Levantamento clínico e epidemiológico de complexo respiratório felino em gatos atendidos no Hospital Veterinário Universitário “Francisco Edilberto Uchôa Lopes” da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão – UEMA

Abstract

The Feline Respiratory Complex is a highly contagious disease that affects the respiratory system and causes ophthalmic changes in felines, which can be caused by various pathogens such as feline herpesvirus type 1, feline calicivirus, Chlamydophila felis, Bordetella bronchiseptica, in addition to secondary bacterial agents. Such a disease is continuously present in the domestic cat population and represents a challenge for veterinary medicine. Therefore, this study aimed to carry out a clinical and epidemiological survey of the disease in cats attended at the Veterinary University Hospital “Francisco Edilberto Uchôa Lopes” at UEMA, from January 2019 to January 2020, through the analysis of medical records. Fifty-five felines were presumptively diagnosed with the disease, and the main clinical signs observed were sneezing in 63,6% (35/55) of the animals, nasal discharge in 50,9% (28/55), eye discharge in 43,6% (24/55), and loss of appetite in 32,7% (18/55) of cats. As for the breeds, it was found that 94,5% (52/55) of the animals were without a defined breed and the others, 5,5% (3/55) were Siamese. Regarding sex, it was observed that 56,3% (31/55) were males and 43,6% (24/55) were females. Regarding age, it was found that 40% (22/55) of the affected animals were kittens, 21,8% (12/55) were young cats, 10,9% (6/55) were adults, 10,9% (6/55) were older cats, and 16, 3% (9/55) of the animals had unknown age. Concerning the place of residence of cats affected by the disease, 67,2% (37/55) lived at home, 9% (5/55) lived in an apartment and 23,6% (13/55) were rescued from the streets. Besides, it was possible to observe that 78,1% (43/55) of the infected animals were in direct contact with other felines, and among these, 20,9% (9/43) lived with cats that had the same symptoms. Thus, it was concluded that the disease is widely distributed in the cat population seen at the feline sector of the University Hospital and has high infectivity, requiring the adoption of preventive measures.