease virus (CBV)
• canine coronavirus (CBC)
• feline coronavirus enteritis (CVIE) and how it is modified
• feline coronavirus peritonitis (FCP)

From this list, we are only interested in:

Feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV)

FECV (feline enteritis)

It mainly affects the cells of the mucous membrane of the small intestine of the cat and causes diarrhea (diarrhea). Especially susceptible to the virus are kittens aged after one to two months. The disease usually begins with vomiting, and then turns into diarrhea, which lasts 2-4 days, after which recovery is observed. However, the animals remain carriers of the virus for a long time, which is excreted in the faeces and easily infects other kittens if they use the same toilet. Although this is a very common and frequent disease of kittens, it is not so dangerous as to attract much attention.

Infectious peritonitis (FIPV)

Occurs unexpectedly and as if spontaneously in kittens and young animals. In contrast to the disease described above, this disease almost inevitably ends in death.
The virus infects macrophages (white blood cells, they are also leukocytes, they are cells that carry out immune surveillance), destroying them and thereby opening the way for infection in the tissues.

How does it happen? And why is the disease almost always fatal?

Let's try to figure it out. Someone might be interested in this. Follow my thought.

The pathogenesis of the disease (This is the most difficult!!!)

The virus entered the body through the nasopharynx. He could manifest himself by hitting the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract). The virus could be in the body for some time, not manifesting itself in any way, from a very short to a very long time. But something happened. For unknown reasons, the virus mutated; reborn and began to show its highly pathogenic properties.

A deadly fight begins. Who will win. On the field of action, we have an attacking virus on the one hand, on the other hand T-cells (macrophages) and their helpers B-cells (lymphocytes). This is the so-called T-cell and B-cell immunity, the main defenders of the body. In the cat's body, a viral attack is going on against the cells of the immune system. Macrophages are very actively devouring viruses, but their strength is depleted, they shout "guard, help !!!" and then very small, mobile, everywhere penetrating B-cells of the protective unit run to their aid. They are beginning to work hard to help large, clumsy macrophages destroy viruses. To a cry for help, the red bone marrow begins to intensively produce T-cells and produces more and more of them.

BUT!!! There is a terrible paradox of nature.

The virus, which was absorbed by the macrophage, took root in it, settled down well, fed on the reserves of this cell, destroyed it completely, left it and began to look for other cells in order to destroy everything there. But we have not forgotten that these T-cells (macrophages) are the first defenders of the cat's body, the first link of immunity, and when they die completely, the virus spreads everywhere.

The whole problem is that it is T-cells (macrophages) that are the main target of the virus. Macrophages captured by the virus can no longer issue orders to defensive units. The immune system is weakened. B-cells (lymphocytes) can not cope with the destruction of the virus. The immune system is completely weakened.

Viruses don't stop there. The hostilities between the viruses and the defenders continue in the blood and the virus thus spreads throughout the body. He especially likes to accumulate in places where there are many small blood vessels, and these are cells of the liver, spleen and others. If the immune system is weak, the virus destroys the blood vessels and through their smallest microtrauma, blood seeps into the cavity. The largest cavity is the abdominal cavity. The abdominal cavity is filled with fluid. There is ascites (dropsy). This is wet peritonitis. The course of wet peritonitis is transient.

If the immune system continues to actively resist constantly, the process drags on for a long time, so-called dry peritonitis occurs, i.e. the lungs, liver, nervous system, mucous membranes, conjunctiva are involved in the infectious process. Dry peritonitis continues for a long time. It is not immediately recognizable. Basically, all treatment is directed to its manifestations, and not to itself.

As a rule, in both manifestations of viral infectious peritonitis, death occurs.

Perhaps this is all about how the disease develops.

The same mechanism of disease development in feline viral leukemia, feline viral immunodeficiency. The main thing that happens in the body is the death of immune cells. That is why diseases are often considered similar to HIV - human viral immunodeficiency and its last stage AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The organism has no chance to survive. He is not protected by anything.

Diagnosis of coronavirus infection in cats

ICA method diagnostics (rapid test VetExpert) is very good to use when selling kittens, mating, and other cases. Just in execution. The owner can make them himself. This will save the breeder a lot of trouble. Examine the feces of the animal. This method allows you to identify clean and infected. This method is extremely important when selling a kitten. It can be performed directly in front of the buyer and this is the great value of this method!

PCR method(polymerase chain reaction). This method shows whether a cat has a virus or not. The disadvantage of this method is that it responds to titer up to 400 and therefore gives a positive result. We hand over fresh feces to the laboratory and if the result is negative, we live in peace.
A positive result for the presence of coronavirus antibodies is not a definitive diagnosis of peritonitis. For a more accurate diagnosis, ELISA method. The blood is examined.

Tab. one Quantitative table of titers of coronavirus infection.

Symptoms of coronavirus infection

Classic exudative (wet) feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is characterized by exudation of a sticky, straw-colored fluid into the peritoneal and pleural cavities. And therefore, most often the disease is noticed by a progressively swollen belly, against the background of an increased, fluctuating body temperature. This is the so-called "wet" form of FIP ("dropsy").

But there is (much less often) a "dry" form, when there are no external signs, and only an increased fluctuating temperature, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss are observed. Non-exudative (dry) FIP is characterized by the manifestation of chronic granulomatosis of organs and systems. Both forms are unfortunately fatal. It is impossible to save sick animals.

Treatment

There is no effective treatment for viral peritonitis. Basically, treatment is aimed at concomitant manifestations of the disease - hepatonephropathy, damage to the lungs and heart, and nervous manifestations. The veterinarian himself chooses the tactics of treatment.

It is not necessary to remove high value cats carrying this disease from breeding, but kittens should be weaned at 7-8 weeks of age while maternal colostral immunity is in effect.

tab. 2 Approximate statistics (Europe).

There are no such statistics in Russia.

During the year I had about 300 cats at the reception - Scottish, Maine Coon and others, 9 cats died from peritonitis, i.e. about 3%.

