Treatment of chlamydia in dogs and cats. How to Treat Chlamydia in Cats Chlamydia Symptoms in Cats

In the treatment of chlamydia, the leading role is given to etiotropic therapy, which is based on the sensitivity of chlamydia to chemotherapy drugs. The sensitivity of chlamydia to various antibiotics is not the same. A number of antimicrobial drugs do not affect the development and reproduction of chlamydia.

Such antibiotics include: streptomycin, ristocetin, vancomycin, viocin, kanamycin, colistin, mycostatin, polymyxin, monomycin, neomycin, biocin and novobiocin (Storz J., 1971; Martin C. L., 1981; Bortnichuk V. A. , 1991).

Penicillin is an inhibitor of the reproduction of chlamydia. The mechanism of action of penicillin is based on the suppression of cell wall synthesis, but during treatment, the drug does not have a noticeable chemotherapeutic effect (Sumarokova N.I., 1975; Shatkin A.A., 1989). Beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins and cephalosporins) or aminoglycosides (gentamicin) penetrate cells slowly and have moderate or low activity against chlamydia, so they can only be used to treat mixed infections simultaneously with antichlamydial drugs.

Antibiotics of the tetracycline series, macrolides, fluoroquinolones have a high inhibitory activity against chlamydia. However, the role of fluoroquinolones in the treatment of chlamydia is now widely debated.

Despite the fact that there are various publications on the successful use of fluoroquinolones for the treatment of chlamydia, ofloxacin is the only drug in this group that is recommended as an alternative. Such limitations in the use of fluoroquinolones for the treatment of chlamydial infection are due to the fact that, in comparison with antibiotics of other groups, the percentage of relapses after such therapy is too high. The advantage of ofloxacin over other fluoroquinolones is its almost 100% bioavailability, resistance to it develops rarely and very slowly.

Tetracycline drugs are the main drugs for the treatment of patients with chlamydia (KatzB. P. et al, 1992; Ilyin I. I. et al., 1994; Nurusheva S. M., 1995). Doxycycline compared to tetracycline has a higher bioavailability, a longer half-life and is better tolerated. Doxycycline monohydrate is available in a unique dosage form Solutab. The successful combination of the chemical formula (monohydrate) and the dosage form (Solutab) makes this drug the safest, and the treatment with it the most compliant.

In some cases, erythromycin is effective, it is prescribed for 14-15 days at the rate of 30 mg per kg of body weight, 3 times a day.

Although tetracycline and erythromycin have been used for decades to treat chlamydial infections, these drugs are still widely used, indicating that resistance to them is not always a big problem. The etiological cure of 63.4% of patients using drugs of these groups is reported by V. Katz et al. (1992). Some publications of recent years indicate the ineffectiveness of therapy with erythromycin and tetracycline in 10-25% of patients with chlamydia (Mavrov I. I., Kletnoy A. G., 1986; Calzolari E. et al, 1992).

The advantages of all modern macrolide antibiotics over erythromycin are improved pharmacokinetics., good tolerability and lower frequency of administration.

Azithromycin is the drug of choice for treating chlamydia in dogs and cats.. This is facilitated by the unique pharmacokinetic characteristics of azithromycin: a long half-life, after oral administration, it is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, it is stable in the acidic environment of the stomach, it is transported by leukocytes to the site of inflammation, it is quickly distributed over tissues where high concentrations of the antibiotic occur, which allows it to be used once per day. In addition, azithromycin has a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity (effective against gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms).

Clarithromycin is chemically similar to erythromycin. Differs in balanced pharmacodynamics, two-phase action, resistance to beta-lactamase, has a high activity against pathogens located intracellularly. The drug is stable in the acidic environment of the stomach, as a result of which it is rapidly absorbed unchanged. The level of its concentration in plasma, tissues and intracellularly is several tens of times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration of most microorganisms.

