AVS 3333 - Exam 3 Study Guide

know the basic traits of a virus

Very small particles made of a strand of RNA or DNA inside a protein shell (capsid).

Cannot survive or reproduce independently — need a host cell for replication.

Once inside a host cell, viruses take control of cell machinery to make more virus particles.

Infection damages tissues and causes disease symptoms due to cell destruction and immune response.

what causes upper respiratory disease?

Feline herpesvirus (rhinotracheitis)

Feline calicivirus

Can also be caused by bacteria or fungi, but viruses are most common.

is it important to test for feline upper respiratory disease?

Usually not tested for specific virus because clinical signs are similar across causes.

what causes panleukopenia?

Feline parvovirus — a very hardy virus that survives months to years in the environment.

what are the clinical signs of panleukopenia?

Sudden death in peracute cases.

Fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, shock in acute cases.

Cerebellar hypoplasia (uncoordinated movement) if kittens are infected in utero.

how is panleukopenia tested and prevented?

- ELISA (SNAP) test that detects the virus in feces or blood.

- Vaccination is very effective, also disinfect with bleach and keep cats isolated if infected

what type of virus is FeLV?

An RNA retrovirus that can cause cancer (oncogenic) and immune suppression.

clinical signs of FeLV

Fever, weight loss, loss of appetite

Anemia, enlarged lymph nodes, kidney disease

Lymphosarcoma (cancer) in some cases

how do you prevent FeLV?

Vaccination

Testing new cats before introducing them

Keeping cats indoors to prevent exposure

what does vertical transmission mean?

- When a disease is passed from mother to offspring (in utero or through milk).

what does horizontal transmission mean?

- When a disease is spread between animals, usually through saliva, bites, grooming, or shared objects.

what is FIV?

A retrovirus (similar to HIV in humans) that weakens the immune system — not cancer-causing.

clinical signs of FIV

Stage 1: Fever, swollen lymph nodes, diarrhea.

Stage 2: No symptoms for months or years (latent phase).

Stage 3: Chronic infections, weight loss, mouth ulcers, diarrhea, neurological signs.

how do you prevent FIV?

Keep cats indoors.

Test new cats before introduction.

Vaccine exists, but it can cause false positives on future tests.

clinical signs of feline corona virus

Mild diarrhea, vomiting, and low-grade fever — most cats recover in 5–7 days.

how contagious is feline corona virus?

Very contagious, especially in multi-cat environments.

how does feline corona virus spread?

Spread through feces and saliva (litter boxes, grooming).

clinical signs of FIP

A mutation of the feline coronavirus (FCoV) inside the cat’s body.

Wet (effusive) form: Fluid buildup in abdomen or chest → swollen belly, trouble breathing.

Dry (non-effusive) form: Organ damage (liver, kidneys, CNS) → weight loss, fever, neurological issues.

how often does the mutated form of FIP happen?

In about 5–15% of cats infected with FCoV.

treatment of FIP

Treatment: Supportive care; antivirals are sometimes effective.

prevention of FIP

Prevention: Good hygiene, limit stress, intranasal vaccine (limited effectiveness).

clinical signs of rabies

Signs include foaming bc they cannot swallow, aggression, neurological signs (seizures, attitude changes e.g. A wild animal is not scared of humans)

how is rabies transmitted

Through saliva of infected animals, typically via a bite.

how is rabies tested

Way to test is testing brain matter while they are deceased

why is rabies a concern for humans

Rabies is concerning because it is zoonotic, if a human gets it we will die

clinical signs of distemper

Distemper signs include diarrhea (starts), respiratory disease and pneumonia (middle), and they will end up with neurological signs that they don't survive

clinical signs of canine hepatitis

Canine hepatitis causes liver disease and makes them sick with blood disease

what can happen after recovery from canine hepatitis

May develop “blue eye” — a corneal clouding caused by immune reaction, corneal edema

clinical signs of tracheobronchitis or kennel cough vs pneumonia and if testing is done, if so, when?

Kennel cough affects respiratory system caused by viral, bacterial, fungal - do not need to find what causes it bc you need to treat them first

clinical signs of canine parainfluenza

Coughing, sneezing, nasal/eye discharge, mild fever, and lethargy.

Often mild and part of kennel cough complex.

clinical signs of parvo virus

Parvo causes vomiting and diarrhea, it is a longer course disease (few days)

how infected and how severe can parvovirus signs be?