When writing the article, scientific data, some information from the Internet and my experience were used. It may be difficult for someone to understand what I wrote, but I tried to express it very intelligibly. My colleagues may have questions, please, I'm ready for dialogue, but this article is written for the owners of my most adored.

Ask, I will answer everyone.

P.S. Do not confuse coronavirus enteritis with coronavirus peritonitis. Very often, various authors, when discussing this disease, are confused.

fig 1. Kitten, 4.5 months, FIP- coronavirus viral peritonitis. fig 2.3. Peritoneal lavage (removal of fluid from the abdominal cavity).

Afterword

Virus carriage plays a significant role in the spread of infections, since long-term isolation of virus carriers is practically impossible. An effective preventive measure here is an individual hygiene regime, as well as sanitary and educational work in nurseries, and, in particular, recommendations to virus carriers regarding their behavior and lifestyle.

Diseases of cats, leading to their death, a sufficient number. There are vaccinations against especially dangerous diseases. More cats die from panleukopenia, calcivirosis, rhinotrachein and other viral diseases than from coronavirus infection. In the initial stage of the disease, most cats recover with proper treatment.

A simple diarrhea in a kitten, and this is in most cases coronavirus enteritis is always treated, almost never leaving consequences. And only in very rare cases, this virus remains to live in the body of a cat and these are already carriers, while there are few such cats and very rarely this virus, getting into the blood, mutates and leads to death. And there are even fewer of these cats. BUT THIS IS SOON!!!

Identification of dysfunctional catteries, removal of virus carriers from breeding, timely vaccination, lack of crowding of cats, sanitization of premises, use of bactericidal lamps, deworming, quarantine when introducing a new cat to a living community, thorough verification of producers, adherence to strict rules when using high-breed cats that are carriers infections - following these simple rules will significantly reduce the risk of disease.

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What is a coronavirus? What diseases does coronavirus cause in cats? Is it dangerous for humans? How to protect a cat from infection?

Coronavirus infections are fairly common in wild and domestic cat populations. These diseases cause a lot of trouble to the owners of catteries, where, due to the joint keeping of a large number of cats, it is difficult to ensure the cleanliness of the livestock from infectious agents and the risk of infection of animals from each other is high.

Coronaviruses are a type of RNA virus. A huge number of such infectious agents circulate in nature, some of them are the causative agents of severe infectious diseases of cultivated plants and domestic animals.

For the cat family, two types of diseases caused by coronaviruses are dangerous:

1. Feline Infectious Peritonitis or FIP The causative agent of this disease is a highly pathogenic strain of coronavirus. The disease is almost 100% fatal.
2. Infectious coronavirus enteritis and gastroenteritis- are caused by low pathogenic feline enteric coronaviruses (CLIC), proceed easily, without posing a threat to life.

The FIP virus is difficult to distinguish from the CCVC virus, these two viruses are very similar in structure and, judging by recent studies, it is likely that the highly pathogenic infectious peritonitis virus is a mutation of one of the strains of low pathogenic intestinal coronaviruses.

In Russia, there is an annual increase in the incidence of cats with coronavirus peritonitis, which may be due to the emergence of an increasing number of catteries, which, without proper anti-epizootic measures and in conditions of difficult diagnosis, unwittingly become reservoirs of pathogenic strains of the virus.

Ways of infection

According to research, the main route of infection in vivo is considered to be oral, that is, through the mouth. The virus enters the body with food and water or by licking during washing.

In addition to oral, there is information about the possibility of transplacental, that is, intrauterine infection of kittens from a cat.

Infected animals spread the virus by shedding it into the environment through feces, saliva and urine.

The virus can only exist inside the body; when it enters the external environment, it dies after a couple of days. The virus is detrimental to high temperatures and common disinfectants, including laundry soap.

It has been noted that after entering the body of a healthy animal, the FIP virus initially attacks the epithelial cells of the tonsils and intestines, where it can remain for a long time.

After infection with the infectious peritonitis virus, a cat can be a virus carrier for a long time without showing any visible signs of illness, but they are able to infect the environment and infect kittens, which die transiently in the first week after birth or in utero.

Coronavirus enteritis in cats

After penetrating into the body, KSVK viruses are introduced into the surface layer of the intestinal epithelium, where their pathogenic effect is manifested in the form of infectious enteritis, coronavirus origin.

In cats, infectious enteritis, in addition to coronaviruses, can be caused by parvoviruses (panleukopenia) and rotoviruses (rotavirus enteritis).

The symptoms of all viral enteritis are similar to each other, but compared to parvovirus and rotovirus enteritis, coronavirus is much easier.

Most often, kittens get sick during the weaning period. The disease begins with rapid vomiting, which is replaced by diarrhea. The temperature may not be or it is low. Lethargy and lack of appetite.

In mild cases, the disease lasts for several days, then all symptoms disappear and the animal recovers. Such a course is typical for animals with not weakened immunity, even if other viral or bacterial infections do not overlap with a coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus enteritis of moderate severity, with proper care and the use of the necessary medicines, can be cured well. After recovery, the cat remains a virus carrier for another 1-9 months, she sheds the virus with feces, which poses a threat of infection to nearby cats.

Feline Infectious Coronavirus Peritonitis

Coronavirus peritonitis is a rather young disease and therefore it is not well understood and raises many questions, not only for cat owners, but also for practicing veterinarians.

The first mention of this disease appeared in the United States in the 60s. Then, in 1977, the peritonitis virus coronavirus was isolated in a laboratory and described, and officially registered, only in 1981.

The causative agent of IPC, unlike CCVC, is capable of infecting macrophages - cells of the immune system, therefore, IPC is classified as AIDS-like.

The virus is highly pathogenic, the lethality in IPC reaches 100%. The fact that this disease affects the immune cells of the body makes this disease, at this point in time, not curable, like human immunodeficiency, as well as FIV and feline leukemia.

