Toxoplasmosis in cats

Toxoplasmosis belongs to parasitic diseases, it is caused by intracellular parasite - toxoplasm Toxoplasma gondii. The main hosts of toxoplasm are cats, but other domestic and wild animals, as well as humans, can act as intermediate hosts.

Usually cats are infected with toxoplasmosis in contact with rodents or eating raw meat, containing cysts of the pathogen. Also, toxoplasma cysts can be contained in street dust and dirt entering the house. A person can get infected from a cat through mucous membranes and damaged skin. Contrary to popular belief, you can not get infected with toxoplasmosis, removing fresh animal feces.

Typical symptoms of toxoplasmosis in cats - this:

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  general oppressed state, lethargy;
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  elevated temperature (40-41 ° C);
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  discharge from the nose and eyes;
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  Digestive tract disorder;
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  severe muscular tremor;
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  disorders of the central nervous system (convulsions, paresis, paralysis, etc.);
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  defeat of the respiratory tract;
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  enlarged lymph nodes;
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  eye diseases;
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  dyspnea;
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  jaundice;
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  refusal to eat.

Toxoplasmosis in cats is difficult to diagnose, since it can occur in three forms - latent (hidden), subacute and acute, each of which is characterized by its own set ofsymptoms. In addition, all these symptoms are not specific for toxoplasmosis - they may be accompanied by other diseases. Therefore, the diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian based on the results of the tests.

He also prescribes the treatment of toxoplasmosiscorresponding antiparasitic drugs. Symptomatic therapy aimed at eliminating individual symptoms is also used. Preparations and dosage are prescribed depending on the severity of the disease. It is necessary to follow clearly all the instructions of the veterinarian, self-medication is strictly forbidden. During the treatment, you need to do a blood test for antibodies to toxoplasm every two weeks.

As already mentioned, toxoplasmosis in cats is dangerous for humans: the owner can get infected from his pet. In a completely healthy person, toxoplasmosis usually proceeds asymptomatically or with mild symptoms, resulting in the development of a lifetime chronic infection. Especially dangerous toxoplasmosis for people with impaired immunity, as well as pregnant women, as the parasite through the placenta enters the fetus and can cause severe CNS damage.

therefore prevention of toxoplasmosis is very important. You should start with adjusting the cat's diet: you can not feed the animal raw meat. It is better to buy specialized feeds, and if you feed the cat "naturalka", the meat must be thoroughly boiled. Also it is necessary to exclude cat's contacts with rodents, birds and stray animals. Every day, take away the cat's toilet (it is advisable to do this with gloves, using boiling water and disinfectants), carry out deratization of the room, maintain cleanliness in the house - these simple rules reduce the likelihood of infection with toxoplasmosis.

When the first suspicious symptoms appear, immediately take the animal to the veterinarian. If the cat is really sick with toxoplasmosis,you need to isolate it before the end of treatment. Do I need to put the animal to sleep if there is a pregnant woman in the house? Euthanasia is a radical enough measure, it is enough just to exclude the contact of a woman with a sick animal and conduct a full course of treatment. A woman should take a blood test for the presence of antibodies to toxoplasma.

In fact, a much more dangerous sourceinfection with toxoplasmosis, than a sick cat, is uneaten meat or street mud. Children, for example, are more often infected with toxoplasmosis when playing in the sandbox than playing with a cat. Of course, this does not mean that toxoplasmosis in cats should be treated negligently, its prevention and treatment is very important. But to put a cat sick with toxoplasmosis is not worth it.