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What are the different pansystemic diseases?
- FIP
- toxoplasmosis
- Lyme disease
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What does FIP stand for?
feline infectious peritonitis
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What type of virus is FIP?
corona virus
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What are the two types of FIP?
effusive or non-effusive
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Can a cat be a carrier of FIP and not appear sick?
yes
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How is FIP transmitted?
- feces
- fomites
- possible inhalation
- more of a problem in catteries and multiple cat households
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What is the effusive form of FIP?
wet form, vasculitis
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What are the clinical signs of effusive FIP?
- ascites, pleural effusion
- anorexia, depress
- weight loss
- +/- fever
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What can mutate to FIP?
feline enteric coronavirus
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What is non-effusive FIP?
dry form
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What are the clinical signs of non-effusive FIP?
- weight loss
- fever
- signs reflect body system affected - organ damage (eyes, brain, omentum, kidneys, liver)
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How do we diagnose FIP?
- hyperglobulinemia
- cytology of abdominal and pleural fluids - high protein content
- FIP titers
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Can the FIP titers distinguish between the wet and dry form of FIP?
no
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If cats with signs suggestive of FIP, _____ support a diagnosis of FIP.
high titers
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How do we treat FIP?
- supportive therapy
- abdominocentesis or thoracocentesis to make cat more comfortable
- immunotherapy (ImmunoRegulin)
- prednisone
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Does treatment for FIP usually work?
no, the disease is almost always fatal
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How do we prevent FIP?
intranasal vaccine
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Who should we give the FIP vaccine to?
at risk cats only
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What does the FIP vaccine do?
induces serum antibody titers
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What is the organism that causes toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasma gondii
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What kind of parasite is Toxoplasma gondii?
intracellular coccidian parasite
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What is the definitive host for toxoplasma?
feline
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Who can be intermediate hosts for toxoplasma?
humans and other warm-blooded animals
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How is toxoplasmosis transmitted?
- ingestion of contaminated meat (tissue cysts) from intermediate host (rodent)
- fecal-oral route - ingestion of sporulated oocysts
- transplacental
- tissue cysts can reactivate during host illness
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What is the life cycle of toxoplasma?
- ingestion of sporulated oocyst
- tachyzoites form, invades tissue of body
- oocysts are shed in feces for 1-2 weeks - cat is usually not sick during this time
- sporulate in the environment
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What are the clinical signs of toxoplasmosis?
- signs vary with tissue affected
- diarrhea
- neurological
- respiratory
- ocular
- myositis
- liver
- pancreatitis
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Which animals are the clinical signs most commonly seen in for toxoplasmosis?
- young animals
- immunosuppressed animals
- those infected with other pathogens
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How do we diagnose toxoplasmosis?
- paired titers - fourfold increase
- clinical signs
- exclusion of other diseases
- positive response to treatment
- ELISA testing on CSF, aqueous humor
- fecal - shedding unpredictable
- histopathological exam of tissue
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How do we treat toxoplasmosis?
- clindamycin (antirobe drug of choice)
- no drug clears all toxoplasma gondii from the body
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Is toxoplasmosis zoonotic?
yes
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How is toxoplasmosis transmitted to humans?
- usually transmitted by undercooked meat and contaminated water (50% of human cases)
- possible exposure to sporulated oocysts in the litter box or while gardening
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Do humans often get toxoplasmosis from handling cats directly?
no
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Should immunosuppressed people expose themselves to cats infected with toxoplasmosis?
no
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Why should we clean litter boxes daily?
so oocysts do not sporulate
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How long can sporulated oocysts live in a harsh environment?
for 18 months
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How should we protect ourselves from toxoplasmosis when cleaning a litter box or when gardening?
wear gloves
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How can toxoplasmosis affect a pregnant woman?
congenital infection in first or second trimester can lead to serious birth defects
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What kind of precautions should pregnant woman take to protect themselves from toxoplasmosis?
- avoid feeding raw meat to cats
- keep cat indoors
- have someone else clean litter box
- avoid use of immunosuppressive drugs in positive cats
- antibody titers before pregnancy
- avoid acquiring new cat during pregnancy
- wash hands thoroughly and wear gloves when gardening
- cook meat properly
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What is the organism that causes lyme disease?
Borrelia burgdorferi
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How is lyme disease transmitted?
transmitted to host animal or human through tick bite
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How long does the tick need to be attached to the animal before it can cause lyme disease?
48 hours
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How is lyme disease zoonotic?
same tick that transmits to dogs can transmit to hunans
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What are the clinical signs of lyme disease?
- many organs can be affected
- lameness - acute or chronic
- polyarthritis
- fever
- anorexia
- lethargy
- lymphadenopathy
- myocardial abnormalities
- rash around tick bite
- nephritis - especially in Labs
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How do we diagnose Lyme disease?
- radiographs - little or no signs of DJD
- titers useful in unvaccinated dogs
- ELISA testing
- animals with high titers and no clinical signs should be retested in one month
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When do we treat lyme disease?
if the patient shows clinical signs and a positive titer
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How do we treat lyme disease?
- antibiotics for 30 days - may not clear organism - could relapse
- continue treatment for 2 weeks past resolution of clinical signs
- use either doxycycline, cephalexin, or tetracycline
- recheck titers in one month
- NSAIDs for pain
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How do we prevent lyme disease?
- commercial vaccines available
- vaccine recommended in endemic areas
- tick control
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