Lyme Disease in Cats
Lyme disease can only be contracted from a tick bite. Not all ticks carry the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, though. If you know your cat has been bitten, it doesn't necessarily mean that your cat is infected. If you pull a tick from your cat, save it in a jar. That way, if your cat begins to show symptoms, your vet can test the tick for the Borrelia burgdorferibacteria.
It's important to repeat that the only way Lyme disease is spread is by tick bite. You cannot get Lyme disease from your infected cat.
Prevention of Lyme Disease in Cats
If your cat does go outside, check your cat for ticks every day. Evidence shows that it takes at least 10-12 hours for a tick to actually transmit the Borrelia burgdorferibacteria to the cat, so you want to catch it as soon as possible. Use tweezers to remove the ticks, not your dirty fingers! You can buy tick-repellent collars that work like flea collars specifically for your cat, and you can also use topical sprays and drops like Frontline or Revolution.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The best way to prevent Lyme disease in cats is to keep them indoors. Ticks like to hang out in areas with lots of tall grass, and so does your cat.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Cats
Cats can be infected for weeks before you notice anything's wrong. Early symptoms include a rash (which you might never see), fever, lethargy, stiffness in joints, loss of appetite, and limping. Lyme disease in cats can also cause sudden collapse, which is pretty scary if your cat has shown no other symptoms. Other, more dangerous symptoms include inflammation of the heart and kidney dysfunction that can lead to kidney failure. Because the symptoms of Lyme disease mimic other illnesses or may never manifest until the illness is severe, Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose initially.
If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms and has risk factors for Lyme disease, your vet will conduct a blood test to see if Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies are present. Many outdoor cats will test positive for Lyme disease in this way, so your vet will also do red cell counts and begin treatment to see if that has any effect of the symptoms.
Treatment of Lyme Disease in Cats
If Lyme disease is caught early, it's very treatable. Generally, antibiotics like amoxicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline are very effective. If the illness has progressed past the early stages, it might be a little trickier, and your vet may need to also treat the secondary effects.
Resources:
Messy Beast: http://www.messybeast.com/lyme.htm
The Cat Health Guide: http://www.cat-health-guide.org/lyme-disease-in-cats.html
The Professor's House: http://www.professorshouse.com/pets/cats/lyme-disease-and-cats.aspx
Published by Esther November
Esther November is the pen name of a short fiction writer who has also written over 300 non-fiction articles for web and print media. She also teaches writing online for Ashford University. View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentI had never realized cats could contract this, but it makes sense. It's hard to diagnose without the rash (I had Lyme's disease), and so I would have a hard time figuring it out in my cat. By the time I did so, I suspect serious damage would be done. If the animal recuperates, would it have the serious damage humans can have?