Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: animal health, bacteria, cat food, cats, dehydration, diarrhea, dog food, dogs, enterobacteria, fever, food poisoning, health, infection, intestinal, mucus in stool, pet food, raw cat food, raw dog food, salmonella, salmonellosis, vomiting, weight loss
Description and Symptoms
Salmonella is a Gram-negative microorganism that often lives in the intestines of humans and animals and includes more than 2000 different types of bacteria. These types are called serotypes, and some of them are more aggressive than others. Salmonella often causes no symptoms at all, but in times when immune system is compromised, or when the serotype is aggressive, various symptoms can develop. The symptoms are caused by the very presence of bacteria and toxins they produce, and may include:
- Fever ( up to 104º F)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
- Mucus in stool
- Anorexia
- Abnormally fast heart rate
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion
- Skin disease
- Shock
- Death
Salmonella competes for the space in the intestines with all the other kinds of good bacteria (intestinal flora) that normally live there and help the process of digestion. Therefore, it is very important to remember that keeping  the intestinal flora balanced, often prevents Salmonella from making colonies and causing the illness. This is especially important in animals whose immune system is weak, such as the very young or very old animals. Common name for Salmonella infections is “Salmonellosisâ€, and it affects both humans and animals. Salmonellosis is a “Zoonosis“, meaning that it can be transmitted between humans and their pets, causing very similar symptoms.
If the body overcomes the first attack of Salmonella but fails to totally defeat it, the illness may go into the chronic phase with long lasting symptoms that usually include:
- Weight Loss
- Fever
- Loss of blood
- Non-intestinal infections
- Long lasting diarrhea
Diagnosis
Given the complexity of symptoms, in addition to a general overview, the veterinarian will probably want to do some more tests to determine whether the illness is caused by Salmonella, another intestinal bacteria, or an allergy to a certain food. These tests may include taking urine and fecal samples, as well as blood samples. After confirming the Salmonella in any of these samples, the veterinarian will decide about the treatment, in relation to the severity and type of symptoms.
Treatment
The treatment includes two main points:
- Fighting the bacteria themselves
- Fighting the symptoms
Fighting the bacteria themselves includes antibiotic therapy. Since different types of Salmonella react differently to various antibiotics, the best way to determine which antibiotic is the best choice is by performing the test called “Antibiogramâ€. The test involves growing bacteria from a sample in an environment that contains certain antibiotics in order to decide which antibiotic bacteria the most.
Fighting the symptoms includes everything that can be done to facilitate the overall condition of the animal, like:
- Rehydration
- Treatment with glucocorticoids to prevent shock
- Blood transfusion in severe cases that include sepsis (bacteria found in blood)
Prognosis
Prognosis is very variable and it depends on the severity of infection, aggressiveness of bacteria, age of the animal, general health of the animal, and more factors. Mild, uncomplicated cases, are usually solved in a couple of days, while severe cases can end up with death of the animal no matter what we do to help.
Prevention
The most important factors in preventing Salmonellosis are proper nutrition and low level of stress. Always feed your pet the food that is natural for them. Even though some say that raw food carries risk of  Salmonella, there are many cases of Salmonellosis caused by dry kibble. In fact, it is never proven that animals who eat raw food more often get sick than animals who don’t. Raw food is the most natural food for cats and dogs, and if we choose high quality meats the risk of Salmonella infection is lowered to a minimum.
Animals should always have enough space to rest, play, and do all other daily activities. Taking a proper care of an animal greatly helps reducing the stress, which is another big factor in general health of the animal.
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
No comments:
Post a Comment