How to prevent disease in cats
Lyme Disease in Cats
What Is Lyme Disease in Cats?
Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Ticks do not cause Lyme disease, but they are a means to transport the bacteria. Ticks that transmit Lyme disease, mostly from the genus Ixodes (which includes deer ticks), acquire the disease as they feed off wildlife like deer, rabbits, and rodents. Lyme disease is common in many areas in North America, infecting up to half of the ticks in some areas. Lyme disease affects many mammals, including humans, dogs, and rarely cats.
Ticks infected with the Borrelia bacteria bite a cat and spread the parasite through their saliva. Once the tick is attached, it takes 24 to 48 hours for Borrelia to start transmitting through the saliva. In the rare case of cats having clinical signs of Lyme, it is similar to the disease in dogs and may be noticeable two to five months after a tick bite. However, most cats do not show any
Borrelia species are highly specialized at invading the hosts immune system, and animals can have difficulty clearing the bacteria. Borrelia hides in the skin, joints, connective tissue, and nervous system.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Cats
Cats rarely have signs of Lyme disease
The most common symptoms, when present, include:
Lameness
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Fever
Animals with a more severe form of Lyme affecting their kidneys may show:
Severe cases may cause damage to the nervous system and heart.
Causes of Lyme Disease in Cats
Cats get Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. Immature ticks get the bacteria when they are feeding in the fall. The bacteria spreads to cats through the saliva in the ticks bite, where the Borrelia quickly replicate on the skin and migrate through the cats tissues.
Ticks must be attached for 24 to 48 hours before Borrelia is transmitted. Therefore, tick preventatives have time to kill the tick before it can transmit the bacteria, which is why keeping all cats on flea and tick preventatives is so important. There are many options of tick control in cats.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Lyme Disease in Cats
Lyme disease is diagnosed mainly through history, signs of disease, laboratory tests, and ruling out other diseases with similar symptoms. Because Lyme disease is so uncommon in cats, other conditionslike fractures or abscessesshould be eliminated as potential reasons for limping and infection before Lyme disease is considered.
Testing for Lyme disease involves a positive result on a relatively inexpensive and quick blood test. Additional tests, such as blood work and radiographs, eliminate or diagnose other disorders that may cause similar symptoms. If a cat tests positive for Lyme,
Cats exposed to Lyme disease may not test positive for Lyme disease for two to eight weeks after a bite, if at all. If you find a tick on your cat, you can consider sending it to one of many laboratories that will analyze the tick for any diseases it may be carrying. Cats arent routinely tested for tick-borne diseases, like Lyme, but your veterinarian can help you decide on the necessary tests or treatments if you find a tick on your cat.
Treatment of Lyme Disease in Cats
While veterinarians use a few medications to treat Lyme disease, the gold standard is the antibiotic doxycycline. However, not all cats can tolerate this antibiotic. Antibiotics are typically prescribed for 30 days, but cats may need more courses in the future to safeguard against flare-ups.
Pet parents should use caution when using doxycycline in cats. In the tablet form, it can cause esophageal stricturesor narrowing, scar-like formations in the esophagusif it gets stuck.
Some cats may be helped by non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or other pain relief medications while they are in acute pain from Lyme disease. Typically, animals start feeling better within one or two doses of antibiotics. If cats do not rapidly improve, other diagnoses should be considered.
While most cats can be treated on an outpatient basis, some may need IV fluid therapy, kidney medications, anti-nausea medications, and nutritional support during acute crises. They may require long-term hospitalization for severe cases affecting internal organs.
Recovery and Management of Lyme Disease in Cats
Most cats start feeling better within a day or two after receiving antibiotics. Even though they are feeling better, it is vital to finish the entire course of antibiotics, which is usually a month.
Because Borrelia is good at evading the immune system, it may never be fully cleared. It can hide in joints and other cells in the body, flaring up from time to time. These relapses may require more courses of antibiotics.
Lyme disease in cats is ex
Prevention of Lyme Disease in Cats
While there is a Lyme vaccine for dogs, there is no vaccine for cats.
