Chlamydophila felis

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Kate Richardson — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 11:29:26 GMT

I still think treat the in contacts only. Since Chlamydia is unable to survive outside the host, transmission requires close contact between cats; transfer of ocular secretions is probably the most important method of infection.

Incubation period is only 2-5 days and shedding ceases after 60 days so bear this in mind before the cats mix in the future

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 11:23:15 GMT

She has been very diligent with biosecurity - separate bowls/ litter trays etc and always dealing with the infected litter last so full marks to her from that respect (and I'm not normally one to praise breeders) and she may very well be willing to treat all if that gives her the best chance of clearing the infection

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 11:13:48 GMT

[quote user="Lucy Fleming"]Would you recommend these kittens be treated also, or just the affected kittens and the adults? [/quote]The problem is that trying to achieve total isolation in this situation is nigh on impossible with transmission by fomites and unless she has practiced total isolation and barrier controls over a period of time the horse has probably already bolted. My fear would be that there is a pool of chronic infection that is waiting to rear its head again. This is IME an all or nothing situation. If she wants to rid her breeding stock of chlamydia she will probably have to bite the bullet and treat the lot or just accept that she will have to manage each re-infection as it arises.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:46:35 GMT

Thank you very much Kate, I was hoping you would be around! So you wouldn't recommend treating the other adults at this stage? One other adult has been in contact with the affected queen, but the others have been isolated. Presumably the affected cats should be kept isolated until the end of the course?

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Kate Richardson — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:43:51 GMT

I would just treat the affected cat and kittens but closely monitor the others and yes I would use ronaxan tablets divided and crushed into food

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:39:10 GMT

Bumping this one as I have just had a positive chlamydophila PCR in a recently kittened queen from a small breeding cattery. Mum and kittens have all had conjunctivitis, the kittens have had upper respiratory signs as well. FHV PCR was negative. Just a few practical questions about dosing really. The owners have five adult cats (including the affected queen) but have also had 2 other litters which have not shown clinical signs, and have not been in contact with the affected cats. Would you recommend these kittens be treated also, or just the affected kittens and the adults? And what's the most practical way to treat the kittens? Ronaxan tablets?

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Kate Richardson — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 15:27:12 GMT

My horse is currently on Karidox, and I don't know if it comes in smaller bottles, but its licensed for pigs and poultry I think, and it's a 1 litre bottle; he is on 50mls bid, so I suspect it may not be cost effective for smallies unless you were to use it a lot.

Re the OP, I wouldn't hesitate to use Ronaxan.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Stephen Courtney — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 12:58:52 GMT

I'll look into Karidox - looks like it might be very useful, thanks!

Regarding oesophagitis, I have never encountered it, but always advise to give ronaxan with food but always say not with dairy products, though I don't know for sure if that translates across from oxytet or not.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 09:07:20 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]I usually treat chlamoydophila felis with ronaxan for 3 weeks,[/quote]My current understanding is that a course of 4-6 weeks is required to eliminate chlamydia in cats.

Incidentally, has anyone ever seen oesophagitis in any patients given Ronaxan tablets. I always warn owners to give it with or immediately before food for this and pharmacodynamic reasons but I've never seen a problem.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Sara Ramsey — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 23:19:50 GMT

If Ronaxan is difficult to dose in a small animal, what about Karidox suspension (100mg/ml) Our exotics vets use it in rats for mycoplasma but I have never tried it in cats so don't know how difficult it is to give. Just a thought?

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Catriona MacIntyre — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 22:32:08 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]From what i see most of the fluoroquinolone used in small animal medicine seem to be in ear drops which drives me nuts. The best topical corticosteroids are bundled with 'for special' antibiotics - which is crazy.[/quote][quote user="Stephen Courtney"]From what i see most of the fluoroquinolone used in small animal medicine seem to be in ear drops which drives me nuts. The best topical corticosteroids are bundled with 'for special' antibiotics - which is crazy.[/quote]

Yup - just like when the Schering Plough rep came round to the Langford First Opinion Practice when I was in final year and told us all we should be using gentamycin first line for ears because "there's no resistance to it". She was a bit puzzled at our arguments that it should be 2nd or 3rd line only and based on C&S!

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 22:12:24 GMT

That's interesting.

I have little interest in STDs among humans, but Michael's comment reinforces my belief that the majority of antimicrobial resistance seen in humans is caused by the medical profession, directly or indirectly.

I have used azithromycin suspension only in cases where the licensed alternatives - namely ronaxan - have been impossible to use either due to temperament or dose rate issues - i.e. tiny kittens. so I follow the cascade but if I feel a drug is justified and the owner is happy to use an unlicensed product i don't lose any sleep over it.