In recent years, a new macrolide antibiotic has appeared - josamycin, it has shown high activity against intracellular microorganisms, including chlamydia. The antibiotic differs significantly in its physicochemical and biological properties from other macrolides. After oral administration, it is rapidly and completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. The maximum concentration of jozamycin in serum is reached 1-2 hours after administration. The drug is more stable than tetracyclines. A high concentration of josamycin in tissues guarantees high clinical efficacy (Tyukavkin V. V. et al., 2000; Labro M. T., Bavin-Chevaye C, 1989; http://immuno.chat.ru/). When using this drug, there were practically no dyspeptic and other side complications. The antibiotic stimulates the functional activity of macrophages, sharply increasing their absorption and digestion functions, which leads to the sanitation of the body from chlamydial infection. Josamycin is a significantly more effective etiological drug in the complex therapy of chlamydia compared to similar therapy with azithromycin, as evidenced by the frequency of clinical recovery and the absence of the pathogen in the immunofluorescent examination of patients after treatment.

Forecast
At the initial stage, the disease is treatable, and recovery in these cases occurs in most animals. On the contrary, antibiotic therapy in the chronic phase of the disease has a significantly lower activity. It is believed that persistent forms of chlamydia may be resistant to antibiotics, in contrast to microorganisms in the normal productive life cycle.

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When developing an individual treatment plan, it is desirable for a veterinarian to take into account the possibility of persistence of chlamydia in the body.

In the treatment of an acute infection localized on the mucous membranes (clinical signs appeared no more than 1-2 weeks ago), as a rule, antibiotic therapy alone is sufficient, no additional therapeutic measures are necessary. In this case, antibiotics of the following groups are effective:
- tetracyclines (doxycycline - 4-6 mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for at least 7 days, the first dose of the drug is 8-10 mg; metacycline - 10-12 mg per kg of body weight 4 times a day for 7-10 days ).
- macrolides (azithromycin - a single dose of 12-15 mg per kg of body weight 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal; erythromycin 6 mg per kg of body weight 4 times a day for 10 days; roxithromycin 4-6 mg per kg mass 2 times a day for 10 days; josa-mycin 6-8 mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for 10 days; clarithromycin - 4-6 mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for 10 days).

Antibiotics should be prescribed in combination (one drug of each of the above groups). One of the main arguments in favor of combined antibiotic therapy should be considered the effectiveness of this approach in combating antibiotic resistance. With monotherapy, a complete cure does not occur in 25-50% of cases.

In the treatment of patients with deeper tissue damage and recurrent chlamydia(prolonged sluggish conjunctivitis and rhinitis, abortion, stillbirth, infertility and other pathology), and animals with this form of the disease are most often registered in veterinary clinics, use all of the above antibiotics, but the duration of their appointment should be longer than in uncomplicated forms of the disease , lasting up to 3 weeks. More convenient in these cases is azithromycin - 3 doses of 12-15 mg per kg of body weight with an interval of 1 week (days 1, 8 and 15 of treatment).

Persistence of chlamydia requires a special approach to treatment. The most optimal in these cases is a combination therapy based on a combination of antibiotics and immune preparations. With antibiotic therapy, the courses and dosages of the antibiotics listed above are standard for complicated infections. But it is desirable to start treatment with a course of immunotherapy (3-4 days before the start of antibiotic therapy).

Based on our own research, we offer the following immunotherapy option prior to antibiotics:
- neovir 4-6 mg intramuscularly 1 time per day every other day, for a total of 6-10 injections (antibacterial therapy begins after the 3rd injection);
- interferon-alpha in two 5-day cycles with an interval of 2 weeks between them at a total dose of 100,000 ME per kg of animal weight for the entire course of treatment.

Of the immune preparations, polyoxidonium has a pronounced effectiveness in chlamydial infection. It is prescribed at 6 mg per kg of body weight IM 1 time per day; the first 2 injections daily, then 3 injections every other day, the rest 2 times a week, for a total of 10 injections. After the 4th injection, a course of antibiotic therapy is started.

In the treatment of conjunctivitis, in addition to parenteral administration of antibiotics, ophthalmic ointments (3% tetracycline or 2% erythromycin) are used, which are applied 3-6 times a day under the lower eyelid until the clinic of the disease is recorded and another week after the disappearance of conjunctivitis. In females with chlamydial vaginitis, cervicitis and endometritis, in males with balanoposthitis, general antibiotic treatment is also combined with topical application of antichlamydial drugs in the form of suppositories and ointments.

Treatment of sick animals with a complicated form of chlamydial infection should be complex, since the process is associated not only with the presence of infection, but also with the adverse consequences that it causes during the long course of the disease. Therefore, in order to achieve a clinical cure, the appointment of antibacterial and immunostimulating drugs in such cases should be combined with anti-inflammatory, symptomatic and physiotherapeutic measures, the choice of which depends on the nature of the pathology.