Lyme disease is zoonotic, which means it can infect humans. However, cats cannot transmit Lyme disease directly to pet parents. An infected tick would need to bite a human.
Lyme Disease in Cats FAQs
Can cats survive Lyme disease?
Yes, the few cats who show signs of Lyme disease typically recover.
How long does it take for a cat to get Lyme disease?
Cats may show signs of illness two to five months after being infected with Lyme disease from a tick.
Is Lyme disease contagious from cats to humans?
Cats cannot transmit Lyme disease directly to humans. However, unattached, infected ticks can be brought into the home by dogs and cats. These ticks may bite and transmit Lyme disease to humans, so tick prevention is crucial for all animals.
References
Etienne Ct, Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and the Cat. Elsevier; 2017.
Tilley LP, Smith FWK. The 5-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005
Veterinary Information Network. https://www.vin.com
Featured Image: iStock.com/vvvita
Etienne Ct, Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and the Cat. Elsevier; 2017.
Tilley LP, Smith FWK. The 5-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005
Veterinary Information Network. https://www.vin.com
Featured Image: iStock.com/vvvita
WRITTEN BY
Lauren Jones, VMDVeterinarian
Dr. Lauren Jones graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010, after receiving her bachelor's degree...
Lyme Disease in Cats: Vet Approved Signs, Treatment & Prevention
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreLyme disease is an illness that is mainly transmitted by deer ticks in the United States. It can affect domestic and wild animals, as well as humans. Its one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases in the world, so its important to know the signs of an infection and how its spread.
Fortunately for cat owners, this disease is uncommon in cats, and there have been only a few reports of cats actually developing signs of infection. However, its still a serious and potentially fatal disease, if left untreated. Even though Lyme disease is rarely seen in cats, they can still be infected. Since transmission to cats is possible, knowing what to do to prevent it from happening is the most effective way to keep your cat safe.
Lets take a look at the signs of Lyme disease, the treatment for this illness, and what you can do to prevent it from infecting your cat.
How Is Lyme Disease Spread?
Lyme disease is caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi.1 Ticks do not carry Lyme disease itself. They can only carry and spread the bacteria that cause it. Not all ticks are infected with the bacteria, so if you find a tick on your cat, it doesnt mean the cat was exposed to Lyme disease. A tick must feed on an animal or person already infected with the bacteria to become infected themselves.
When a tick selects a host, they grasp onto the skin using small barbs. Sometimes, they also secrete a glue-like substance to attach themselves.2 This is why it can be difficult to pull ticks off of the skin. Their saliva contains numbing agents so their hosts cant feel the tick while it feeds, and they can stay attached for several days. If the host has infected blood, the ticks will absorb the bacteria. They then become infected and can transmit the infection to their next hosts through biting and feeding.
Immature ticks, called nymphs, are mainly responsible for transmission because they are smaller than adult ticks and more difficult to notice. The larger, adult ticks are easier to spot when they are attached to your animals skin, especially if they have light-colored, short fur. When adult ticks are spotted, they can be removed quickly. Once a tick is attached to the skin, the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi takes place between 2448 hours. Younger ticks have a better chance than adult ticks of going unnoticed on an animal for that long.
Signs of Lyme Disease in Cats
The majority of cats with Lyme disease never show any signs of the disease. Reports of actual clinical signs due to Lyme disease in cats are few and far between, and its believed to occur mostly in the laboratory setting. If you have found ticks on your cat, consult your veterinarian and stay on the lookout for signs, which can take up to 4 weeks to occur.
Since signs arent always present in an infected cat, so your vet may want to perform diagnostic tests, including blood tests, to determine if they have the disease. Signs of the disease cats may experience are believed to be similar to the ones seen in dogs. Lyme disease can also affect humans, and by spending time outdoors and having cats that may bring ticks indoors, you should be vigilant when it comes to this illness.
Lameness due to joint inflammation is one sign of Lyme disease. Animals can experience lameness in one leg that occurs for a few days and then disappears, only to return weeks later in a different leg. This shifting-leg lameness is a sign that your cat needs to be seen by a vet right away.
