The disease has received a globaldistribution in just the last few decades. To date, the diagnosis of "infectious peritonitis of cats" is increasingly heard in domestic veterinary clinics. This disease is the least studied in comparison with other viral diseases, therefore not only the owners, but also doctors know far from all of it.
What is PKI?
Peritonitis in cats is an infection.Its pathogen is the coronavirus. The uniqueness of this virus is that it affects exclusively the immune system of cats. This infection develops very slowly, so the disease can last for several years without giving out external signs. To date, infectious peritonitis in cats is incurable, almost all diseased animals die. Specialists are aware of only a few cases when cats are cured of this infection. Most likely, such an increased sensitivity to the disease is genetic. In this case, we can conclude that this is a fairly new disease, to which the species did not have time to adapt.
What is different from enteritis?
It was formerly believed that the coronavirus causes twosimilar diseases: viral peritonitis in cats and coronavirus enteritis. Despite the fact that genetically these infections are incredibly similar, their biological characteristics are different. Enteritis affects the epithelium cells of the small intestine, therefore one of the main symptoms is a violation of the gastrointestinal tract. While IPC acts on the cells of the immune system, spreading to all organs and affecting the entire body, which leads to almost 100% death. Experts are inclined to believe that this virus is a natural mutation of the enteritis virus. Studies conducted in various countries have shown that not only sick, but also cured animals are carriers of infection.
AIDS?
Cats have several diseases thatexperts call aids. This group includes viral leukemia, viral immunodeficiency and infectious peritonitis. In cats, these diseases are caused by different viruses, whose similarity is in one thing: they all infect the immune system. This is what makes this infection incurable. In addition, the same effect on the complexity of creating a vaccine. Do not forget that this type of infection refers to the "slow" - this means that from the moment the virus enters until the onset of symptoms may take several years.
Who is more prone?
Studies show that peritonitis occurs.in cats with the same frequency as in cats. He can overtake an animal of any age. It was noted that in purebred animals most often the disease is detected at the age of up to one year, whereas in mongrel - at the age of more than 7 years.
Previously it was thought that pedigreed animals are muchmore often ill with PKI, but recent observations show that "blood purity" is not related to the probability of infection. However, infectious peritonitis was found more often in the British and Russian blue. In cats, the symptoms are the same, but it has been observed that individuals with natural color are more resistant to the disease than blue or gray animals.
Symptoms
Peritonitis in cats, whose symptoms are very diverse, is so named precisely because the most frequent manifestation of the disease is inflammation of the abdomen.
There are two forms of this disease -wet and dry. In the first case, the effusion of fluid occurs in the chest or abdominal cavity. In the dry form, the liquid does not accumulate, but the internal organs are affected: the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestinal lymph nodes. In addition, frequent inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, iris of the eye. At the very beginning of the disease, the symptoms can easily be missed even by the most experienced doctor, since they are not specific for both forms of the disease.
Studies show that wet peritonitis iscats, whose symptoms were observed in 60%, are found a few more frequently. You need to know that this option may not cause depression of the animal or its refusal to eat. However, for the most part this occurs throughout the course of the disease, sometimes being its only external manifestations. Sometimes diarrhea and vomiting indicate this infection, jaundice may occur. Probably a temporary increase in temperature. Most often, the disease is accompanied by an enlarged spleen, but this is almost imperceptible when examined. Symptoms can manifest not only all together, but separately, which complicates the diagnosis. When the wet form is characterized by coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, X-ray examination shows a clear picture of pneumonia. In this case, the defeat of the chest area is quite rare.
If affected by the central nervous system, the appearance of convulsions, paralysis, significant changes in the behavior of the animal.
A large percentage of diseased animals does not showabsolutely no symptoms. They have a great appetite, usually active. They were examined because of contact with sick individuals. Most of these completely healthy looking animals turned out to be sick, which indicates the existence of a latent form of the disease.
Ways of transmission
To date, all paths are unknown.transmission of this infection. It is believed that this can happen in two ways: in utero or orally. This means that kittens can get sick in the womb of a sick mother or after their birth, through milk. Asymptomatic carriers infect most of the kittens that either die in infancy or become healthy carriers of the virus. Often, sick cats bring dead offspring. Vector carriers are more often domestic animals or cats from the nursery than homeless individuals.
It has been experimentally proven that the virus is infeces and urine of sick animals. This suggests that infection can occur through common dishes, toilet, bed. The possibility of transmission of the virus by airborne droplets has not yet been confirmed.
The virus is unstable, it does not survive the treatment with conventional disinfectants, but in a dry environment it can remain dangerous for up to three days.
Diagnostics
При наличии схожих симптомов специалист может question the diagnosis of viral peritonitis in cats. Symptoms and treatment in this case will be individual. Most of all, the doctor will be alarmed when examining the fluid in the peritoneum, an increase in the abdomen, spleen. To confirm the diagnosis it is necessary to conduct laboratory tests. In our country, apply the method of polymerase chain reaction. Some types of diagnostics are carried out only posthumously.
Vaccination
Вакцины, которая бы препятствовала развитию infection, currently no. In some countries, use a tool that can only be used for animals that have never had contact with the coronavirus. This fact must be confirmed by laboratory tests before administering the vaccine. If there was contact, the drug can only harm the animal, accelerating the development of infection.
In our country, this tool is not investigated and does not apply.
Treatment
Peritonitis in cats, the symptoms and treatment of which are up tothe end has not been studied, not amenable to treatment with currently available drugs. In world practice, there is no effective treatment for this disease. However, there is some chance of self-healing animal. The reasons for this are currently unknown. But even in cases of recovery, there is no guarantee that such animals do not remain carriers. There is no certainty that in the future the disease can not resume.
What to do?
First of all, at the slightest suspicion of PKI,the animal must be isolated from other cats. If a specialist has made this diagnosis, you need to understand that the prognosis is extremely unfavorable. However, if the condition of the animal is satisfactory, if it is not in contact with the congeners, it is important to know that the disease does not bear torment and pain. And euthanasia is not an indication for this infection. Good care and care can stretch the course of the disease and delay the outcome.
If a sick cat brings live birth, itstaken as early as possible. However, it should be borne in mind that kittens are almost certainly infected. All animals that have come in contact with the patient are examined.
If a sick animal is found in the nursery,need to be prudent. You cannot sell these animals, regardless of whether the disease manifested itself or not. Any individual from such a cattery will be considered as a source of infection for other cats.
It is difficult to predict the occurrence of IPK. Today, the prevention of infection is hygiene, proper nutrition, reduced contact with relatives, no stress.