It should be taken into account that small doses of antibiotics and non-systematic treatment (it is especially important that pet owners observe the intervals between injections, frequency and doses of drugs) can cause a persistent state in chlamydia and contribute to relapses. Some drugs with antichlamydial activity, used in a series of successive passages in small doses, lead to an L-like transformation (Yakimova A. V. et al., 1998; http://immuno.chat.ru/).

With unsuccessful treatment of chlamydia, repeated courses of antimicrobial and immunostimulating drugs or their combinations are prescribed with an interval of 5-10 days after the completion of previous therapy.

Cat chlamydia is an infectious disease caused by chlamydia felis and is accompanied by damage to the respiratory, digestive, central nervous system, genitourinary organs, abortions and conjunctivitis.

Epizootology. The disease among cats is transmitted by airborne droplets, alimentary, contact and sexual routes. In farms that are unfavorable for chlamydia, the infection of cats occurs through the milk and meat of infected and sick animals. Due to the presence in nature of an uncontrolled reservoir of infection, chlamydia has become unusually widespread in cats; stray cats, stray dogs and rodents (rats, mice, voles) play an important role in the spread of the disease. Cats can become infected by contact through eye and nose discharge, faeces, and urine from a chlamydia-sick cat. Kittens can become infected during childbirth from a chlamydia-sick mother during passage through the birth canal. Cats of all breeds and ages are susceptible to chlamydia.

Due to the fact that most of our citizens have felines in their families, cats with chlamydia pose a direct threat to humans as well. disease is zooanthroponosis.

The incubation (hidden) period is from 5 to 15 days.

Pathogenesis. Once in the body of a cat in one way or another, chlamydia affects the cells of the cylindrical epithelium of the mucous membranes of the conjunctiva, pharynx, intestines, stomach, urethra, cervical canal. Chlamydia, having a specific activity, neutralize the protective mechanisms of the cell and actively multiply in it. The development cycle of feline chlamydia takes 48 hours in the cat's body, after which the cell affected by chlamydia is destroyed, releasing newly formed infectious microorganisms. Chlamydia also have the ability to multiply in the cells of the animal's immune system - macrophages, from where they are carried with the bloodstream to all internal organs, joints, the brain and spinal cord.

Chlamydia infection in its pure form exists, as a rule, only in the initial stage of the development of the disease. Given that chlamydia affects the open cavities of the body, where there is a huge number of other microorganisms, including opportunistic pathogens, chlamydia perform provocative role, creating favorable conditions for the development of microorganisms located there.

As a result, the practical veterinarian has to deal with the treatment of chlamydia in cats with mixed or secondary infection, which is much more severe than chlamydia itself.

Clinical signs. Clinical signs of chlamydia manifestation in cats depend on the virulence of the pathogen, the duration of the pathogen's stay in the animal's body, the topography of the lesion, and the state of resistance of the organism. acute form chlamydia, which has a short incubation period, begins with a slight increase in body temperature, conjunctivitis and rhinitis, accompanied by serous discharge from the eyes and nose. Conjunctivitis initially affects one eye, the other eye is usually affected after 5-10 days. The cat's appetite is preserved. As the disease progresses, spasm of the eyelids (blepharospasm), protrusion of the conjunctiva through the palpebral fissure (chemosis) occurs. The conjunctiva becomes bright red or brick red. With the transition of the disease to a chronic form, conjunctival hyperemia becomes weak, discharge from the eyes is scanty, half of the cat's eye is closed by the third eyelid, and in some cases follicular conjunctivitis may occur.

At severe form chlamydia, the lungs and heart are involved in the process. The disease is manifested by cough, shortness of breath, with auscultation of the lung area - large, medium - and fine bubbling rales, with pneumonia during auscultation, crepitus sounds, high body temperature is noted. If you do not take medical measures, then a young cat can die from pulmonary edema within a day. In adult cats, chlamydia is usually asymptomatic, manifested by abortions and the birth of unviable kittens. When mating with cats with chlamydia, infection of the cervix occurs, as a result of which the cat's cervical canal becomes a permanent reservoir of chlamydia and is a source of chlamydia for other cats during mating. In cats participating in mating with such a cat, chlamydia is already localized in the testicles and during subsequent mating with cats, excreted with sperm, infect healthy cats.

