This year veterinarians in southern middle Tennessee counties and other areas in the Tennessee Valley are reporting an increase in Cytauxzoonosis, or what is commonly called bobcat fever in domestic cats. Without treatment the mortality rate among domestic cats is nearly 100 percent, according to PetMed and a host veterinary experts. Rapid intervention and aggressive treatment may improve the cat’s chance of survival, according to the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medical Hospital.
Jennifer Strope, DVM, owner of Elk River Veterinary Care, said she has had two or three cases of bobcat fever so far this year. She believes the increase in ticks this year, due to a cooler spring and wet weather, may have contributed to the rise of cases. Dr. Strope also stated that 10 to 15 years ago she saw a lot more cases, about 30 to 40 cases in a year. She said she believes that the newer classes of prescription flea and tick products may have helped to reduce the number of infections. She said prescription products like NexGuard and Credelio for cats work on the cat within 30 minutes; however, over the counter flea and tick products don’t work as quickly as the prescription products. Dr. Strope said she sees most cases during the spring and summer.
Dr. Bryant Morton, co-owner of Lynchburg Veterinary Hospital with his wife Dr. Wendy Wade Morton, said he too has had several cases this year. “We’ve had more this year than past years,” he said. Once the parasite is manifested in the pet, he said the mortality goes up to about 90 percent. “It’s hard to treat,” he said. He believes the oral prescription treatments to kill fleas and ticks are the most effective, though a cat can still get the disease. He said the product will kill the tick, but whether or not the cat develops the disease may depend on the length of time the tick has been attached to the cat…