Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
A third cause of pneumonia could be parasites.There is, for exam-
ple, a species of worm known as
Aelurostrongylus abstrusus
, which like to
live in the lungs and cause infections. These worms can be carried by
the birds, frogs or rodents that cats eat when they hunt. Sometimes gas-
trointestinal worms migrate in an abnormal manner and become
lodged in the lungs. In addition, a protozoal parasite,
Toxoplasma gondii,
can occasionally cause pneumonia in cats.
Pneumonia can only be definitively diagnosed by a chest X ray.
Additional tests are needed to pinpoint the cause of infection.
Because a lower respiratory tract infection poses much graver risks
than an upper respiratory infection, aggressive therapy is needed. A cat
with pneumonia usually requires hospitalization, intravenous antibiotics,
fluids, diuretics, bronchodilators, oxygen and nebulization. Nebulization
is a process in which saline and antibiotics are mixed and turned into
very small particles that are made into a mist. This mist can enter the
lower airways when an animal breathes in.
The prognosis for a cat with pneumonia is uncertain. If the infec-
tion responds to treatment and the lung is not permanently damaged,
recovery is possible. The longer the lung stays congested, the harder it
is to treat.
