Colds in cats - symptoms

Many of the diseases of cats according to manifestations resemble human, so the owners purely intuitively discover the ailment of their pet. You need to be completely sure that your diagnosis is correct, otherwise treatment can not only not work, but also bring great harm.

Many wonder whether cats suffer from a cold, while the most common disease in cats is the common cold. Symptoms of colds in cats may vary depending on the virus. Veterinarians distinguish two main cold viruses in animals:

1. Viral rhinotracheitis . An animal has a clear liquid from the nose and eyes, which becomes more purulent and thick with the development of the disease. The cat has no appetite, the temperature rises, there comes apathy and lethargy. After a few weeks, the symptoms may disappear, but some acquire eye diseases or a chronic runny nose.
2. Feline calciturosis . The most common virus. The main symptoms: the appearance of ulcers on the hard palate, tongue and nose, fever , general weakness, sneezing. The source of infection is a healthy cat-bearer or sick animal.

These signs of colds in cats can become side effects of other ailments, so it is advisable to consult a specialist. He will take a swab from the eye or from the mouth and do the analysis.

If you do not start treatment on time, your cat can become a carrier of the common cold and start infecting other cats. The main manifestation of this will be short (2-3 days) discharge from the eyes and nose. A cold in such a person can manifest itself after severe stress, for example, the appearance in the apartment of a new animal or a visit to a vet. When the disease starts, a chronic runny nose or prolonged inflammation in the mouth develops.

Than to treat a cat for a cold?

Experts advise to use special medicines for colds for cats and not to experiment with "human" drugs. The most effective are antibiotics, which eliminate the cold virus in a short time. In addition, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

Care of an animal is no less important than medication. Give the cat plenty of water to avoid dehydration and spend steam inhalation to reduce the inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Organize the inhalation is very simple: just close the animal in the bathroom for the time of taking a shower, putting a basin with warm water and a drop of Olbas oil.