Feline TB?

Re: Feline TB?

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:43:02 GMT

[quote user="Christina Smith"]

I agree with Bob and usually give coughing cats a course of panacur at first presentation but have never confirmed it.I have yet to get a positive sample in a dog. Any parasitologists out there? Maybe our worming regimes are preventing the completion of life cycles. Sampling slugs and snails in the neighbourhood might be more useful.Would love to hear some statistics.

[/quote]

We've had at least half a dozen confirmed cases of lungworm over the past 6 months, we're in Woking, Surrey. Most have presented with a chronic cough, but we have had a few over the past couple of years with clotting problems.

Re: Feline TB?

Christina Smith — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 20:35:30 GMT

Re: Feline TB?

Bob Russell — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 10:39:46 GMT

I was under the impression that feline lungworm (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus) was pretty common, perhaps up to 1/3rd of cats having it in a lifetime but is largely asymptomatic! Perhaps a factor in feline asthma though?

Parasitology was many moons ago so I am more than happy to be updated.

Re: Feline TB?

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:41:52 GMT

Is panacur OK for cat lungworm? I've never seen a case, now have something new to worry about....

Re: Feline TB?

Nicola Lawlor — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:48:15 GMT

We have lungworm in dogs around here but not to my knowledge cat lungworm. They are two different parasites though so presume that there is not necessarily going to be an increased risk of the other type if one is high, other than of course the number of available intermediate hosts may be higher in these areas???

Re: Feline TB?

Joyce Whitehead — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:59:10 GMT

Interestingly we have not had a confirmed lungworms case in a dog, and are in North Yorkshire. This farm cat is (to my knowledge) the only case in a cat we have seen. :)

Re: Feline TB?

Stephen Courtney — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:14:56 GMT

We are all worried about lung worm in dogs here in the South East - though we almost never see confirmed cases - at least yet, anyway!

How much of an issue is it in cats in areas where the disease is prevalent in dogs? And is treatment the same - lots of panacur in case Advocate doesn't work?

Re: Feline TB?

Joyce Whitehead — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:02:17 GMT

Like Mariette I have seen a feral farm cat in for neutering. It was a TNR candidate so was in a crush cage for sedation when we noticed it was extremely hyperpnoeic. We radiographed him under sedation and his lung fields were full of nodules. Following discussion with the farmers we euthanased him, and subsequently did a PM (with suitable precautions as I suspected TB at that point). However histology confirmed aelurostrongylus. A sigh of relief from the farm though!

Re: Feline TB?

Nicola Lawlor — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 21:48:44 GMT

I doubt this is TB I was just considering all differentials and realised that I probably wouldn't spot a case under my nose as I don't know enough about it. Having read more I doubt this is a TB case. It isn't a straightforward asthma or CHF case though so now to work out what it is....if the owner is willing to go ahead anyway.

Thanks for the info though.

Re: Feline TB?

mariette asselbergs — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:39:33 GMT

Cats can get both human TB and bovine TB. Farm cats on daily farms stealing milk are vulnerable to acquiring the disease. Also obviously feral cats rescued from dairy farms. It is difficult to diagnose before death, but if you find them in a sputum sample from deep in the throat, stained with Ziehl Nielsen then you have of course a confirmed case. Post mortems can be deceptive, I have seen cases of farm cats which looked extremely suspicious with the lungs full of nodules (but lymphnodes not!) and they turned out to have aerulostrongylus infection and not TB.

Mariette

Re: Feline TB?

David Shepherd — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:58:58 GMT

Worth noting that since 2007 there have been around 20 cases annually reported by DEFRA of bovine/badger TB in domestic cats. One assumes this is a gross underestimate of the true prevalence as many cases will go undiagnosed/unreported. It is notifiable if you suspect it, TB is also of course a zoonosis so great care should be taken with suspected cases.

David

Re: Feline TB?

Andrew Kent — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:03:15 GMT

I have seen a couple of cases in cats and one in a dog. Usually causes a fairly nodular pattern more diffuse infiltration is also reported. Often calcification of the lymph nodes will be seen.