Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood test changes in cats with feline cytauxzoonosis
By Kastl, Brandy C & Springer, Nora L·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2023·College of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Serum biochemical changes in cats with naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet showing signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, and yellowing of the skin and eyes. Tests revealed that the cat had feline cytauxzoonosis, a serious disease caused by a parasite transmitted by ticks. The blood tests showed several abnormalities, including low red and white blood cell counts and elevated bilirubin levels. Treatment typically involves supportive care and medications to combat the infection, and with prompt treatment, many cats can recover from this condition.
People also search for: cat lethargy and jaundice · feline cytauxzoonosis treatment · why is my cat not eating
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The geographical distribution of feline cytauxzoonosis is expanding in the US. Clinical signs of feline cytauxzoonosis, including lethargy, anorexia, and icterus, are similar to hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormality patterns may assist practitioners in prioritizing feline cytauxzoonosis as a differential diagnosis over hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. SAMPLE: Hematology and serum biochemical profiles of cats with naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis, hepatic lipidosis, or cholangiohepatitis. PROCEDURES: Retrospective search and analysis of the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory or Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center records between January 2007 and June 2018 for cats with cytauxzoonosis, hepatic lipidosis, or cholangiohepatitis. RESULTS: Patients with acute feline cytauxzoonosis presented with frequent nonregenerative anemia (20/28 [71%]), leukopenia (23/28 [82%]), thrombocytopenia (23/23 [100%]), hyperbilirubinemia (27/28 [97%]), hypoalbuminemia (26/28 [93%]), reduced (18/28 [64%]) or low normal (10/28 [36%]) serum ALP activity, and hyponatremia (23/28 [82%]). Reduced ALP activity was unique to cats with feline cytauxzoonosis relative to hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. No correlation between the severity of anemia and the magnitude of hyperbilirubinemia was identified in feline cytauxzoonosis patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The combination of nonregenerative anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, and reduced serum ALP activity in icteric cats may increase the clinical suspicion, but is not pathognomonic, for acute feline cytauxzoonosis. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities of naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis are like those reported with feline bacterial sepsis. Blood smear evaluation for intraerythrocytic Cytauxzoon felis piroplasms, tissue aspirates for schizont-laden macrophages, and/or molecular testing are required to diagnose feline cytauxzoonosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36656676/