Coronavirus infectious peritonitis is slowly ongoing disease - from the moment the pathogen enters the body until the onset of clinical signs, it may take several years.

According to the observations of specialists, the susceptibility to the disease is higher in kittens, from 1 month to a year, in adult animals after 7 years of age.

It was noted that breeds with a blue coat color are more prone to FTI disease - cats of the British breed and the Russian Blue breed.

Symptoms of FIP in cats

The virus that causes FIP in the international classification is designated as FIPV and is capable of causing various manifestations of damage to many organs and systems in the body of cats.

The name of the disease is due to the fact that often, one of the main clinical signs is peritonitis.

It is accepted to divide the flow of IPC into three main forms:

• Wet IPC. With this form of peritonitis, due to damage to the blood vessels of the peritoneum or pulmonary pleura, exudate effusion occurs inside the abdominal or chest cavity.
  It provokes the development of wet peritonitis, a weak immune response of the body, this form of the disease occurs mainly in kittens. The disease is accompanied by fever up to 40 C, weakness, lack of appetite, peritonitis, with accumulation of effusion exudate in the abdominal cavity, gradual exhaustion.

With the formation of effusion in the chest cavity, the disease is accompanied by respiratory disorders, wheezing.

If the animal does not die in the first weeks, then signs of peritonitis or respiratory disorders are accompanied by symptoms of renal and hepatic insufficiency, manifestations of pancreatic dysfunction.

The duration of the course of the wet form of infectious peritonitis is about 6 months. The outcome is fatal, or the disease passes into the form of dry IPC.

• dry form peritonitis is characterized by the absence of effusion. Older cats suffer from this form of peritonitis. The disease proceeds without pronounced symptoms. There may be a decrease in appetite, physical activity. With this form, it is very difficult to diagnose the disease, this is due to the absence of pronounced clinical signs.
  In a later period, multiple signs of damage to internal organs appear, most often the liver and kidneys, less often the nervous system (weakness of the hind limbs, paralysis, paresis, convulsions, behavioral disorders - aggression or apathy) and eyes (hyphema, retinitis, iridocyclitis).
• hidden form. It is characterized by a long course without the manifestation of any clinical signs. With a latent form, only blood macrophages are affected and the animal can be a virus carrier for a long time without showing signs of the disease.
  Periodically isolating the virus into the environment, a cat that is a virus carrier infects healthy animals.

With a latent form, the animal's body either gets rid of the virus over time, or, if immunity is weakened, the disease progresses. Viruses from immune blood cells penetrate into the internal organs, where characteristic granulomatous nodules and indurations develop.

The dry form of the disease can turn into a wet one, or they occur simultaneously.

Is PKI transmitted to humans?

Infectious peritonitis of cats, for humans, can not pose any danger. The virus is specific, and affects only the cat family.

Diagnostics

The method of diagnosing the disease is not well developed.
It is not possible to isolate the virus for a conventional laboratory. An accurate diagnosis can only be established based on the results of post-mortem histology of the affected organs.

When making a presumptive diagnosis, the doctor is guided by:

1. Anamnesis data (history of the disease);
2. Based on clinical signs - the formation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity or chest cavity, enlargement of the spleen, detected by palpation, depressed appetite, a steady increase in temperature;
3. Test analysis data that determines the presence of coronavirus in the body of an animal;
4. Reverse CPR (polymerase chain reaction) data. The reaction determines the presence of virus RNA in the studied effusion.

When making a diagnosis, FIP should be distinguished from diseases with similar manifestations:

• Liver diseases - cirrhosis, cholangohepatitis, lymphocytic cholangitis, tumors;
• cardiomyopathy;
• Lymphosarcoma.

Coronavirus treatment or PKI treatment

The prognosis for coronavirus peritonitis is not favorable. The disease is fatal. Information about rare cases of recovery is not confirmed by studies.

With the wet form of peritonitis, the interval from the appearance of the first signs of the disease to the death of the animal does not exceed a few weeks.

With early diagnosis and treatment, wet peritonitis can be converted into dry peritonitis.

Dry peritonitis, if treated, can last up to a year. For the treatment of dry peritonitis, drugs are used according to the symptoms, they provide the cat with good nutrition and care.

Prevention

The only reliable way to protect an animal from an infectious disease is vaccination.

In Russia, an effective vaccine against FIP ​​has not yet been developed. In exceptional cases, the United States-manufactured Primucell FIP vaccine is used. It is administered nasally, that is, through the nose, in the form of drops. For the first time, the animal is vaccinated twice with a short interval, then once a year.

Other methods of prevention:

Only in 10% of virus carriers, the infection becomes clinical. Many cats, in the absence of further contact with the source of infection, within a few months, are completely free of the virus.

If a cat is suspected of having FIP, the first thing to do is to isolate the cat from other cats, if any, in the household, then see a vet for symptomatic and laboratory testing.

When testing for the presence of the virus in large groups of cats, up to 80% of virus carriers may be detected, while clinical signs may be absent.

If the presence of the virus in the cattery is detected, the owner should take the following measures to improve the livestock:

• Regular tests, once every 3 or 6 months, of all animals for the virus carrier.
• Separate positive and negative cats by grouping them into small groups of 3-4 animals, regularly testing and transferring negative cats to a virus-free group.
• Mate only similarly reacting animals - seropositive with seropositive, and negative with negative.
• Practice early weaning of kittens from their mother, at 5 weeks of age.
• Before introducing new animals into the nursery, they must first be vaccinated.

In order to reduce the risk of developing infectious peritonitis for clinically healthy animals that are virus carriers, you need to:

1. Avoid stressful situations for the cat during the period of the virus carrier;
2. Avoid the use of immunosuppressive drugs (corticosteroids, progestogens);
3. Avoid mating positive animals and avoiding offspring from infected cats.

