When we delve into the animal world we discover that very few diseases are exclusive to humans and that our pets can also contract respiratory infections, such as the flu.
Despite this, the pathological agent, the manifestation of the disease and the treatment are going to be different, so it is important not to make mistakes that can be serious, such as medicating our pet without veterinary supervision.
If you share a home with a feline, you must be very attentive to any sign of the flu, so we show you how to identify this disease, what care you can give your cat to facilitate its recovery and what is the cat flu treatment
Cat flu, causes and symptoms
In humans the flu is caused by a viral agent, influenza, this is not the case with cats, since in this case we are talking about two different agents:feline calcivirus and the feline herpesvirus.
We must clarify that both viral agents act differently, since the feline herpesvirus is potentially fatal and can leave chronic sequelae, on the other hand, when the infection is due to the presence of the feline calcivirus we can observe a clinical picture of more moderate severity.
This disease cannot be spread between cats and humans, but it can be spread between cats through the air or through slight contact. If your cat has contracted the feline flu, you will be able to tell easily as he will clearly manifest the following symptoms:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Conjunctivitis
- Ocular discharge and watery eyes
- Lethargy
- Mouth breathing as a result of blocked nostrils
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Cough
- Depression
- Mouth ulcers and excessive salivation
As it is a viral infection, there is no specific treatment, and all efforts will be aimed at symptomatic relief, but you should bear in mind that at the slightest sign of flu you should immediately take your cat to the vet to so they can prescribe a cat flu treatment.
Cat flu treatment
The cat flu treatment can only and exclusively be recommended and supervised by a veterinarian, and may vary depending on each cat and above all, depending on whether there is any other underlying pathology, which would aggravate the course of the flu.
Generally the drugs used are the following:
- Antibiotics: They are intended to control infections that can be caused in various mucous membranes as a result of the flu state.
- Interferon: This is an antiviral used in humans that has been modified so that it can also be used in animals. It works by preventing virus replication.
- Eye drops: They will generally be eye drops that include some type of antibiotic in their formulation to combat conjunctivitis locally.
- Intravenous fluids: This therapy is used in severe cases where the loss of appetite has been so intense that it has led the cat to a severe state of dehydration.
Vaccination is used as a preventive method and not as a treatment, and even so, although it reduces the risk of contracting cat flu, it does not completely prevent it.
Home remedies for cat flu
Below we show you various home remedies for feline flu that will allow you to relieve your pet's symptoms and perfectly complement the Pharmacotherapy. These are several hygienic-dietary measures that will allow the cat to quickly recover its he alth and that the flu does not lead to any respiratory complications.
- Use of a humidifier: Using a cold mist humidifier will help maintain the relative or ambient humidity, which prevents the airways from drying out, making it easier to expel mucus.
- Hydration: Taking into account that the cat can lose its appetite, it is vital to be very aware of its hydration level. We must always ensure that he drinks fresh water and we must use wet food to be able to provide his body with a greater degree of liquids.
- Food: To counteract the lack of appetite, which is caused in part by the loss of the sense of smell, we must offer our cat very tasty food that captures its attention, with fish being a good alternative.
- Nasal care: We must clean our cat's nasal secretions with a hot and humid towel and if we observe cracks or scabs, we must apply pure Vaseline to facilitate the recovery of the tissue.
- Eye care: To prevent eye discharge from causing an infection, we must clean our eyes daily with cotton gauze pads and physiological serum. We must use a gauze for each eye.
In addition to providing your cat with this care, you must ensure that the temperature in your home is adequate, avoiding any draft that affects your pet.
Homeopathic treatment for cat flu
Homeopathy is a completely natural and harmless therapy that does not interfere with any pharmacological treatment and works especially well on animals, making it one of the first-hand alternative treatments in the veterinary field.
By applying homeopathy we are offering the animal a diluted and energized substance that has lost all toxic effect and has the property of stimulating the the body's own healing resources, including the immune system.
Some of the homeopathic remedies that can be used in cat flu are the following:
- Preparations made from a viral strain (Feline Herpesvirus or Heline Calcivirus)
- Phosphorus and pulsatilla: They act on the respiratory mucosa and the disorders of this apparatus.
- Euphrasia Officinalis: Useful to improve eye discharge.
These treatments are indicative and generic, so they do not comply with the principles of homeopathy, which indicate that a remedy must take into account all the individualities that the animal presents.
The only person capable of recommending a homeopathic treatment for cat flu is a veterinarian specializing in homeopathy.