In some cases, after mating a cat with such an infected cat, the cat shows signs of slight depression, changeable capricious appetite and develops unilateral conjunctivitis characteristic of chlamydia. During pregnancy, the described signs disappear without treatment, but childbirth proceeds with the appearance of stillborn kittens, or newborn kittens die within a few days after birth. If the kittens survive, then they are further behind in growth and development from their peers.

The greatest number of abortions, stillbirths and other pathologies of pregnancy is noted in females with the first pregnancy. Abortions are more common in cats during the second half of pregnancy, usually a few days before the expected birth.

Chlamydial neonatal conjunctivitis is a form of chlamydia in kittens. With this form of chlamydia, infection of kittens occurs either transplacentally (through the placenta), or during childbirth - when kittens pass through the birth canal of a cat with a genital form of chlamydia. Chlamydia penetrate into the open cavities of the fruit, causing an infectious pathology. In kittens, the conjunctival sac and nasal pharynx are most commonly infected, causing the kittens to develop chlamydial conjunctivitis and a respiratory infection that progresses to SARS as soon as they open their eyes.

The eyes of such kittens are narrowed, as it were, the conjunctiva is dark pink, edematous, the eyelids are stained with catarrhal-purulent discharge. Catarrhal discharge from the nose is also noted in kittens, they often sneeze and cough.

Pathological data. At autopsy, hyperemia of internal organs (liver, spleen, lymph nodes) is detected; hemorrhages on the serous membranes and under the capsule of the kidneys; damage to the digestive organs, lungs and genital organs.

Diagnosis for chlamydia be put in a complex taking into account epizootological, clinical, pathoanatomical signs and laboratory results. For this purpose, samples of defibrinated blood and feces from the rectum are taken from sick animals to the laboratory. In an abortion, the aborted fetus, pieces of the placenta, and vaginal mucus from the aborted cat are sent. The selected material is delivered fresh or frozen to detect the pathogen in organs and tissues and isolate the pathogen. Currently, the diagnosis of chlamydia in laboratories is carried out by the method ELISA(enzymatic immunoassay), PCR(polymerase chain reaction) and other highly sensitive methods.

Treatment. Given the sensitivity of chlamydia to tetracycline antibiotics, these antibiotics, tylosin, erythromycin, doxycillin, rivaccycline, enrofloxacin preparations (enrotil, enrosal, enrofloxacin), cycloferon, comedon are used for treatment according to the instructions for their use. Owners of sick animals should remember that self-administration of antibiotics can lead to the development of chlamydia addiction to them, hence the treatment should be handled by a veterinarian. The eyes and nasal cavity must be washed with antiseptics, eye ointments or eye drops should be used - Iris, Bars, Dextra-2.

As in the treatment of other diseases, symptomatic treatment is carried out in animals (cardiac, expectorant, etc.). Simultaneously with antibacterial therapy, the use of immunofan, maksidin, gamavit, fosprenil, lactobifid is recommended (to restore normal microflora in the intestine).

Prevention. Measures of general prevention are reduced to the fulfillment by the owners of animals of the general veterinary and sanitary requirements for keeping animals. Early diagnosis of chlamydia in animals plays an important role in prevention. Owners of animals, especially those who often participate in exhibitions and breeding, should make sure that the opposite side is free of chlamydial infection before mating.

Given that chlamydia is transmitted by contact and airborne droplets, owners should strive to limit their pet's contact with untrustworthy animals.

Owners must remember that natural immunity to chlamydia in cats is negligible. After the treatment course, immunity from chlamydia in cats is not formed.

For specific prevention chlamydia today a number of vaccines have been proposed containing a strain of chlamydia:

ChlamiKon (Russia) - monovaccine;

Multifel-4 (Russia), Felovax-4 (USA), Nobivak Forket (Netherlands), Purivax (France) - polio vaccines (for immunization of cats against calcivirosis, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia).

Vaccination is carried out only in clinically healthy animals, owners must carry out vaccination before vaccination. deworming and in a veterinary clinic preliminary analysis for chlamydia.