Interesting video:

Coronavirus in cats and cats is an infectious disease that occurs in an acute form and can be transmitted quite quickly to other cats, especially if they live in the same room. This is a serious disease, from which a huge number of cats die every year. Animals without vaccinations are most susceptible to such misfortune, but even vaccination does not give an absolute guarantee. It is important for every owner to understand what a coronavirus infection is in cats, the symptoms of its manifestation, methods of treatment and preventive measures.

Scientists continue to investigate this pathology and today they have identified two progressive strains - FIPV and FECV, both of which are extremely dangerous. In most cases, the first strain provokes the development of gastroenteritis, and the second - infectious peritonitis.

Coronavirus infection in cats can occur in the following forms:

1. Asymptomatic- up to 80% of cases. This form does not pose a threat to the life of the animal, while it is a carrier of the virus and can infect other cats.
2. Mild form of pathology- manifested by the usual malaise and enteritis - intestinal upset.
3. Severe form- affects about 5% of animals. It is characterized by profound violations of all organs and systems, which leads to death. The main sign of a severe form is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. But there are cases of dry flow, which complicates the diagnosis of the disease.

Most often, coronavirus manifests itself at a young age. Small kittens are most susceptible to it. For them, the danger is also the fact that an undeveloped organism dehydrates rather quickly and the lethal outcome is accelerated. Any form of this pathology in cats can be cured, but treatment does not guarantee the absence of relapses. There is no long term immunity. Therefore, with any contact with a sick cat, you can become infected again.

Ways of infection

Enteritis in cats is rapidly transmitted from individual to individual. The main routes of infection are the faeces of sick cats or carriers of the infection. Trays are a great danger, but besides them, it is easy to get infected from scoops, care items and pet toys. It is important to consider that exclusively home content does not eliminate the threat of disease. Even the owners themselves can bring wool or small particles of secretions on their clothes and shoes. People with multiple cats should be especially careful. Immediately after infection, the virus is contained in saliva. Therefore, it is impossible to allow feeding animals from the same dish and licking each other. If you do not resort to precautionary measures, then negative consequences and the spread of infection cannot be avoided.

A feature of the coronavirus in kittens is that it has little to do with the illness of adults. It does not cross the placenta from mother to kittens; it is not found in milk either. Kittens under the age of 5-7 weeks contain a lot of maternal antibodies in their blood. That is why they are not afraid of such a virus. But at 1.5 months, the level of antibodies in the body decreases significantly and without vaccination, the likelihood of infection increases dramatically.

You can get an infection in the following ways:

1. contact way- through the skin as a result of damage.
2. oral and digestive due to the ingestion of dangerous microorganisms.
3. Respiratory or airborne is the result of inhaling microbes.

Causes of coronavirus in cats

The cause of coronavirus infection is a virus from the family Coronaviridae. Research scientists have shown that often in the intestines of cats, the coronavirus is in a dormant state. But when any suitable conditions for the virus appear, it takes an aggressive form, causes inflammation of the intestines, or even mutates. There are the following reasons for the development of this pathology:

• age - kittens and old pets are more susceptible;
• being in a constant state of stress;
• reduced immunity;
• type of strain;
• the amount of pathogen;
• hereditary predisposition.

In most cases, an animal with strong immunity can easily cope with the coronavirus, and in some it does not appear at all.

Symptoms and signs of pathology

Coronavirus can appear in all cats, no matter what breed and age they are. But practice has shown that in addition to small pets, the following categories of cats are most often ill:

1. Animals over 10 years old.
2. Weakened and thinned after any illness. The body becomes vulnerable to infection against the background of a strong helminthic invasion.

The main symptoms and signs of the disease include the following:

• bowel disorder;
• impurities of blood and mucus in the feces;
• vomit;
• the animal's appetite decreases, which leads to a sharp weight loss;
• general weakness of the body, depression, which is accompanied by constant drowsiness;
• violation of the act of defecation, the cat cannot defecate, and diarrhea is also possible;
• a sharp increase or decrease in body temperature;
• fever;
• photophobia;
• loss of coordination;
• panic state - signs of a violation of the central nervous system;
• an increase in the abdomen, which indicates the presence of infectious peritonitis and ascites;
• angiopathy of the vessels of the eyeball;
• pale gums;
• fungal disease;
• discharge from the nose and eyes.

The clinical picture may appear gradually, one symptom at a time, or it is possible to have all the signs at once. The incubation period can last about three weeks.

Diagnostics

Knowing the main symptoms is not enough to make a correct diagnosis. The course of the disease can be easily confused with several pathologies. Therefore, it is possible to determine the coronavirus only after passing the necessary tests.

The following laboratory studies are mainly carried out:

1. Histological studies.
2. Serological tests.
3. Immunofluorescent tests.
4. polymerase chain reaction.

The latter type of research makes it possible to recognize the minimum amount of the viral genome. The material for the study is feces, blood plasma, ascitic and pleural fluids.

Every pet owner should understand that even a positive test for the presence of coronavirus is not a death sentence and there is no need to give up. It is possible that the virus was detected at an early stage of development and the cat can be cured and saved.

Methods of treatment

There is no specific treatment for coronavirus. Experts continue to work in this direction. But the most important thing is the detection of pathology in the early stages. With the discovery of the first symptoms, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Antiviral drugs are used to treat the disease at the initial stage. Sources of interferon, ribaverin, immunomodulators. Their main goal is to slow down the process of virus reproduction in cells and enable the body to cope with them. They do not have a therapeutic effect, but the development of the infection is suspended.

In combination with antiviral drugs, antibiotics and corticosteroids are prescribed. They relieve inflammation and relieve symptoms. But such actions are not a complete treatment. The rest of the therapy is symptomatic. A sick pet is developing individual nutrition, with a predominance of dietary food. And also veterinarians observe changes in body temperature and pressure. If necessary, appropriate drugs are administered.

Constant vomiting and loss of appetite dehydrate the body. Therefore, the doctor prescribes the introduction of saline with glucose. Experts do not advise supporting the body of a sick pet with vitamin and mineral complexes.

