| Clinical signs of Bordetella bronchiseptica infection in cats |
B. bronchiseptica associated URTD is a complex disease. There is a considerable overlap between the clinical signs seen with other agents that can cause URTD including FCV and FHV. In studies in cats in which B. bronchiseptica is known to be the only causative agent, clinical signs have included:
However, coughing, although frequently reported, does not seem to be as characteristic a feature as in B. bronchiseptica infection of dogs (Elliot 1991, Jacobs et al 1993, Coutts et al 1996, Binns et al 1999). |
| Diagnosis |
 Many of the clinical signs of B. bronchiseptica infection in cats mimic those observed with other respiratory pathogens (with the exception of coughing). Therefore, the disease cannot be determined solely by a visual or physical examination. B. bronchiseptica infection is best diagnosed from oro-pharyngeal swabs, or from swabs of nasal discharge. Samples should be taken using sterile cotton wool swabs placed into charcoal transport medium before plating on to a selective medium such as Bordet Gengou agar. However, chronic carrier cats often shed relatively few organisms and require repeated oropharyngeal culturing. Furthermore, isolation (as with viral respiratory pathogens) does not confirm that the bacterium is the causative agent of the URTD. Response to antibiotic treatment may provide limited supportive evidence. |
| Prevention and control |
| At present preventative methods are limited to avoidance of stress and hygiene in catteries. Removal of chronically-infected cats from affected catteries may also be considered. An intranasal vaccine is available in some countries and may be considered for use in preventing URTD outbreaks in catteries or to help prevent respiratory disease in cats which come into contact with other cats and dogs, are boarded at catteries or exhibited. Vaccination should be combined with good husbandry: good nutrition, sanitation, ventilation, parasite control and control of other respiratory pathogens to minimize the occurrence of clinical disease. |
| Treatment |
| B. bronchiseptica infection can be treated with tetracycline (10mg/kg PO q8h), doxycycline (10mg/kg PO q24h) or amoxicillin/ clavulonic acid (62.5mg/cat PO q12h). Recent studies (Speakman et al 1997) have shown that isolates of B. bronchiseptica from cats are susceptible to tetracycline and doxycycline but resistance to trimethoprim and ampicillin is widespread. The latter is worth noting since ampicillin is commonly used to treat URT infections in cats. The emergence of tetracycline-resistant plasmids in B. bronchiseptica isolated from cats (Speakman et al 1997) is of further concern. |