Hemobartonellosis in cats: symptoms and treatment

Has your purring friend become lethargic and lost his appetite? Is he breathing fast, and is his heart beating like it’s about to jump out of his chest? One of the possible causes of this condition is hemobartonellosis.

Hemobartonellosis in cats: what is it

Hemobartonellosis, also known as hemoplasmosis or infectious anemia, is a fairly common infectious disease. It develops due to the parasites Mycoplasma haemofilis and Mycoplasma haemominutum. These small microorganisms attach to the membranes of erythrocytes, red blood cells, damage them, settle in the resulting recesses and begin to multiply, causing irreversible cell damage. And subsequently anemia – a decrease in the number of red blood cells.

According to 2001 data, hemobartonellosis occurs in more than 18% of cats, that is, almost every fifth. And the older the pet, the more likely it is to get sick. At the same time, in 75% of cases, hemoplasmosis occurs latently, without any clinical manifestations – animals are simply asymptomatic carriers of the infection. In this regard, cats, in a sense, are more lucky than cats: clinical symptoms in the latter appear much more often.

Causes of the disease

How do these Mycoplasma haemofilis and Mycoplasma haemominutum get into the body of caudates? Not without the help of blood-sucking parasites – fleas, ticks, possibly mosquitoes. And also when interacting with already sick animals. A sick cat has bitten or scratched a healthy cat – now they are both infected.

For this reason, street cats, who often have to be in fights, get sick more often than pets. Another possible way of infection is the transfusion of infected blood.

Hemobartonellosis often manifests itself against the background of weakened immunity – due to other diseases, stress, injuries.

Symptoms of hemobartonellosis

The main signs of the disease are associated with anemia and are not specific, therefore, even a specialist cannot diagnose hemoplasmosis only by them. A pet infected with infectious anemia may experience:

• pallor or yellowing of the mucosa;
• fever; rapid breathing (tachypnea);
• rapid heartbeat (tachycardia);
• fatigue;
• poor appetite;
• dark urine.

The incubation period lasts from 2 to 21 days, so the first symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately. Hemobartonellosis can occur both in mild form, when its signs are almost invisible, and in severe form. A severe form without suitable treatment can lead to death.

Methods of diagnosing the disease

After collecting anamnesis, the doctor prescribes general blood analysis, urinalysis and other studies to assess the general condition of the cat and better understand what could lead to the development of the disease. As well as testing for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), since these diseases are often found in animals infected with hemobartonellosis.

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to identify pathogenic microorganisms in the erythrocytes of a cat. For this apply:

• Light microscopy of stained blood smears. This is not the most accurate method, because the result may be negative simply because the blood was taken during a period when there are very few parasites in the blood.
• PCR to detect parasite DNA. This is a more accurate method that confirms the presence of microorganisms in the blood.

Based on the results of the tests, the specialist prescribes the appropriate therapy.

Treatment of infectious anemia in cats

The course of treatment depends on the condition of the animal, concomitant diseases and other factors. It may include:

• taking tetracycline antibiotics (doxycycline, oxytetracycline, etc.), antiallergic drugs, vitamin complexes;
• special diet;
• hormone therapy;
• blood transfusion (hemotransfusion) and other measures.

All drugs, dosages and methods of treatment are determined by the attending veterinarian.

Consequences of infection

Up to 75% of cats in which hemobartonellosis is the main disease recover largely due to competent and timely treatment. In this case, animals become carriers of infection for a long time. In some, albeit very rare, cases, recurrence is possible.

disease prevention

It is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later. For this you need:

• regularly treat the pet from ectoparasites;
• adhere to the vaccination schedule;
• if possible, avoid contact with street animals;
• make sure that the food is complete and balanced;
• strengthen the immune system.

   

  Let the tailed pet be healthy, and this article on hemobartonellosis in cats, symptoms and treatment of the disease is useful for educational purposes only. If the pet shows signs of illness, you do not need to diagnose via the Internet – it is better to contact a specialist as soon as possible.

  See also:

  • Symptoms and treatment of mycoplasmosis in cats
  • Leukemia in a cat – symptoms of the virus and treatment
  • Kitten diseases – symptoms and treatment