With diarrhea and vomiting, levomycetin and noshpu are administered intramuscularly. If a wet form of the disease is observed, then effective treatment involves the removal of ascitic fluid. In addition, sorbents are used to remove toxins; regular enhanced care is required. To raise immunity, cats are given infusions of various herbs. Among them are stinging nettle and rose hips. The duration of treatment is determined by the veterinarian.

Good care and concern in combination with symptomatic therapy give excellent chances for recovery. Even with infectious peritonitis, it is possible to keep the animal alive for many months. To do this, periodically pump out the accumulated liquid. It is not necessary to euthanize a cat immediately after establishing the diagnosis. In this case, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

Is coronavirus transmitted to humans

The question of whether the coronavirus is transmitted to humans does not lose its relevance for the owner of the cat. Specialist studies have proven that coronavirus infection is not transmitted to people and other pets. This pathology is a threat only to cats. Therefore, you can safely care for and contact with the carrier or sick pet.

The virus is not able to live on dry surfaces and in the external environment. Therefore, he quickly dies. Practice shows that the infection can be in cat litter for some time. To reduce the risk to other persons, it is better to burn the filler or throw it away in tightly tied plastic bags.

Prevention

It is worth resorting to preventive measures immediately after acquiring a kitten. If an animal from the nursery needs to ask for a certificate of the done analysis for infection and retake it yourself to be sure. As for vaccination, at the moment it has not been invented.

Proper care and proper feeding is the main preventive measure. The animal must be kept in conditions that meet all sanitary standards. Thus, in order to minimize the consequences of the coronavirus infection, the following is recommended:

• meticulous care;
• regular hygiene;
• high protein content in pet food;
• regular deworming;
• the use of courses of antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, zinc. under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Coronavirus infection is a serious disease that often ends in death. Even timely vaccination does not guarantee that your beloved kitten will not get sick. Therefore, each owner should know what this pathology is and what preventive measures should be taken. It is much easier to prevent the disease than to engage in long-term therapy, which does not always give the desired effect. There is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus. But experts do not give up and are looking for an effective remedy against the disease.

Coronavirus infection is a common disease in cats. This disease affects from 40 to 85% of pets. The virus is transmitted from animal to animal without affecting the human body. The disease has two forms, one of which is deadly to the cat. To reduce the risk of developing pathology, it is necessary to strengthen the pet's immunity. The coronavirus vaccine is effective against a less dangerous strain.

What causes coronavirus infection?

The causative agent of infection is a complex RNA virus, the shape of which resembles a crown (a round-shaped virus with a shell with protrusions). It was discovered relatively recently, so the treatment regimen has not been fully defined. It is known that the virus is able to mutate from one form to another, more dangerous.

There are 2 strains of coronavirus:

• Intestinal (FCoV). Infection with this type of pathogen usually does not pose a serious danger to the animal. This form of the virus infects the cells of the small intestine, causing enteritis. As a rule, the pet normally tolerates this disease, but subsequently becomes its peddler.
• Highly pathogenic (FIPV). An altered form of an intestinal virus that provokes the development of peritonitis. The mutant pathogen infects white blood cells and spreads throughout the body.

The mutation of the virus into a more dangerous form occurs as a result of stress and a decrease in the pet's immunity. FIPV is much less common than intestinal infection, but is often fatal. In veterinary practice, there are practically no examples of curing peritonitis in the late stage. Symptoms of enteritis and peritonitis are different, despite the fact that they are caused by the same pathogen.

Coronavirus rapidly loses viability outside the host. Its stability in the external environment is about a day, after which the virus dies. He does not tolerate high temperatures, so heating has a detrimental effect on him.

How is the disease progressing?

The risk group is young individuals under the age of 2 years and animals older than 11 years. This disease is especially dangerous for newborn kittens, which can become infected from their mother. In most cases, the penetration into the body of a kitten of any of the strains of coronavirus leads to the death of the animal. Also, cats that are kept in unsanitary conditions and have a hereditary predisposition to the disease are susceptible to the development of the disease.

Sources of infection and incubation period

Infection with coronavirus usually occurs through feces, less often the pathogen enters the body with saliva. The FIPV virus is not transmitted through feces because this strain replicates in blood cells. Thus, through feces, you can only become infected with the intestinal form of coronavirus (enteritis). It is worth noting that even a domestic cat is able to "catch" this disease, since traces of infected feces can be brought into the house with shoes, a bicycle, a baby carriage.

The incubation period, during which there are usually no symptoms, lasts up to 3 weeks. In an animal with a weakened immune system or too young or old, manifestations of the disease can be observed after a few days. Quarantine for suspected this type of coronavirus disease lasts 3 months, after which the animal is again tested for the concentration of coronavirus.

The first symptoms of infection

Symptoms are numerous, but in a particular animal, the disease can have both 1-2, and a much larger number of external signs. If any symptoms occur, it is important to contact the veterinarian in time, since the treatment of the disease in the early stages is more effective. The first signs of penetration into the body of a cat coronavirus are:

• diarrhea (sometimes mixed with mucus or blood) lasting more than 2-4 days;
• loss of appetite;
• lethargy, rapid fatigue;
• vomit;
• impaired coordination of movements;
• avoidance of lighted places, the desire to be in the dark;
• eye redness;
• inflammation of the gums (or, conversely, their blanching);
• bloating.

In addition, coronavirus in cats is accompanied by temperature fluctuations - fever is replaced by chills. Blood biochemistry shows a normal result, and the CBC reveals an increase in ESR, lymphocytes and a low a:g ratio. A decrease in cellular immunity can also cause the development of fungal and bacterial diseases. Against the background of the disease, the animal behaves differently than usual: it may show aggression or show no interest in the world around it.

The disease sometimes causes eye problems that develop as the cat's condition worsens. Initially, the disease manifests itself in the form of inflammation and lacrimation, after which pain, ulceration of the cornea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe eye may appear. Sometimes there is germination of blood vessels in the eyeball.