Feline chlamydia is zooanthroponotic disease therefore, despite the rather low risk of contracting this infection with the manifestation of ocular, respiratory and intestinal forms of chlamydia, it is necessary to exclude close contact with your pet during the course of treatment, especially children. When keeping an animal in an apartment, the owners must observe hygiene measures(wash your hands with soap after interacting with the cat and cleaning its toilet).

Pathways of penetration of the pathogen are:

airborne way;
contact;
sexual.

Infection occurs through direct contact with secretions from the eyes and nasal cavity, as well as with cat feces.

Infection of kittens can also occur as a result of the pathogen penetrating them through the umbilical cord, when passing through the birth canal of a sick mother cat. Carriers of the disease are cats that are ill or have had the disease in the past.

The peculiarity of the disease is that it can be active for a long period of time in places where there is an accumulation of a large number of animals, because they transmit the infection to each other.

The incubation period of chlamydia takes from 5 to 15 days, and the processes associated with the development of the disease are localized.

In most cases, the formation of the disease begins in kittens from the age of five weeks, since stress is the impetus for the activation of chlamydial infection.

The danger of chlamydia

Chlamydia, once in the cat's body, most often leads to the formation of conjunctivitis, which can have an acute or chronic course. First, there is a lesion of one eyeball, which will be accompanied by discharge from the eye, fear of light and swelling of the conjunctival sac.

Over time, the other eye is also involved in the pathological process. As a result, bilateral conjunctivitis occurs, which may be accompanied by a change in discharge from the eye to purulent.

The duration of the incubation period is on average 7-10 days. As for the duration of this state, it can be several days or months. There are cases when conjunctivitis generally becomes chronic.

In addition to eye damage, chlamydial infection can spread to the respiratory, gastric, intestinal and genitourinary systems. This is what can accompany the transmission of infection to other animals, especially if they use the same tray.

In its pure form, feline chlamydia can only be at the initial stage. This is explained by the fact that chlamydia often affects the mucous cavities of the body, which are open and are the site of localization of various microorganisms. As a result, favorable conditions are created for the attachment of an additional infection. This leads to the formation of a secondary or mixed infectious process, which has a complicated course.

Often, when such infections are attached, urethritis is formed in cats, and the organs of the scrotum are damaged. These processes threaten infertility. Infection that occurred as a result of sexual intercourse can lead to infertility in cats.

When kittens are infected by the transplacental route or during childbirth, a neonatal form of conjunctivitis and chlamydial lesions of the respiratory organs are formed. This can develop into atypical pneumonia, which can be fatal.

In rare cases, a generalized form of the disease can be observed, in which the pathogen enters all organs and tissues with the bloodstream.

Clinical picture

A few days after infection, the cat has an increase in body temperature and the appearance of copious discharge from the eyes, which over time will have a purulent character. There is swelling, redness of the conjunctiva, strengthening of its vascular pattern. Rhinitis begins to join with discharge from the nose, coughing and sneezing. If treatment is not started at this point, pulmonary edema may develop.

However, more often the disease is transferred in a milder form with the appearance of conjunctivitis and respiratory catarrh.

It is impossible to suspect the defeat of the organs of the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract, because this form of the disease is asymptomatic.

The disease can proceed:

Differential diagnosis of chlamydia should be carried out with such pathological conditions as:

viral rhinotracheitis;
calcevirus infection;
bronchial pneumonia.

Among laboratory research methods, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is sensitive and reliable in cats.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of a pathological condition should be carried out only by a veterinarian. The best choice is antibacterial drugs and immunostimulants. But in the case of chlamydia, you must be careful and undergo examinations after treatment. The fact is that a secondary infection can join the pathological process, and improper treatment can cause the pathogen to become resistant to drugs, and in this case the animal may remain a carrier of the disease.

Particular attention during treatment should be paid to ensure that the cat does not come into contact with other animals, because the disease can be transmitted from them again.

Activities aimed at preventing chlamydia

To protect your pet from infection, you need to pay attention to the following points.

First of all, it is necessary to carry out professional examinations of animals, since its timely diagnosis is an important point.
Chlamydia can be transmitted by airborne droplets, so you need to ensure that the animal does not have contact with yard cats.
Since there is practically no immunity in cats to the disease, and it is not formed even after the illness, it is recommended to immunize animals, but only healthy ones. This moment is especially relevant for cats that are constantly in contact with other animals. For this purpose, they offer ChlamiKon monovaccine (Russia), as well as such polio vaccines as:

Multifel-4;
Felovax-4;
Nobivak Forket;
Purevax RC.

