Bacterial diseases & fungi
Bacterial diseases & fungi
Cats naturally carry bacteria that are harmless in small amounts. When these are out of balance, bacteria can be very dangerous and make the animal very sick. There are too many bacteria and diseases to explain. Because it can be to your advantage to recognize certain symptoms so that you can go to the vet for help and diagnosis, we would like to discuss a number of diseases here. "Note, this is for information only, consult your vet in time!" Hot Spots Hot spots, it doesn't happen very often, but we all recognize it. A red irritated and sometimes moist spot. These sometimes arise suddenly (within 30 minutes). This can have several causes. intensive biting intensive scratching in the same spot The spots are the result of itching and irritation and are more common in breeds with longer hair than in short coats such as the (standard) Bengal. When seeing a hot spot, it is best to go to the vet for a proper diagnosis. This will remove the fur around the spot if necessary and disinfect the spot itself. the vet will also prescribe a suitable ointment. Check with the vet what the underlying cause was for the sudden biting or scratching. In this case, think of, for example, a flea infestation or a long (matted) coat. Other bacterial diseases Other bacterial infections that are regularly seen in cats are ear infections, caused by proteus or pseudomonas urinary tract infections, caused by pseudomonas, proteus or e.g. E. coli bacterial intestinal infections, caused by samonella or E. colisepsis, caused by e.g. E. coli skin inflammation, caused by the Straphylococcus bacterium. *Fables about feeding meat We regularly hear the question whether the fur of raw meat is not bad for cats because of the risk because raw meat contains bacteria that can be harmful to humans and animals. Of course you should always take hygiene measures - wash your hands and handle raw food correctly! But this also applies to our own food, right?! The digestion of a cat that eats raw meat is different from a cat that eats kibble. This already starts in the stomach. Gastric juice from a cat that eats fresh meat is more acidic. The pH is different. It starts in the stomach with the elimination of bacteria, possible worms or parasites, while these can penetrate further into the body in a cat that eats kibble. Of course, a worm and bacterial infection also occurs in a carnivorous cat and raw food must always be handled with care. But a cat that eats fresh meat has no greater risk (possibly even less) than a cat that eats kibble. Fungi Fungus is personally one of my worst nightmares to see in animals. 1 x unfortunately experienced (in 2013) that a cat had contracted fungus (ringworm) after a mating with another cattery. The treatment is very intensive and applies to every animal present in the group, as it is extremely contagious. There are various skin fungi, the best known name is ringworm / ring scabies / ring fire, officially it is called "Mycosis". Unfortunately, mold cannot be completely prevented as it is a zoonosis. This means that we as humans can also have/get it. Mold can also survive for years in the environment, which also means that you can get it everywhere and spread it again through that route. To make things even more difficult, animals can also be carriers and spread it in their own way without being affected by the fungus themselves. Mold can give a mixed picture. It gives bald spots, slightly scaly and round with the outer edge has a red ring (hence "ringworm") to other forms where hairs already grow back in the middle and the spot expands further through the outer edges. Mold can be very itchy, but that is not the case in all cases. If your animal has strange spots, always have it checked by the vet. The earlier the diagnosis of fungus is made, the better because of the contagiousness to humans and other animals. Fungus should always be treated with medication. The body does not make a defense against fungi. It can therefore continue to develop. The environment must also be properly disinfected with the right agents that work against fungi and their spread. Everything that is washable is best washed and brushes or scissors that are used should not be forgotten. Disinfect these well before reinfecting the animal or transferring it from one animal to another. When there are several animals, it is also advisable to separate the group or animal with mold from the others so that the space in which mold prevails remains as small as possible. Pay attention to hygiene, clothing and shoes when you enter and leave the room. Does your animal have mold? Also keep a close eye on yourself and other family members. Suddenly an itchy or weird spot? In many cases, the GP prescribes an ointment after a visit, which works fine for us.