Leptospirosis in cats: symptoms and treatment

Leptospirosis and its causes

Leptospirosis in cats is one of the most severe bacterial diseases caused by Leptospira spirochetes. In the absence of proper treatment and care, the disease can be very difficult for a pet and even lead to death. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infection, meaning it can be transmitted to humans.

The most common carriers of leptospirosis are rodents: mice, rats, ferrets, as well as raccoons, hedgehogs and farm animals. The disease can affect the cat’s central nervous system, its liver, kidneys, heart and lungs, and cause intestinal inflammation. The causative agent of infection most often enters the body of a cat through mucous membranes or damage to the skin. At risk are pets that have free access to the street and the opportunity to contact infected animals. They can also catch the infection by drinking from puddles or polluted reservoirs with stagnant water.

Symptoms of the disease, diagnosis and treatment

Spirochetes in a cat can cause severe disturbances in the functioning of all body systems. Most often, animals with a weakened immune system and small kittens become infected and suffer more from the disease. Leptospirosis in cats is characterized by the following symptoms:

• fever, which is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature;
• stiffness of the muscles in the paws, clumsy gait;
• muscle pain and unwillingness to move;
• apathy, bad mood, weakness;
• refusal of food and water, which further causes weight loss and dehydration;
• sometimes – vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood;
• swelling of the lymph nodes, redness of the mucous membranes.

If symptoms are detected, you should immediately make an appointment with a veterinary clinic. During the examination, you should tell the doctor about all the manifestations of the pet – this will help the specialist make sure that this is really leptospirosis. Most likely, the cat will be assigned several examinations, including blood and urine tests.

In severe cases of the disease, treatment in a hospital will be required. At home, the cat must be carefully cared for and a strict diet is followed. The animal must be isolated from other pets and from small children and cared for by wearing gloves.

Prevention of leptospirosis

Unfortunately, vaccination against this disease is not done, so you need to carefully monitor the movements of the cat. If your pet loves to walk outside, you should wear a harness for walks and should not be allowed to contact other cats, rodents and dogs. It is important to ensure that she does not pick up anything and does not drink stagnant water: in addition to spirochetes, other bacteria and parasites can be in the water.

You should also follow the feeding regimen and follow the recommendations of a veterinarian when compiling a diet. To maintain immunity, it is worth including commercial food for cats with special needs or special food for kittens in the regimen. The cat must have constant access to clean water, and in the hot season it is necessary to change the water several times a day.

For any signs of illness in a cat, especially if it is loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting, it is better to immediately contact a veterinary clinic. Timely consultation with a doctor can save the animal not only health, but also life. You should not engage in diagnostics and treatment on your own – without special education and experience, there is a high risk of making a mistake and harming your pet.

See also:

• How to keep your cat healthy: preventive measures
• Cat Vital Signs: How to Measure Temperature, Pressure and Respiration
• The most common cat diseases: symptoms and treatment