By Laurie Caruso | Courtesy of The Elk Valley Times
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.
The Fayetteville Animal Clinic has also seen an increase in bobcat fever cases in this year. Zachary Hopkins, DVM, said people are more aware of it these days and are more prone to bringing their cat to the clinic to be treated. Dr. Hopkins said if the disease is caught early the cat stands a better chance of survival, but if it isn’t caught until the final stages, the chances of survival aren’t very good.
{Editor’s Note: This article is brought to thanks to an editorial partnership between The Lynchburg Times and The Elk Valley Times. To read more of their articles, click here.}
Bobcats are natural host for the parasite
According to Pet Health Network, bobcat fever is caused by Cytauxzoon felis, a hematoprotozoan parasite found in lone star ticks and sometimes the American dog tick. Dr. Leah Cohn, a veterinarian and one of the leading researchers on bobcat fever at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia, Missouri, states that bobcat fever has been found in 23 states, mostly in the southeast, although it has been found in North Dakota and Pennsylvania.
Bobcats are considered to be the natural hosts for the parasite; however, it doesn’t generally cause serious illness in the bobcat. The parasite is delivered through the tick’s saliva. When domestic cats are infected, without treatment, they will die within two to four days of the initial symptoms, according to health officials. The female tick can be identified by the single white dot in the center of its brown body. Males have streaks of white pigment around the outer edge of their bodies. Some of the cat’s symptoms include a high fever, lack of appetite, pale gums and lethargy. Cat owners who notice any of these symptoms in their cat(s) should immediately have the cat evaluated by a veterinarian.
Most experts agree that the best way to prevent cats from getting bobcat fever is to keep cats indoors.•
About The Lynchburg Times
The Lynchburg Times is an independent, woman-owned newspaper rooted in the heart of southern middle Tennessee. Led by a Tulane-educated journalist with over two decades of experience covering this region, we shine a light on the people, politics, and cultural pulse of a changing South. From breaking news to slow storytelling, we believe local journalism should inform, empower, and preserve what makes this place unique. Supported by readers and community partners, we’re proud to be part of the new Southern narrative – one story at a time. [Support us here.]