Variants of the course of the disease and its duration

Depending on which strain of coronavirus has entered the body, the course of the disease may differ. When infected with an intestinal virus that causes enteritis, the disease is manifested by diarrhea, fever, lacrimation, runny nose, and sometimes vomiting. The abdomen is swollen, with its palpation the cat feels discomfort, pain. Possible bad breath, white coating on the tongue. Coronavirus enteritis combines signs of poisoning and a cold.

Infectious peritonitis begins with a deterioration in the cat's well-being, a decrease in appetite, and sometimes vomiting. Gradually, the animal loses weight, the mucous membranes become paler. The wet form of peritonitis is accompanied by the development of ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity), damage to blood vessels, liver and kidney disorders. Muscles lose elasticity, convulsions occur, the central nervous system is affected.

Coronavirus peritonitis can also have a so-called dry form, in which granuloma formations appear in the internal organs. The severity of such a disease depends on which organs formed "nodules" and how much they affected the tissues. The dry form of peritonitis is manifested by a significant weight loss, and in later stages - a violation of the functions of internal organs, sometimes the nervous system and eyes. In the body, two forms of the disease may be present at once, or one may pass into the other.

Wet peritonitis lasts about 6 months, after which it flows into a dry form or ends with the death of the animal. Dry peritonitis is chronic, lasts much longer and slowly destroys the body. Coronavirus infection must be diagnosed and treated promptly.

Diagnosis of coronavirus in cats

The first test that needs to be done to diagnose coronovirus in a cat's body is a three-time analysis of feces for PCR and ICA with a frequency of 2 weeks. The test will help determine the presence of the virus in the feces. A negative result may indicate the absence of infection in the body or a latent form of the disease (carriage). With severe symptoms, you will need to do a number of tests:

• Serological blood test. The test detects the presence of antibodies to coronavirus infection. At the same time, it is impossible to determine its localization using this method. In addition, a negative result does not always indicate the absence of the virus. Sometimes the immune system is so depleted that it is not able to resist the virus and produce protective cells. In the absence of antibodies, the animal is considered seronegative, and if they are detected, it is considered seropositive.
• PCR (polymerase chain reaction) of blood. Detects coronavirus RNA. The test is not highly accurate and may give false positive or false negative results. A false positive result can occur if there is a non-viable virus that has already been eliminated by the animal's immune system. A false negative result is possible with an insufficient amount of biomaterial.
• Serum antibody titer. Sets the concentration of antibodies, which allows you to determine the severity of the disease. In the presence of a highly pathogenic virus, the antibody titer can reach 1280 or more.

With peritonitis, it is also necessary to make a biopsy and histology of the affected cells. In the wet form of peritonitis, the study of punctured fluid is the most informative method. In veterinary clinics, rapid tests are used to determine the presence of the virus in animals that have been in contact with sick cats. This method allows you to identify the disease before the onset of symptoms and begin timely treatment.

Treatment of the disease

Currently, there is no medicine that would completely cure an animal of coronavirus. It is possible to destroy the virus only together with the affected cells. Modern methods of dealing with this disease are aimed at eliminating symptoms and preventing complications. Almost every recovered cat remains a carrier of the virus.

Coronavirus disease is treated as follows:

• taking antiviral drugs;
• taking antibiotics, corticosteroids to relieve the inflammatory process;
• increasing the body's defenses with the help of immunomodulators;
• taking sorbents to remove toxins ("Polysorb", activated carbon);
• therapy of secondary diseases with the help of protectors, prebiotics;
• intramuscular injection of antispasmodics (No-Shpa);
• taking antiemetics (Metoclopramide, Prochlorpromazine);
• droppers with glucose, vitamins for dehydration and weight loss;
• puncture of fluid from the abdominal or pleural cavity with a wet form of peritonitis.

Among immunomodulators, the drug "Polyferrin-A" has proven itself well. It is a derivative of colostrum, has a pronounced antiviral, anti-inflammatory effect. Another remedy called Roncoleukin stimulates the production of the animal's own immunity, and Globcan-5 contains antibodies to the coronavirus. It is possible to take immunostimulants intended for humans. At the same time, such drugs are prohibited in the presence of the transition of the disease to the form of FIPV, since this can aggravate the condition of the pet.

In addition, during treatment, it is necessary to organize enhanced care for the animal. The cat's diet should be reviewed. If your pet eats ready-made food, it is recommended to gradually transfer it to natural food. The animal protein contained in the meat will help to quickly restore the affected intestinal tissues. In this case, the pet must consume a sufficient amount of clean water.

To raise immunity, you can give the animal infusions of stinging nettle, wild rose, as well as vitamin and mineral complexes. Deworming should be done regularly.

Treatment of a pet from a coronavirus disease should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. It is necessary to visit the veterinarian regularly to monitor the condition of the animal and further adjust the therapy.

Possible Complications

A complication of enteritis is the development of coronavirus peritonitis, which affects the entire body. With peritonitis, the functions of the liver and kidneys are disturbed, ascites occurs, inflammatory diseases of the eyes, muscle atony, and the nervous system is sometimes affected. The advanced form of the disease is difficult to treat and in 90% of cases ends in death. If the animal has been cured, chronic diarrhea may persist.

Prevention of coronavirus infection in kittens and adult animals

If a coronavirus is detected in the body of a mother cat, it is advisable to isolate kittens from her from the very first days. The immune system of newborns is not yet strong enough to resist infection. The virus does not cross the placenta, however, when a cat performs hygiene procedures, the infection can be transmitted to offspring.

If the purchase of a kitten takes place in a cattery, you should familiarize yourself with the documents of the animal, where information about the results of the test for the coronavirus of the kitten and his mother should be posted. If the analysis showed a negative result, after the purchase, you should still do the test again. If the animal goes outside and comes into contact with its relatives, an analysis for coronavirus infection must be done annually.