But even when vaccinating, it must be remembered that no matter how high-quality it is, it will not work to completely protect the animal from infection.

Is it possible to infect a person from a sick cat

People who have cats in their homes may wonder if chlamydia can be transmitted to them from these animals. There is a risk, albeit a small one, and the likelihood of infection increases if a person has a low level of body resistance.

If infection has occurred, then chlamydia will lead to diseases of the eyes, respiratory organs and digestive tract.

But do not despair if your pet has chlamydia, because this disease is curable. It is only necessary to start treatment on time and exclude close contact with the cat for a certain period. In addition, you need to monitor the cleanliness of hands, be sure to wash them after contact with an animal or its tray.

As in humans, chlamydia in cats does not always have severe symptoms, but it can significantly impair the health of the pet. The development of this disease entails various complications in the animal and the possibility of infection of people around. It is useful for owners of domestic cats to know how feline chlamydia manifests itself, what methods of its treatment exist, and whether it is possible to protect a pet from infection.

What is it and ways of infection

Chlamydia are not able to exist for a long time outside the host's body, so infection occurs as a result of close "communication" with the carrier of the infection. The most common ways of infection are:

Sexual.
Airborne.
Contact.
Alimentary.

Cats in contact with street brethren, animals from shelters and nurseries, 5-12-week-old kittens born to an infected female are at the greatest risk of contracting chlamydia. Most often, pets show ocular and pulmonary forms of the disease that occur with severe symptoms. The remaining varieties (intestinal, gastric and genital) are distinguished by an erased clinical picture.

In its pure form, chlamydia in felines is quite rare.

By weakening the immune system, the disease contributes to the penetration of secondary infections (mycoplasmosis, herpes, ureaplasmosis) into the animal's body.

Human danger

The probability of human infection with feline chlamydia is low in a normal state of immunity. The risk of infection increases as a result of the weakening of the body's defenses (in pregnant women, young children, the elderly, against the background of previous diseases). In this case, the organs of vision are most often affected. In isolated cases, the infection affects the respiratory and digestive organs.

Symptoms and treatment

If chlamydia develops in cats, symptoms and treatment will require the most serious approach. The incubation period of the disease lasts for several weeks. At this time, there are often no symptoms of chlamydia, and the owners of the animal are unaware of the presence of infection.

The primary signs of infection in a cat are:

eye redness and watery eyes;
slight discharge from the nose and organs of vision;
protrusion of the third eyelid;
sneezing, rhinitis;
decrease in appetite;
increase in body temperature.

The photo on the right shows a typical picture of the course of chlamydia in a cat.

Developing, the infection provokes the appearance of more severe symptoms - discharge with pus, a brown-red shade of the conjunctiva, shortness of breath, intestinal microflora disorders that cause constipation or diarrhea, pulmonary edema and pneumonia.

This condition requires mandatory therapy. The lack of high-quality treatment leads to serious consequences in the form of chronic disease, infertility of mature individuals, the appearance of tumors in the genital organs, and the birth of dead offspring. If Chlamydia progresses and affects all organs, death of the animal occurs.

The treatment regimen is prescribed by a specialist after a detailed examination of the patient. Drugs are selected individually, based on the age and characteristics of the course of the disease. Most often, an integrated approach is used - the cat is prescribed eye drops and ointments, antibiotics, immunomodulators.

The course of treatment for feline chlamydia is from 2 weeks to one month. At the end of therapy, a re-examination and testing will be required to prevent the recurrence of the disease.

Eye ointments and drops

For chlamydia in cats, drugs that have a relatively low price are used:

Tetracycline 1% ointment (2-3 times during the day, course - up to 7 days).
Erythromycin ointment (the principle of application is similar to that described above).
Levomycetin drops (3-4 times a day, 1 drop in each eye, the duration of the course is 3-7 days).
Decta (2-3 drops three times a day, the duration of treatment is 5 days).

Ointments should be applied after the eyes have been thoroughly cleansed (with saline or chamomile decoction). Local treatment must necessarily be combined with the appointment of antibiotics.

