Mycosis of cats or "Tina"
Is a fungal infection suprficial of epidermal tissue that covers especially cats, but dogs and other species.
Fungal infection is caused by a fungus and is spread between animals and between animals and humans by direct contact.
The factors that favor fungal infection: age (very young animals are often the most affected), other diseases that weaken the animal, malnutrition, stress, poor immune status, ... In very young kittens or very poor can become deadly, not fungal itself but by opportunistic germs.
It is known that the presence of the fungus produces the stimulus and the immune response of healthy individuals will finally be able to finally eliminate the process and creating normal conditions some immunity to reinfection.
Therefore, under normal conditions curandose just by itself after a certain time in a healthy individual.
TREATMENT
Although we have already commented on the mycoses should normally refer spontaneously in several months, it is obvious the interest of his treatment at the earliest possible to shorten the course of infection, decrease the duration and severity of injuries, reduce dissemination of infective material pollutant, and to avoid, therefore, the risks of contagion especialemnte to the human species.
Local or topical treatment .- For small or localized lesions, should be applied in several centimeters around the lesions.
General treatment for injuries .- large or abundant. Shampoos or liquid or iodinated azole derivatives have an important role in preventing the spread because the falling debris of the animal (hair descamative ,...) are covered by the product.
Systemic treatment .- In addition to the above, also orally.
Treatment of the environment .- To remove the infection it is better for the environment bleach.
Also important are measures relating to the management: use of gloves, shearing the total or partial isolation of the animal to its healing, topical treatment of the periphery of the affected areas, treatment of the environment ,....
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Feline leukemia virus,
Infection with the feline leukemia virus is one of the most important problems in feline medicine, both for its severity and mortality, as that can cause a variety of diseases. The virus belongs to the family of retroviruses that are able to incorporate their genetic material into the cell which then infect and cause infections very difficult to remove. Cats more susceptible to infection are young cats that have not developed a good immunity and the disease is transmitted by direct contact between cats and sharing the containers of food and water. Some infected cats might develop tables of cancer as leukemia or malignant lymphomas. The disease has no cure but there are treatments that improve the quality of life and increase survival.
WHAT CAUSES THE DISEASE VIRUS AND HOW IT IS CONTAGIOUS?
The feline leukemia virus belongs to the family of retroviruses like the feline immunodeficiency virus and human. Viruses in this family are able to integrate its genetic material into the infected cells, resulting in most cases, lifelong infections. Cats with persistent infections eliminate virus through saliva and can infect other cats through it during grooming or by eating or drinking from the same containers. You can also contract the virus through contact with blood through the penis or blood transfusions. The feline leukemia virus can be passed into the uterus so the kittens born to mothers infected or diseased born and soon die.
¿Where there is contact with the virus, the sick cats?
The answer is that not as many cats if they have contact with the virus can be eliminated in early stages of infection develop an effective immune response. The most important factor in resistance to the disease is age. Cats under 4 months are very susceptible to the virus, therefore, a contact with the virus at this age is very dangerous while from the year and a half or two years, most cats eliminate the virus on contact .
WHAT DOGS are at risk for exposure to the virus of feline leukemia?
All those dogs that have contact with other cats when a social contact to share food, water and other facilities. Therefore, a cat who lives alone in an apartment without leave and without contact with other cats have no risk of infection. This disease is particularly important in colonies of cats, breeders, houses with multiple cats and dogs living free or semi-Llibert.
HOW CAN WE PREVENT INFECTION?
The best prevention of this disease is to avoid exposure to the virus. This is not always possible, but in colonies of cats and breeders is very important, before entering a new cat, the test of the disease and only put in touch with the rest if the result is negative. For some years there are effective vaccines for the prevention of this infection.
It is very important to properly vaccinate the cats that have some risk for exposure to feline leukemia virus. In case of groups of cats in which these are detected positive cats should be separated from the rest of the group. The virus-positive cats should not be used as breeders because in many cases but in others abort the kittens are born and remain carriers of the virus.
What are the infection?
This infection can cause a large number of diseases and therefore a large number of cats with various diseases were tested in the diagnostic protocol. The main diseases that can cause are neoplastic (leucemias. lymphoma), blood disorders (anemia, decreased white blood cells and / or platelets, destruction of red blood cells), immune (presence of chronic inflammation and / or opportunistic infections), gastrointestinal (diarrhea , liver disease) and reproductive (abortions, perinatal mortality).