Infected animals can also experience dysfunction and inflammation of the kidneys, in more severe forms of the disease. That can lead to kidney failure and signs that include vomiting, weight loss, lack of appetite, increased thirst, and fluid buildup in their body tissues.
Other signs include:
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Stiffness in joints
- Swollen and painful joints
- Abnormal heart function
- Sensitivity to touch
- Fever
As mentioned before, most of these signs are extrapolated from Lyme disease in dogs, as clinical illness is actually rarely seen in cats, and reports of heart disease are one of the very few that are available in literature. Still, its important to understand that cats can get infected with Lyme disease, and ticks that feed off of them may transfer the bacteria to dogs or humans. Its just rare that cats actually get sick themselves.
Diagnosing Lyme Disease in Cats
If you suspect that your cat has Lyme disease, your vet will want to go over your cats history with you. That will include your cats medical history, when you first noticed the signs, how often your cat goes outside, the areas that they frequent outdoors, and anything else that may have led to the infection. They will also inspect the tick-bite site to see if pieces of the tick remain in the skin and how the wound appears to be healing if the tick was attached only recently.
A blood test is the most common way of diagnosing Lyme disease, although other laboratory tests may be performed. X-rays and joint sampling may sometimes be used to see the severity of the joint inflammation.
If your cat has been positively diagnosed with Lyme disease, your vet will discuss a treatment plan with you.
Treatment of Lyme Disease in Cats
Usually, outpatient treatment is effective for treating cats with Lyme disease. When the disease is caught early, many cats respond quickly to the medication. Antibiotics are prescribed and the cat will remain on them for 4 weeks. If necessary, pain medication may also be prescribed. Do not give your cat anything unless its been approved by your veterinarian. If the first round of antibiotics doesnt work to treat the disease, a second round may be added.
Clinical signs of the disease may clear up completely, but in some cases, they dont totally resolve. Even after a full course of treatment, long-lasting joint pain and inflammation can remain.
If the disease is left untreated in cats for a prolonged period, it may take much longer to treat. It may also take longer for your cat to recover. Untreated Lyme disease can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys and joints, mainly in the limbs.
Preventing Lyme Disease in Cats
While a vaccine exists to prevent Lyme disease in dogs, one does not exist for cats. That means youll have to be diligent about protecting your cat from this disease yourself.
The easiest prevention is not allowing your cat to explore outdoors in tick-infested areas. However, ticks can find their way to cats that are indoors, so this method isnt foolproof. Tick control is the key to preventing Lyme disease infections.
Perform regular checks of your cats skin, especially during grooming and whenever your cat returns from being outdoors. Check yourself when you return, as ticks can be brought into the house on your skin or clothing.
Using a grooming tool and carefully examining the skin for ticks can be helpful when brushing your cat. Always wear gloves when searching for ticks, and remove any ticks you find by hand, being careful to remove every part of the tick from your cats skin. You can use tweezers to help you pry the ticks off of your cat. If you do find ticks, dispose of them in alcohol.
Tick repellents, such as vet-approved spot-ons and tablets, should be used to help keep your cat safe, but always check with your veterinarian to be sure they are safe to use. Topical preventative treatments should always be used only according to the directions.
Final Thoughts
While signs of Lyme disease are very uncommon in cats, it can still affect them if they are bitten by infected ticks. Also keep in mind that the same tick may bite you too and transfer the disease, so always be careful when handling ticks and examine yourself as well as your cat on a daily basis if you are in tick-infested areas. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause irreversible damage and can potentially be fatal. Take your cat to the vet immediately if you suspect that theyve been infected.
Preventing Lyme disease in your cat includes checking them regularly for ticks, using regular vet-approved tick repellents, and staying vigilant about the areas in which your cat roams outdoors.
Be aware of the signs of Lyme disease. With early detection, Lyme disease can be treated and your cat can make a full recovery.
Featured Image Credit: anastasya perfenyuk, Shutterstock