Antibiotics

With feline chlamydia, representatives of the tetracycline series will become effective:

erythromycin;
azithromycin;
ciprofloxacin;
sumamed;
oxytetracycline.

Often they are prescribed for injection and topical use. It is important to fully complete the course of antibiotic therapy, not allowing the next dose of medication to be missed. Otherwise, the disease can become chronic.

In the fight against the disease, sulfonamides and penicillins should not be used. These types of drugs are not able to completely destroy the causative agent of chlamydia.

Treatment with doxycycline

Doxycycline is one of the most important components of antichlamydial therapy. The drug should be given to the animal once a day (10 mg per 1 kg of body weight). The duration of treatment is at least 1 month. While taking this medication, it is important to exclude dairy products from the pet's diet, as their use is fraught with the formation of insoluble compounds.

Immunomodulators

Immunomodulators become necessary in case of a long course of the disease. These drugs are used intramuscularly or subcutaneously. Most often, treatment is carried out:

Gamavit (1-3 subcutaneous injections per week at a dosage of 0.1 ml per 1 kg of body weight, the course lasts 14 days-1 month).
Immunofan (monthly course of 1 ml three times a day or once a week).
Maksidin (0.5 ml per 5 kg of weight twice a day for 2-5 days).
Fosprenil (0.2 ml per kg of body weight once a day for 3 days).

Felferon, which is widely used due to the absence of side effects, contributes to an easier course of the disease and a faster recovery. This remedy is also used in the complex therapy of other sexually transmitted and contact diseases (mycoplasmas). A single dosage is 200,000 IU. Injections are carried out once a day for a 5-7-day course. In severe clinical cases and in mixed infections, the daily dose may be doubled.

Testing for chlamydia in cats

The diagnosis of "chlamydia" is made to a pet by a qualified specialist based on the results of the examination. By external signs, it is rather problematic to identify the disease, especially the chronic form. Laboratory diagnostics becomes mandatory, which will require taking biomaterial from the cat's eyes, nasal cavity, ears, genital organs, and blood sampling.

Diagnosis of feline chlamydia is carried out by all modern tests and methods used in the study of human biomaterial. These include:

ELISA (enzymatic immunoassay);
PCR (polymer chain reaction);
bakposev.

An important role in making an accurate diagnosis belongs to the differential diagnosis of chlamydia with other infections that have similar manifestations - viral rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis, reovirus infection, bordetellosis. To exclude non-infectious pneumonia, a specialist often recommends an x-ray of the respiratory system.

Chlamydia vaccine

Vaccination against chlamydia will become especially relevant for animals at increased risk of infection. To date, there are several drugs used to effectively immunize pets. They all contain a strain of feline chlamydia.

The list of such vaccines includes domestic and foreign products:

ChlamyCon.
Felovax-4.
Multifel-4.
Nobivak Forket.
Purevax RCPCh.

Most of these drugs are polyvaccines that protect pets from other diseases (calicivirus, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis). Before vaccination, it will be necessary to examine the cat for the presence of chlamydia, since the procedure should be performed only in a normal state of health. Another obligatory moment prior to vaccination is deworming.

It is important to remember that vaccination does not provide a 100% guarantee of protection against the disease, and post-vaccination immunity is temporary.

Another effective method of protecting pets is prevention. This is the only way to prevent chlamydia in cats, the symptoms and treatment of which take a lot of time and effort from owners.

Preventive actions

To protect your pet from chlamydia infection, the following actions will help:

regular visits to the veterinarian;
exclusion of contact with street animals;
healthy eating;
strengthening immunity.

Vaccination against feline chlamydia is recommended in cases where outbreaks of chlamydial infection are regularly recorded in the area of residence. When the cat shows the characteristic signs of the disease, others will need to exclude close contact with it to prevent the pathogen from entering the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and organs of vision. A prerequisite for effective prevention will be the constant observance of basic hygiene measures (washing hands after touching an animal, processing its toilet, dishes and bedding, daily wet cleaning of the premises).

If pets live in the house, it is necessary to have information - feline chlamydia is transmitted to humans or not. Owners of furry pets should also be aware of the consequences of an infection and the danger the disease poses to the inhabitants of the house.

What is chlamydia in cats

Chlamydia is an infectious disease that is widespread among cats. The causative agent of pathology is the bacterium "psittaci", which affects the cat's body.