WHAT EVIDENCE IS USED FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASE and if it needs to perform?
Currently, most veterinary clinics have few diagnostic kits that allow to know if a cat is positive or negative in a few hours. The most widely used diagnostic technique is an ELISA system that detects parts of the virus and is therefore a very reliable technique. The test should be performed on all dogs that have contact with other cats and have some of the diseases or symptoms that have developed in the previous paragraph. Due to the large number of diseases that can be associated with infection by the feline leukemia virus is a test that is practiced routinely and frequently.
My cat has lymphoma BUT IS NOT THE VIRUS IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Sometimes, following infection by the virus, the cat develops immunity is not effective and persistent infection but the virus is integrated into the genetic material of cells and some years later, the cat may develop a cancer such as lymphoma. These cats with lymphoma are negative and not a source of infection for other cats.
What treatment is best suited for a cat positive?
It is essential to address the specific disease that is causing the infection in each case, ie if the cat is a leukemia or lymphoma, chemotherapy administration, if you have an immunodeficiency disease and opportunistic attempt the latter, for example. The virus itself has no effective treatment although some have been tested as antiviral drugs used in AIDS to individuals without definitive results. Currently this is in addition to the disease in question, with immunomodulatory drugs such as interferon alpha, which can improve the quality of life and prolong survival.
Is a risk this virus for humans?
Although a few years ago it seemed that there could be some kind of risk, has now shown that there is no danger of contagion or a greater risk that persons in contact with a feline leukemia positive cats have diseases associated with the virus. Cats with disorders of the immune system itself that may pose a risk to people who have disorders of the immune system (AIDS, transplants) as some of the opportunistic diseases that can suffer are zoonoses, ie diseases that can be passed from cat to people.
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Leishmaniasis CANINA
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease of more or less chronic course, affecting the dog, man and certain rodents, caused by an intracellular protozoan. Presents with different clinical forms depending on the producing species infestation.
If it is true that we must give importance to this disease because it affects the dogs, causing symptoms in them that in many cases, if not carried out the treatment, leading to death. Not the case with human beings, we are not to affect many of us dog owners and non owners, veterinarians, etc ... which give positive leishmania, but nothing affects us.
Personal experience
I have three dogs, two of them, and Lobo have Chusca Leishmania. I had already heard of leishmaniasis, which is why I spoke with my health and told me that the only way to know if my dog had leishmaniasis, was to make an analysis. One year minimum in the case of a positive act in time. Chusca was positive, I was much alarmed, I thought taxes were to die .... My veterinary calmed me and told me that the level of leishamnia who had Chusca was controllable and that if we continued the treatment, it could even be isolated. And yes, we made it, that two years ago and Chusca is great. Treatment was a little hard for her because she had to click over a month, every two days. And then, during 2 months pills every day (nothing expensive, by the way). And now nothing at all, yes, I am doing the test of leishmaniasis each year to ensure its continued isolation and sometimes the veterinarian recommended that I give the pills for a month. But nothing more. When I said that Lobo had a positive leishmania I took it with more philosophy, as well, he just had to give him the pills for a while, did not need treatment, perhaps the most complicated and costly. Depends on the parts of the body concerned has passed and the parasite. My third dog, called Amelie, she has no time for leishmaniasis, one can say that you're lucky. Not because you can not imagine the number of dogs affected by this disease in Spain, are the majority.
You get a brief explanation of the veterinarian on the leishmania.
The transmission of the disease depends on the presentation of the process:
* Form visceral: the lead dog sick blood in large numbers of parasites. Female mosquitoes of the family Phlebotomidae in bites, eat blood from animals parasitized with Leishmania. Introduced a new bite in the parasite in the bloodstream of a healthy animal. Since then the disease starts, passing the leishmania all the internal organs: spleen, liver, intestinal mass, bone marrow, and so on.
* Cutaneous form must ulcers exudate. Since the mosquito bites until the animal shows the first symptoms may take from several days to a year.
Symptomatology
VISCERAL FORM
* Alopécica and furfurácea Dermatitis, alopecia, initially around the eyes and later, back and loins.
* Dermatitis, alopecia in the outgoing bone, which can lead to ulcers.
