What Is Feline Herpesvirus?

1 Overview

Herpesvirus symptoms

Also called viral rhinotracheitis; one serotype; almost all infections become lifelong carriers, recurring under stress/illness.

Causes acute upper respiratory and eye disease: fever, depression, anorexia, serous or serosanguineous eye/nose discharge, conjunctival redness, sneezing, less often drooling and cough.

How to prevent herpesvirus?

Prevention: good nutrition, avoid stress and environment changes. Kittens from 8 weeks can get vaccinated (e.g., the standard FVRCP vaccine).

Treatment: lack of eating and drooling lose potassium and bicarbonate, so fluid therapy is best.

Eating matters; loss of smell and mouth ulcers reduce appetite — offer palatable food, warm and stir it, or an appetite stimulant (cyproheptadine). If no eating after 3 days, place a feeding tube.

Clean nasal discharge with saline and apply petroleum jelly around nostrils; use non-steroidal antibiotic eye drops/ointment.