Carrying the disease affects up to 70% of street and domestic animals. The risk of infection is present in every feline, regardless of breed, sex or age.

The infection enters the cat's body in several ways:

sexual (this method of pathogen transmission is the main one);
alimentary (the microbe enters the body while eating food);
aerogenic (infection occurs during respiration).

Chlamydia is more often found in pets who regularly come into contact with stray animals. The disease is most severe in young cats. For kittens under the age of 7 months, pathology is a mortal danger.

How does human infection occur?

Chlamydia, found in cats, affects humans in rare cases. At risk are:

Persons with a weakened immune system who have had serious illnesses.
Elderly people.
Pregnant women.
Infants, young children.

Veterinarians who often come into contact with sick animals are at an increased risk of contracting feline chlamydia.

The causative agent of the disease most often penetrates into the human body by airborne droplets. The pathogenic bacterium first enters the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, organs of vision, then it can spread everywhere. An adult or child can get sick as a result of direct contact with the natural secretions of an infected pet, while cleaning a cat's litter box, or caring for an animal.

Being in the human body, the bacterium "psittaci" negatively affects the organs of vision. Less commonly, the pathogen affects the respiratory or digestive system.

Most often, the owners of sick animals are subject to the development of chlamydial conjunctivitis, which occurs with symptoms characteristic of inflammation of the conjunctiva.

Feline chlamydia signs in humans

Most owners of furry pets infected with a pathogenic microorganism carry the infection with a slight deterioration in well-being. Many signs of the disease and features of subsequent treatment in humans and animals have much in common.

The first manifestations of the disease

The fact that a person is infected is most often indicated by the development of acute follicular conjunctivitis or pneumonia. These disorders appear on the 7-21st day of infection. The diagnostics carried out detects antibodies to the causative agent of the disease (in the body of the owner of the sick cat and the pet itself).

Symptoms in humans

Symptoms of feline chlamydia in humans are most often manifested by damage to the visual system. The disease manifests itself with signs typical of conjunctivitis:

redness, swelling of the eyelids;
the appearance of purulent discharge from the eyes;
pain syndrome, spasms;
increased lacrimation;
drying of the mucous membrane of the eyeballs.

If the body is weakened, infection with feline chlamydia can provoke rhinitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis. Infection with a pathogen can cause pneumonia, in which the patient has a significant rise in t of the body (up to 38-40 degrees), dry cough, shortness of breath, headache, loss of appetite, and general weakness.

Very rarely, feline chlamydia in humans spreads to the epithelial tissue of the genital organs. If this happens during pregnancy, the likelihood of miscarriage or premature birth increases.

Treatment Methods

If feline chlamydia is confirmed, treatment in humans will be complex. The main medicines are:

Antibiotics (Tetracycline, Erythromycin).
Immunostimulants (Interferon-Alpha, Polyoxidonium).
Eubiotics (Bifiform, Lineks).
Drugs that relieve concomitant symptoms (with chlamydial conjunctivitis, Ofloxacin, Taufon are effective).

Antibacterial agents can be used for intramuscular injection or for oral administration. The duration of therapy takes about a month. If necessary, the course can be extended by the attending physician.

To exclude relapse, simultaneous treatment of the owner of the animal and the infected pet is indicated.

Prevention of chlamydial infection in cats and their owners

If you find chlamydia in an animal, you should not panic. To avoid infection will help the observance of basic preventive measures:

temporary refusal from close contact with the carrier of the disease;
meticulous personal hygiene;
treatment of hands with antiseptic agents after cleansing the cat's toilet, the pet's sleeping place.

Feline chlamydia and pregnancy are an extremely dangerous combination. Women in position, living in the same house with a sick animal, should be especially careful. During the gestation period, it is necessary to completely exclude contact with an infected cat.

Vaccination will provide good protection for your pet against chlamydia. Popular preparations for grafting animals are presented below:

In addition to vaccination, it is necessary to limit the communication of a domestic cat with homeless individuals as much as possible. Before mating, it is recommended to examine the partner for the presence of chlamydia. If any symptoms of the disease appear, you should visit the veterinarian with your pet as soon as possible.

It must be remembered that feline chlamydia is very rarely transmitted to humans. Timely prevention can reduce this probability to zero and protect the most vulnerable family members from infection.