* Abnormal nail growth.
* Node in the interdigital spaces.
* The muscles of the face are stunted and wrinkles appear.
* There is an initial anemia, accompanied by progressive thinning that can lead to cachexia.
* It can cause enteritis, constipation, alternating diarrhea.
* Signs of bleeding may occur in the nasal cavity and gingival mucosa.
* Infartación ganglion.
Cutaneous form
* Dry Form: After an incubation period of several months are seen in the back and loins some dogs reddish nodules, which may be filled ulcers and some hard crusts.
* Wet: these appear reddish nodules, which ulcerates, ending in a deep exudative ulcer, irregular edges.
FORM MONOCUTÁNEA
Is an intermediate form between the two. One can distinguish two stages in it:
1. Nodules appear to be just about ulcers and exudative crusts. Between 6 and 15 months, is the second phase.
2. Confluent nodules are seen as a bunch that are necrotic, and can destroy the nasal septum.
Diagnosis
A veterinary surgeon can diagnose the disease in the patent period, but it is necessary to resort to laboratory techniques to detect the parasite. These techniques are based on the observation of Leishmania or in the detection of antibodies produced in response to the presence of the parasite inside the body of the animal.
Treatment
The treatment process varies depending on the presentation.
* Antimoniales diamidino or inmidazólicos pentavalent derivatives.
* Levamisole.
* Vitamin complex, liver and kidney protectors.
* Antibiotic therapy.
* Corticotherapy.
Prophylaxis
Vaccinations of dogs surveyed have not produced any result. Therefore we must use other strategies:
* First of healthy dogs: whether or not the dog has a parasite, if so treated if there is possibility of cure.
* Before the dogs sick deal on predicted recovery.
* Given the vectors a particular level and use mosquito repellents generally cleaning up sources of them.
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THE CANINE AND HUMAN Toxocariasis
It is one of the most common parasites, and a danger that every dog lover should know
One of the most common parasites of the dog is a worm called Toxocara canis. The adult worm lives in the small intestine and appears a yellow noodle around 10 to 20 cm long. Sometimes it comes with the stool of the dog when he has diarrhea, sometimes with vomiting.
Almost all dogs are also dormant larvae of the parasite in their livers, lungs, muscles, kidneys and other organs. These larvae are very small, and are within the tissues, not seen with the naked eye.
The disease in dogs
Adult dogs and puppies that are only a few parasites in their intestines can not have any symptoms of infection. When the number of parasites is higher, new dogs are panzones with dull hair, no fat, and may have diarrhea and vomiting.
When there are large numbers of parasites, they can clog the passage of the bowel and cause intestinal obstruction, which is very dangerous. Be careful with the treatment of dogs with toxocara because some medicines excited to parasites and facilitate the formation of an obstruction.
The larvae in the organs generally do not cause any symptoms, but in very young dogs, the passage of larvae through the lungs can cause pneumonia.
The disease in humans
Toxocara the parasites are not human, but when a person eats mature worm eggs, larvae are released into the intestine, enter the blood and spread throughout the body. Most are housed in the liver or lungs, but can reach any other organ of the body. The disease mainly affects children under 5 years because they are the ones who usually get their hands dirty and eat soil contaminated with stool from infected dogs, where are the eggs of the parasite.
When the larvae are in the liver, the children may have vague digestive symptoms such as stomach pain, intolerance to certain foods, or nausea. When in the lungs, children can have a cough, sometimes with blood, and pain in the chest. When the larvae lodge in the eye, the child may lose the vision, they are located in the brain, may develop epilepsy.
Infection in dogs: There are 3 ways that dogs can become infected with this worm.
1. One is eating the eggs out with the stool of infected dogs and the dirty ground. In about 2 to 3 weeks, the eggs develop a larva that can infect other dogs. When a puppy eats the eggs mature, the larvae are released into the intestine, passing into the blood and go to the liver and lungs. In the lungs the blood vessels break, entering the lungs, rises to the throat, are swallowed and reach the intestine where they mature to adult worms begin to lay eggs for 28 days of infection.
Not all larvae reach the intestine to become adults, however. Some fall asleep for months in the liver, others the lungs, and others are shared by various organs of the body. As is the oldest dog that eats the eggs mature, less reach the intestine and worms are becoming more organs.