I usually treat chlamoydophila felis with ronaxan for 3 weeks, providing the cats tolerate it for that long! and azithromycin is more or less a bacteriostatic drug, just like doxycycline is, also the other similar drugs erythromycin and clarythromycin. so yes, a long course is required - the drug doesn't eliminate the organism, just provides a chance for the immune system to catch up. Feline chlamoydophila is not the same as human Chlamydia, and cats are not small people.

I use fluroquinolones only as a last resort, and only when supported by culture and sensitivity, or at the very least cytology.

From what i see most of the fluoroquinolone used in small animal medicine seem to be in ear drops which drives me nuts. The best topical corticosteroids are bundled with 'for special' antibiotics - which is crazy.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Catriona MacIntyre — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 18:38:38 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]

[quote user="Catriona MacIntyre"]

Should we be using azithromycin at all in animals?

[/quote]

Why not, if we can use fluoroquinilones?

Please explain your reservations - have i missed something?

[/quote]

It's one of the triad of antibacterials used in the treatment of Mycobacterium Avium Complex in humans. It's on the WHO's Model List of Essential Medicines. Granted, so are other antibiotics we use, but given the option of alternative antibacterials which are licenced for veterinary use for this condition, should we be opting for one that has such an important application in human medicine?

Yes, I do use fluoroquinolones, but not often, and rarely first line. When I do, if possible I opt for pradofloxacin. It's not really used in human medicine, and is less likely to have rapidly developing resistance. I have 1 or 2 bottles of farm licenced enrofloxacin in the whole practice. I only prescribe it perhaps two or three times in a year despite heavy pressure from drug companies.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 18:02:17 GMT

[quote user="Catriona MacIntyre"]

Should we be using azithromycin at all in animals?

[/quote]

They dish it out like smarties to all the people who've been putting it about and got Chlamydia

Incidentally - why such a long course in a cat? Single treatment in people, we use 200mg/m; oxytet in sheep and get good cure rates with a single injection lasting 2-3 days.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 16:08:45 GMT

[quote user="Catriona MacIntyre"]

Should we be using azithromycin at all in animals?

[/quote]

Why not, if we can use fluoroquinilones?

Please explain your reservations - have i missed something?

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Catriona MacIntyre — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 21:14:20 GMT

Should we be using azithromycin at all in animals?

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Stephen Courtney — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 21:00:20 GMT

Last one of these I had I used Zithromax suspension. The reconstituted suspension only lasts 5 days ( or is it 4) and you have to treat for 21 days, dose out the BSAVA formulary given every other day - so draw up aliquots in 1ml syringes and freeze them, thaw out before administering to kitty.

works a treat when you can't get ronaxan onboard ( record this fact for possible cascade issues, but as we don't have veterinary licensed azithromycin I can use it without feeling any great pangs of anxiety)

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Sorrel Proctor — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 17:28:59 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

I don't think it will get tooth discoloration.

But if it did, the effect would be purely cosmetic.

[/quote]

Thanks, that was particularly what I was concerned about.

Anyway, the owners have decided to go ahead with the 4 week course of doxycycline for the kitten and his brother (no other in contacts). FHV and FCV -tive on swabs so fingers crossed... Thanks for the input everyone.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 16:41:22 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

I don't think it will get tooth discoloration.

But if it did, the effect would be purely cosmetic.

[/quote]True but the owners still need to be warned then its their choice.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 14:54:36 GMT

[quote user="Sorrel Proctor"]Also if I just go ahead and use doxy and the kitten winds up with tooth discolouration would this actually affect the tooth health/strength in other ways?[/quote]

I don't think it will get tooth discoloration.

But if it did, the effect would be purely cosmetic.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 14:39:16 GMT

Assuming you have a positive diagnosis by PCR I would just use Fucidic Acid ointment (Isathal), to control the symptoms, even just Lubrithal, if you don't want to use doxcyline. I don't believe pot amox will do a lot of good. But ask yourself why you wouldn't use doxcycline and do a risk assessment of the low risk of discoloration of teeth compared with other tetracyclines v clinical benefit. If the kitten is clinically severe and lives on its own with no risk of re-infection from other cats in the same household, then I think I'd just crack on with the dox and warn the owners. If its not too bad and they don't want any risk of discoloured teeth then wait until its permanent teeth have erupted and go with 4-6 weeks of dox. and you have a chance of a cure. If there are other cats in the household then it probably isn't worth giving more than it takes to alleviate symptoms - 5-7 days as it will likely be re-infected, unless the owners are prepared to treat all contacts.

RE: Chlamydophila felis

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 14:23:45 GMT

Using amoxyclav is a viable alternative, just for longer periods (6-7 weeks rather than 4)