Cytauxzoonosis, Deadly Cat Tick Disease on the Rise
May 2010: Cytauxzoonosis, a deadly blood disease sometimes called Bobcat Fever, has infected several cats in the USA recently. Cytauxzoonosis is a blood parasite, whose natural host is the bobcat. The disease is spread by ticks feeding on the bobcats, then those ticks go on to feed on domestic cats, spreading the parasite. The disease in cats is almost always fatal, and the majority of infected cats die within one week from the first symptoms.
Cytauxzoonosis attacks a cat’s white blood cells, with the developing parasites causing the blood cells to become distended. This results in blocking blood flow through small vessels, having an adverse effect on the majority of bodily organs.
Symptoms appear within 7-10 days of infection from the tick bite from the American dog tick. Symptoms include lethargy, depression, anorexia (refusal to eat), dehydration, a very high fever, difficulty breathing, and enlarged lymph nodes. The cat may cry loudly from pain. The disease attacks blood vessels in all organs. The liver and kidneys quickly overload with damaged blood cells, causing the body to become jaundiced with yellow gums, skin (often seen on the inside flap of the ear), and a yellowish cast to the whites of the eyes. In the end phase, the cat is in great pain, hemorrhages, then dies.
Most cases occur in the south and southeast states of the USA due to higher bobcat populations in those regions, but where ever there are bobcats, there will be Cytauzoonosis. It was first reported in Missouri in 1976.
May 2010 report on a cat in Lynchburg, VA that contracted Cytauxzoonosis:
http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0510/740460.html?ref=rs&cmpid=rss_news_740460
Reports on cats in Hohenwald, TN: http://www.merchantcircle.com/blogs/TN-Hohenwald
In North Carolina, cases of Cytauxzoonosis have gone from about one per year in the late 90’s to a current rate of one-to-two cases per week during the peak of tick season: http://web.ncsu.edu/abstract/science/cats-ticks/
If you let your cats outside, be sure to use a cat safe tick repellent such as Frontline Plus. However, do note that a tick treatment will not give complete protection, because it may take from 10 – 50 hours to kill a tick. This can be too long a period to prevent disease transmission. In addition to a tick treatment, carefully comb cats with a flea comb to catch any ticks in the fur that did not yet attach to the cats’ body.
Be aware that humans can carry ticks into the house, so be sure to check all humans for ticks.
More information: http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/clerk/Dailey/index.php
A must read, includes anecdotes from cat owners: http://www.projecthelios.org/index.html