Toxoplasmosis is a contagious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma. Its final host, in which it lives in the intestines, is a cat, and many species of animals can become intermediate. Our fluffy tailed pets become infected by eating the meat of animals infected with this parasite (mice, farm animals).
Can a cat get infected? Yes, you can. Man is included in the list of intermediate hosts of Toxoplasma. How is toxoplasmosis transmitted from cats? The animal excretes the infectious form of the parasite in the feces; swallowing it, a person will get toxoplasmosis. The route of infection is called the fecal-oral route. This usually happens when the rules of personal hygiene are not followed. Do not forget that toxoplasmosis can also be caused by eating poorly cooked meat, unwashed fruits and vegetables.
Toxoplasmosis: cat symptoms and diagnosis
When an animal is infected, the incubation period lasts from 7 days to 2 months. The pet appears prettynon-specific features:
- weakness;
- sluggishness;
- loss of appetite;
- fever.
Toxoplasmosis is also manifested by indigestion (diarrhea, vomiting). Symptoms in a cat may be mild or absent altogether (with a latent form of the disease). The nervous system with the development of convulsions, paralysis in these pets is very rarely affected. Considering that the disease can also have symptoms similar to those of viral pathologies of the respiratory tract: coughing, sneezing and minor nasal discharge, shortness of breath, it is not easy to make a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The symptoms of the cat, which can be suspected of the disease, have been considered, now other diagnostic methods can be discussed. They will depend on the period of illness.
How to test a cat for toxoplasmosis? What tests will be required and when will they be performed? The animal excretes infectious forms of the parasite - oocysts with feces. This happens within only two to three weeks from the moment the disease-causing agent enters his body. Oocysts can be detected by microscopy of faeces or by biological testing on laboratory mice. Usually this time falls on the incubation period, and it is difficult to suspect toxoplasmosis at all. The symptoms in a cat, discussed above, disappear when the disease becomes chronic. At this time, the pathogen is carried by blood through the internal organs and remains in them. To identify the disease during this period will help:
- complete blood count;
- immunological test for antibodies totoxoplasma.
What to do if the disease is found in a cat
If oocysts (infectious forms of the parasite) are found in the feces of an animal, then it is dangerous to humans. For all people, it does not pose a great threat, with the exception of women who carry a child. In them, infection during pregnancy is fraught with complications: abortion, fetal deformities. Contact with a cat that excretes oocysts should be avoided. Attention should also be paid to the prevention of other routes of infection.
A pet with the presence of oocysts in the feces must be taken to the veterinary clinic and treated. If antibodies to Toxoplasma are found in an animal, then this is not a reason for panic. Provided the cat has no clinical signs and does not excrete oocysts, it is absolutely safe for humans.