2. Another is to become infected before birth or mother's milk. Those larvae that had been sleeping in the organs of the dogs, wake up to 40 days of pregnancy and start to travel again in the blood. Many of them go to the new puppies in the womb of the mother, so that cachorrillos born infected and begin to pass eggs at 23 days old. Others go for the milk until the fifth week of lactation, so that infect dogs very new. Some even reach the intestine of the dog, mature adults, and may begin laying eggs within 2 weeks of confinement.
3. When a mouse or other small animal eats the eggs mature in the soil, the larvae fall asleep in the organs of this mouse for a few weeks. If a dog eats the mouse at the time, the larvae pass into the intestine or tissues of the dog. Dogs then, may also become infected catching infected rodents.
Infection in humans
The only way it is spread by eating human parasite eggs mature, the same as described above for dogs. The difference is that in humans the larvae always remain in the body, never reach the intestine and mature to adult worms. As the eggs are in soils contaminated with stool from infected dogs, young children playing on the floor, his hands dirty with soil and are carried to the mouth without washing, have the highest risk of becoming infected.
The most dangerous are the places where sejuntan dogs and children, such as public squares, sites for children's games, and especially the boxes of sand in the parks where children play and often defecating dogs. The dogs are not a source of infection for humans because the eggs take 2 to 3 weeks to mature the eggs hard and will last so long in the animal's fur.
Prevention of infection in dogs
The infection of the dog should be avoided not only because of an infection that is sick and can kill dogs, but mainly because the dog can pass infection to people, causing blindness, seizures and other symptoms. To prevent infecting human beings, we must prevent the eggs from parasites dogs spend their depositions.
Figure 1. The toxocariasis can be transmitted in utero (1) with milk (2), by consumption of infected rodents (3), or by ingestion of mature eggs of the parasite (4). Dogs less than 6 weeks of age developed adult worms in their intestines (5) and dormant larvae in their bodies (6). Old dogs and abnormal hosts (eg rodents and humans) larvae develop only in their bodies (6). The young dogs are more pollute the environment (7).
Many studies have shown that virtually all puppies are born infected, so everyone should be treated. These puppies are starting to move the eggs to 23 days old, so the first treatment should be given no later than 3 weeks (21 days) of age.
The routine treatment only kills the worms have reached the intestine, but not those that are migrating through the liver or lung. They reach the intestine and begin laying eggs about 2 weeks after treatment. For this reason, treatment must be repeated 2 weeks later. The last infection that dogs get the mother's milk is the fifth week. As these larvae will mature into adults and lay eggs about 2 weeks, the last treatment must be given when the puppy is about 7 weeks old.
In short, the dogs should be treated at 3, 5 and 7 weeks of age. How mothers can begin to move eggs from 2 weeks after birth, instead of treating the mother for 2 weeks and the puppies from 3 weeks, many vets prefer to treat their dogs and puppies at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of confinement.
Recently it was discovered that two treatments of pregnant bitches with ivermectin, a 5 days before delivery and another 10 days after birth, preventing infection of the puppies in the uterus or milk.
Like all studies have shown that between 10% and 30% of adult dogs are going Toxocara eggs in his stool, it is desirable to repeat the treatment regularly in all dogs, whatever their age.
Prevention of infection in humans
The best way to prevent human infection is to avoid the dogs spend eggs, as indicated above.
The second best way is to prevent parasite eggs contaminated soils. As epidemiological studies show that a high proportion of dogs are going eggs of the parasite, it is wise to treat every dog as if it were infected. In most advanced countries there are regulations (and bars!) That prevent access by dogs to the playground for children. There are also regulations that prohibit dogs pooped in public places, owners should carry a plastic bag and pick up your dog faeces when they take a walk. In Paris, there's even a municipal service provided for motorcycles with vacuum cleaners to collect the stool of dogs from the streets.
Children should not be used to dirty their hands in their mouths, washing raw foods that grow near the ground, and wash hands before eating. These habits also helps to prevent all infections transmitted by fecal contamination of soils.
A very important part of control is educating people about this disease, not only to implement their own methods of prevention, but also to demand that health authorities to implement appropriate measures.
Finally, for his ascendancy over the pet owners, the veterinarian has a tremendous responsibility in educating their customers and to promote responsible ownership of dogs, including canine population control and pollution prevention fecal environment. |
