Feline coronavirus is a disease that affects many tutors, so it is so important to be properly informed about its transmission, the symptoms it causes and the treatment indicated in case of contagion.
The coronavirus is named after its shape, similar to a small crown.Its special features make coronavirus an especially dangerous virus, so the guardian should be very careful and be careful if the kitten has come into contact with infected animals.
Read this Animal Expert article to learn all about feline coronavirus: symptoms and treatment.
It is a virus that presents small projections on its exterior, giving it the characteristic shape of a crown, to which it owes its name.Enteric feline coronavirus is an unrestronous virus in the middle, so it is easily destroyed by high temperatures and disinfectants.
It has a particular predilection for cells in the intestinal epithelium of cats, causing mild and chronic gastroenteritis.The virus is expelled through faeces, the main vector of contagion.One of the main characteristics of this virus is its ability to mutate resulting in another disease, known as feline infectious peritonitis.
Feline enteric coronavirus causes mild chronic gastroenteritis, causing the following symptoms:
Many cats are quite resistant to disease, do not develop symptoms, become carriers and eliminate viruses through faeces, however, as mentioned, the danger of coronavirus is its mutation, which can cause infectious peritonitis, typical disease of cats under 1 year old.old or weak cats, immunosuppressed and living in groups.
Feline infectious peritonitis is a disease caused by a feline enteric coronavirus mutation that can manifest in different forms, both in dry and wet form.
In the first type, the virus can affect several organs, causing various symptoms, such as:
The wet shape is characterized by the formation of fluids in the body cavities of the animal, such as peritoneum and pleura (abdominal and thoracic cavities, respectively).Thus, the symptoms would be:
In both types it is possible to observe fever, lack of appetite and lethargy (the animal is not aware of its environment, it takes a long time to react to stimuli).
Learn more about feline infectious peritonitis in this article
The life expectancy of cats with feline coronavirus varies with the severity of the disease, although in both cases the life expectancy of the animal decreases. In wet PIF, the most severe form of coronavirus in cats, the disease can kill the animal 5 to 7 weeks after the mutation.
In the case of dry PIF, the life expectancy of the cat is just over one year, for all these reasons it is essential to consult the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Suffering and overcoming the disease generates in the cat a certain immunity that does not last too long, which makes the animal can become infected again, repeating the cycle again, when the cat lives alone, the animal can spread through the sandbox.
If multiple cats live together, the risk of contagion increases considerably, as they all share the same sandbox and transmit the disease to each other.
Because it is a viral disease, there is no treatment, usually the purpose is to treat symptoms and wait for the cat’s immune response.
Preventive treatments are recommended to prevent the spread of the disease, vaccination being the treatment of choice, in addition to offering cats several sandboxes of sand, which reduces the risk of contagion between them.
If you are considering bringing a new cat home, it is recommended that you have already been vaccinated.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to Coronavirus feline: symptoms and treatment, we recommend that you visit our Viral Diseases section.