Definition:
Cytauxzoonosis is a rare and fatal tick-borne disease that occurs in domestic cats.
Treatment:
Treatment options for Cytauxzoonosis include blood transfusion and intravenous fluids. Others use “imidocarb dipropionate” and “Frontline” as a medicinal option.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms start within the sixth day of infection. These include lethargy, dehydration, depression, fever, anorexia and enlarged lymph nodes. When anorexia is present, cats tend to develop liver failure in several days and as a result, become jaundiced and lose the color of its nose and gums. Other symptoms include anemia, leucopenia, spleen hemorrhage and heart murmurs.
Causes:
This condition is caused by the blood parasite, Cytaauxzoon felis. Ungulates of Africa and bobcats of North America carry this parasite. Although this parasite is dormant in wild cats, once it is transmitted to domestic cats, it becomes a dangerous and active paraside.
It is spread to domestic cats via dermacentor variabilis (American Dog Tick) that is found in heavily-wooded areas.
