Do you remember the last time your pet started having problems? I haven't always had an easy time figuring out what was going on with my animal, which is why I started thinking more seriously about taking the right steps to make sure things were going like they should be. I began focusing more seriously on my animal, and before I knew it, I was able to determine when he was and wasn't sick. When he was sick, I always took him in to my veterinarian for service, and I feel like that has saved his life a few times. Check out this blog for more information.
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Understanding Veterinary Care
How One Vaccine Can Protect Your Cat From A Lifetime Of Colds
Cameron Torres
Having a cold isn't fun for anyone, including your cat. If there was something you could do to protect your kitty from getting sick, you'd probably do it, right? Well, the good news is that you can indeed protect your cat from one of the most common culprits behind feline colds. Read on to discover what this virus is and how you can keep your cat safe from it.
Herpes
Believe it or not, cats can get herpes. However, unlike the human variant of herpes, feline herpes is typically not a sexually transmitted disease. This illness is transmitted via shared food, water, and airborne particles from infected cats sneezing and coughing in the vicinity of a healthy cat.
How it Affects Cats
Instead of causing bumps and itchiness, herpes in cats causes cold symptoms. Coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, fevers, and a lack of appetite are all common side effects of a cat catching herpes.
Unfortunately, it gets worse. Once a cat catches herpes, they have it for the rest of their lives. This is similar to how humans catch chicken pox (a form of herpes) and can sometimes get shingles later in life. When your cat is stressed out, sick with another illness, or has a weakened immune system due to age, herpes can flare up, making them sick all over again. When flare-ups occur, there's nothing to be done except to comfort your cat and to give them medicine to help bring down severe symptoms like fevers.
The Vaccine
The good news is, cats can be vaccinated against herpes and protected from it. The vaccine is part of the standard vaccination package that kittens and cats receive from veterinarians.
In most cases, the vaccine will protect your cat from ever catching herpes. However, if they do manage to catch it, or they already contracted it prior to getting the vaccination, the vaccine can help to ease their symptoms and prevent flare-ups from happening as often. As a result, it's a good idea to get this vaccine for your cat regardless of their age and whether they've already come into contact with the illness or not.
Herpes can cause a lot of problems for a cat's health, and it can haunt them throughout their lives. Regardless of your cat's age and medical history, if they haven't had a vaccine before, it's time to talk to a veterinarian about getting one. Visit an animal clinic for more assistance.
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