The best way to prevent is vaccination. Currently, an intranasal vaccine called Primucell, developed in the USA by Pfizer, is widespread. The vaccine contains a temperature-dependent strain of coronavirus, which is injected into the nasal cavity and spreads over the mucous membranes. The temperature in the nasal cavity and oropharynx of the animal is 36°C and is comfortable for this strain. The virus contained in the vaccine is not able to penetrate further into the body, because the body temperature of the animal is detrimental to it. In this case, the body produces antibodies, forming immunity.

It is worth noting that this tool does not guarantee a 100% elimination of the likelihood of infection. With prolonged and close contact with a sick animal, a pet can “catch” an infection, but it will carry it in a milder form.

It is recommended to vaccinate a kitten at the age of 16 weeks. In this case, it is advisable to call a veterinarian at home so that the animal does not come into contact with potential carriers of the disease before vaccination. After vaccination, the pet should not visit public places and go outside for several days.

Coronavirus in cats is a serious and dangerous disease, over the creation of vaccines against which scientists have been struggling for decades. The peculiarity of this virus is that it can occur both in an acute form, leading to a quick and painful death, and in an asymptomatic one, which does not cause discomfort to the pet. Despite the fact that the causative agents of the disease die very quickly in the external environment, they can linger for a long time in a recovered carrier, posing a threat to other animals. Read on to find out how you can fight the coronavirus.

Coronavirus or coronavirus infection is a disease that can occur in different forms depending on its severity and has a rich spectrum of manifestations. This pathology remains largely mysterious even for modern veterinary medicine, since its study encounters a number of problems. One of the most acute of these problems is the inability to explain the mutation, due to which an initially non-pathogenic strain of bacteria in the cat's body turns into a highly virulent type.

The lack of understanding of the mechanisms of mutation naturally leads to the impossibility of creating an adequate vaccine that would be able to develop immunity to this disease in an animal. Therefore, the treatment of coronavirus does not always lead to a successful and quick result. Available medicines can produce different effects, and may be completely useless.

Summarizing the above, we note three main problems that arise in the treatment of coronovirus infection:

• lack of an effective vaccine;
• lack of a well-developed scheme of drug therapy;
• lack of a complete understanding of the nature of this infection.

What is coronavirus

All of the above can greatly confuse and frighten the owner of a cat who has been diagnosed with this disease. Therefore, it is important to understand the coronavirus itself in more detail so that this disease ceases to seem like something completely unknown and terrible. Despite the mystery of the coronavirus, experts managed to collect the following information about it:

Important! If an individual is suspected of having a coronavirus, it should be quarantined for at least twelve weeks (with concomitant treatment). At the end of this period, the animal is again tested for infection.

Forms of the course of coronavirus

Coronavirus infection has several scenarios of development - from almost asymptomatic to affecting the entire body of a pet and leading to fleeting death. Veterinarians distinguish three main forms of coronavirus.

Table 1. Forms of coronavirus in cats

The form	Description
Asymptomatic	This form is the most common and dangerous, since it is impossible to recognize it with the naked eye. This type of coronavirus is not dangerous to the health of its carrier, but it can be transmitted to other individuals who may be less likely to lead.
Light	A mild course of coronavirus is most typical for adults. The main difference from the asymptomatic variation of the disease is an intestinal disorder that appears as a result of enteritis. The mild form of coronovirus also does not pose a real threat to the life of the sick person.
heavy	The most dangerous and least common form of coronavirus is severe - it is observed in no more than 5% of all infected cats. Kittens are most severely affected and often die due to associated complications. A characteristic manifestation of a severe form of coronavirus is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, causing bloating.

Types of coronavirus

At the moment, veterinarians know two main strains of coronavirus:

By the way! There are also dry and wet varieties of coronavirus. Wet implies the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity and the subsequent development of ascites, further aggravating the condition of the animal. The efforts of the veterinarian are directed primarily to transferring the wet coronavirus into a dry one by removing excess fluid.

Video - The course of viral peritonitis in cats

Susceptibility

As has been said more than once, the coronavirus manifests itself in completely different ways. Most often, owners of young cats up to two years old, as well as owners of older cats who have stepped over a ten-year milestone, turn to the veterinary clinic with suspicion of this disease. Among kittens infected with coronavirus, the mortality rate is about 90%, which makes this pathology one of the main enemies of breeders.

The main mystery of the coronavirus infection is its selectivity. Veterinarians do not have an answer to the question of why some cats are susceptible to coronavirus, and some show inexplicable innate immunity. Of course, much depends on the pet's immune system itself:

However, the above does not mean that an animal with strong immunity cannot get sick with a coronavirus. It is only a question of a greater or lesser degree of probability.

Important! Coronavirus does not pose a danger to the human body and is common only among pets (dogs are also susceptible to this infection).

Among the factors affecting the risk of infection with coronavirus are the following:

• the age of the animal;
• general physiological state of the body;
• the quality of the immune system;
• the type of strain and its level of infectivity;
• hereditary predisposition.

Methods of infection

As you might guess, the main source of infection is already infected individuals that have not been quarantined and live in a common area with healthy cats. The following factors can speed up the infection process:

• uncontrolled eating of each other's defecation by animals;
• sharing bowls and other “household items”;
• living in unnecessarily cramped conditions, involving constant close contact of pets with each other (which is typical for some nurseries);
• non-compliance with sanitary standards.

It should be noted that coronavirus is not transmitted from an infected pregnant cat to her kittens. However, there is a high possibility that such kittens will still become infected with this virus, since their immunity is still too weak to provide adequate resistance.

Home conditions

If there is one cat living in your apartment, which you do not walk and do not organize meetings with other animals, then the likelihood that the animal will “catch” a coronavirus infection is very small. The main condition for the emergence of entire epidemics of coronavirus is the crowded residence of a large number of individuals, which takes place in shelters or poor nurseries.

Coronavirus resilience

Being outside the carrier organism, the coronavirus infection reveals its extreme “failure” and dies already 24 hours after entering the external environment. This is not a virus that can stay in feces for months, while maintaining its viability.

