New Parasite Identified in Cats

Posted by Affectionately Cats on Jan 23, 2012 | 0 comments

Tritrichomonas foetus

• It is a recently recognized parasite in cats.
• This is a single-celled protozoon organism that can cause large bowel diarrhea in cats.
• It is a parasite common in purebred and shelter cats. No breed of cat is immune to this organism.
• Based on a survey of cats at an international cat show, approximately a third of the purebred feline population may be infected with this!

How could my cat become infected with this parasite?

• This is a parasite that is shed in the feces from an infected cat.
• The organism can live up to 3 days in the feces so a shared litter box is a common method of transmission.
• Mutual grooming can also transfer the parasite.
• Cats can come down with clinical signs within days or up to years after exposure.

• Testing for Tritrichomonas foetus is still not routine in most veterinary clinics.
• A routine fecal float test will not detect this parasite.
• It is necessary to have a freshly voided fecal sample or preferably, a direct fecal smear collected by a veterinarian to have a proper sample for testing.
• The organism can be seen using a microscope, can be cultured using a pouch test, or the DNA can be identified using a PCR test.
• This can be difficult to diagnose so a negative test does not rule out Tritrichomonas foetus infection.

• Ronidazole is the only drug felt to be reliable against this organism, but it has to be compounded into a capsule for accurate dosing, is not approved for use in cats, and has some potential side effects.
• Treatment considerations need to be discussed carefully with your veterinarian.

 The good news is that 88% of cats will resolve their diarrhea within 2 years, whether we treat or not.

However, most of these cats will remain as carriers (a source of infection to other cats).

• Catteries that currently or periodically have bouts of diarrhea and have tested negative for common parasites such as Giardia, Coccidia, or Helminths (worms) should be tested specifically for Tritrichomonas foetus.
• Catteries should also consider baseline testing to look for carriers even if they are not seeing bouts of diarrhea.
• All new cats entering a cattery should be tested for Tritrichomonas foetus.

 

These summary facts have been taken from:

An Owners Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Cats Infected with Tritrichomonas foetus, a 24-page guide written by Dr. Jody Gookin, available free online at JodyGookin.com.