Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Disseminated histoplasmosis in cats causes anemia and weight loss
By K. Clinkenbeard et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1987·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Disseminated histoplasmosis in cats: 12 cases (1981-1986).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 12 young cats, mostly under a year old, showed symptoms like weight loss, lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite due to a serious infection called disseminated histoplasmosis. Owners noticed these signs within about four weeks before taking their cats to the vet. The diagnosis was confirmed by finding the Histoplasma organisms in bone marrow samples. Treatment was attempted in seven of the cats, but the outcome of these treatments isn't detailed in the study.
People also search for: cat weight loss and lethargy · feline histoplasmosis symptoms · young cat fever treatment
Abstract
Anemia, weight loss, lethargy, fever, anorexia, and interstitial lung disease were the predominant clinical findings in 12 cats with disseminated histoplasmosis. Some cats were examined because of dysfunction or lesions of bone, eyes, or skin. In most cases, the clinical signs were observed by the owner for 4 weeks or less before seeking veterinary care. Young cats were most commonly affected, with 7 of the 12 cats less than or equal to 1 year old. Identification of Histoplasma organisms in bone marrow aspirates was used to confirm the diagnosis of histoplasmosis in 11 of the 12 cats. Histoplasma infection of multiple organs was found at necropsy. In this study, disseminated histoplasmosis had a higher prevalence in cats than in dogs at the same veterinary medical teaching hospital. Feline disseminated histoplasmosis was not associated with FeLV infection. Treatment was attempted in 7 of the 12 cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/3610758