At high temperatures, the activity of coronavirus drops even lower, and therefore it is possible to effectively fight it by heating it or by using the banal disinfection of bowls, trays and all accessories used by cats.

Symptoms

Describing the symptoms of coronavirus is extremely difficult due to the difficulties mentioned earlier. Recognition of coronavirus infection is difficult even for veterinarians themselves, due to the fact that clinical manifestations do not contribute to diagnosis, but, on the contrary, confuse the specialist. As a result, infected cats are often misdiagnosed.

The variety of external manifestations of coronavirus is explained by the fact that it is able to switch to different types of cells, leading to different pathologies. For example, the infection can spread to the cells of the organs of vision, and in this case we get keratitis.

Features of external manifestations

Of course, even with a severe form of the coronavirus, the presence of all these symptoms is completely optional. In turn, the asymptomatic form generally does not imply any manifestations noticeable to the owner. The mild form is often limited to short-term digestive disturbances, which pet owners often attribute to expired food or other set of circumstances.

As a rule, a severe form of coronavirus develops like an avalanche. First, malfunctions in the digestive system are noticed, and as the virus spreads throughout the body, the animal has problems with the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Nervous system lesions are particularly painful, leading to frequent seizures.

Incubation period

The clinical picture of the coronavirus does not appear immediately. Even a severe form involves a rather long incubation period, which takes an average of two to three weeks. During this time, it is almost impossible to recognize the disease without undergoing tests.

Diagnostics

An additional obstacle to the treatment of coronavirus is the lack of diagnostic tests that would allow the veterinarian to make an unambiguous conclusion about which type of virus struck the animal - enteritis or peritonitis. However, a number of tests can show whether a cat has antibodies to the coronavirus, which at least allows you to make an accurate conclusion about the presence or absence of infection.

Types of analyzes

Among the most reliable types of tests that will help the veterinarian in prescribing the right treatment are:

• biopsy;
• histology of infected tissues.

In some cases, these analyzes are supplemented by other more detailed studies:

• enzyme immunoassay;
• immunochromatographic analysis of blood and / or feces;
• blood test for polymerase chain reaction;
• analysis for the detection of corona virus antibody titer in blood serum.

As a rule, a single test is often not enough to establish a diagnosis. Therefore, in some cases, the veterinarian prescribes a series of material sampling for further prolonged studies, which allow analyzing the fluctuations in the results.

Treatment

Unfortunately, it is still too early to talk about high-quality treatment that ensures the complete recovery of the cat from this disease. When a coronavirus infection is detected in an animal, doctors prescribe symptomatic therapy, which is recognized as a targeted treatment of those ailments that appear in the animal during infection (whether it be liver dysfunction, prolonged episodes of diarrhea or ascites as a result of fluid accumulation).

The main difficulty of treatment lies in the fact that the main activity of the virus develops at the cellular level. At a certain point in time, the infection captures the cell and systematically destroys it. Accordingly, the only way to effectively destroy the coronavirus is to destroy the cell, which is not possible.

Supportive care

In most cases, the treatment of coronavirus involves the following components:

• appointment of a course of immunomodulators (such as). Unfortunately, the effect of such drugs is often negligible;
• the use of sorbents to prevent intoxication of the body and prebiotics that restore the wounded intestine;
• the use of antibiotics. As a rule, antibiotics give a quick and positive, but short-lived effect, after which relapses are observed;
• development of a special diet that maximally relieves the load from the gastrointestinal tract. Often, sick animals are temporarily transferred to natural nutrition.

Among other things, the cat is assigned special herbal decoctions that help strengthen immunity. Nettle and wild rose are mostly used as ingredients for such decoctions.

Prevention

Unfortunately, the list of preventive measures to prevent the development of coronavirus infection in cats includes the most general points regarding hygiene and the development of a competent diet. Therefore, we will not dwell on well-known points in detail.

In addition, it makes no sense for owners of one or two cats to worry about prevention, since the coronavirus is unlikely to threaten single tenacious animals. However, this does not mean that the health and hygiene of pets can be left to chance - there are many other infectious and fungal diseases that can await cats at every turn. Vitamin supplements, which can be purchased at pet stores and veterinary clinics, often help to strengthen the immune system of cats. You can read about the most popular lines of vitamins for cats below.

Important! Despite the fact that vitamins are freely available, it is not recommended to give them to your pet without any supervision by a veterinarian. The organisms of all animals are individual, therefore, before starting to take vitamins, it is important to understand what kind of useful elements the cat lacks and, based on this, choose the right product.

nurseries

When it comes to catteries, prevention takes on its importance, especially if we recall the alarming statistics of diseases. In order to provide their “pupils” with the maximum level of safety, the breeder must observe the following rules:

• before letting newly arrived cats to other inhabitants, it is necessary to place them in quarantine, during which newcomers are required to undergo all the necessary studies showing their state of health;

  

  Each cat that appears in the cattery must undergo a comprehensive examination before relocation

• it is strictly forbidden to add seropositive individuals to healthy cats;
• if young are born to an infected female, they should be weaned from their mother as soon as possible and, if necessary, transferred to artificial feeding. This will create unnecessary trouble, but it will save the kids life;
• it is important to periodically warm up and treat objects used by cats with antiseptic agents, which will allow you to get rid of viruses remaining on trays, bowls, and so on in a timely manner.

  

  All items used by cats should be washed and disinfected periodically.

Vaccination

Usually, in the section on the prevention of diseases of an infectious nature, it comes to vaccination, but in this case it is not necessary to talk about it. At the moment, there is no special vaccine that allows a cat to develop immunity to this disease.

The single most viable option is the so-called "nasal vaccine". However, this drug shows its effectiveness when working with infectious enteritis, while peritonitis caused by another form of coronavirus remains outside the area of ​​influence of this vaccine. This allows European doctors not to recognize the intranasal vaccine as an effective way to fight coronavirus.

Video - Coronavirus in cats: symptoms and treatment