Very severe and often fatal without treatment

clinical signs of corona virus in dogs

is gastrointestinal, not as bad as Parvo, but similar, they usually get through it

define natural pathogen

Causes disease whenever infection occurs.

define opportunistic pathogen

lives in your system and waits for an opportunity to make you sick

define zoonosis

A disease transmitted from animals to humans.

what diseases are zoonotic

rabies and leptospirosis

how to protect yourself from zoonotic disease

Vaccinate pets for rabies and leptospirosis.

Wear gloves, practice good hygiene when handling sick animals or urine.

Isolate infected pets and use proper sanitation.

how is leptospirosis spread

Lepto is from water that is infected, or wild animal urinating in water and dog drinks it - causes kidney damage

what can leptospirosis cause

Kidney and liver damage, fever, vomiting, dehydration, muscle tenderness.

- humans can get it from urine, cover yourself in protective gear and put urinary catheter in dog

clinical signs of bordetella in cats

Same as dog and they show signs of upper respiratory infection

what is the difference between and abscess and a cellulitis?

- Cellulitis is inflammation, trying to fight, just medication

- Abscess needs surgery even if it is open and draining

what are the common causes of abscesses and how is it treated?

cat bite wounds causing lesions in loose skin and the bacteria is trapped in the wound, forming an abscess, should be surgically removed

what are the common caused of cellulitis and how is it treated?

painful swelling in a wound in an area bitten with tighter skin and is treated with antibiotics and pain meds, but can become an abscess

what are the clinical signs of chlamydiosis?

- Chlamydiosis you see goopy eyes and respiratory infections, worried about young kittens before they open their eyes since they can get permanent damage

what are the clinical signs of feline infectious anemia (mycoplasma)?

depression, weakness, loss of appetite, pale MM - anemia symptoms

how is mycoplasma transmitted?

unknown - blood to blood maybe from bite wounds or parasite

how is mycoplasma treated?

antibiotic therapy, but not to be used as a blood donor afterwards bc they are carriers for life

clinical signs of ringworm:

hair loss, lesions of bumps, ring appearance, hairs broken at base - looks shaved

who is most likely to become infected with ringworm?

cats or dogs less than 1 year old in stressed, crowded and malnutritive conditions, long-haired or immunocompromised are more susceptible to infection

how is ringworm transmitted?

direct contact with infected animal or material that has been contaminated with skin debris of an infected animal

how to test for ringworm:

examination and wood's lamp or fungal culture - fluorescense in dogs and cats

what is blastomycosis?

fungal disease

how is blastomycosis transmitted?

inhalation of spores from soil

what are the clinical signs of blastomycosis?

affects bones by infection, eyes too

- fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, respiratory issues

how is blastomycosis diagnosed and treated?

cytology or blood test

- itraconazole for months

what is histoplasmosis?

fungal infection

how is histoplasmosis transmitted?

inhalation of spores from soil with bird or bat feces

clinical signs of histoplasmosis:

respiratory issues, diarrhea, weight loss, GI issues

how is histoplasmosis diagnosed and treated?

x-rays, biopsy, blood test

- itraconazole

what is coccidioidomysis?

fungal disease

how is coccidioidomycosis transmitted?

inhalation of spores from dry soil

clinical signs of coccidiodomycosis:

respiratory issues and can cause seizures if spread to brain

how is coccidioidomycosis diagnosed and treated?

blood test, biopsy, x-ray to show lung infection

- itraconazole

what kind of disease is toxoplasmosis?

zoonotic

how can you get toxoplasmosis?

undercooked meat - pork or lamb (bradyzoites)

how to prevent getting toxoplasmosis?

proper hygiene if you have an outdoor cat after cleaning litter box, do not eat undercooked meat, limit exposure to dirt when gardening, proper handling of raw meat, indoor cats should not be fed raw meat or enabled to hunt

which humans are most at risk for toxoplasmosis?

immunocompromised people or pregnant women

what species is a host for toxoplasmosis? what does it mean?

domestic cat

clinical signs of toxoplasmosis

In Cats:

Usually asymptomatic or mild diarrhea/loss of appetite.

Severe cases: affects liver, spleen, CNS, or lungs.

In pregnant cats: abortion, stillbirth, or fading kittens.

In Humans:

Usually mild, flu-like symptoms.

In pregnancy: fetal death, miscarriage, or congenital defects (hydrocephalus, blindness, seizures).

In immunocompromised: reactivation and severe systemic infection.

what is a vaccine?

A vaccine is a preparation of altered or killed microorganisms (or their parts) given to stimulate an immune response that protects against disease.

goal of using a vaccine or why we use them

To train the immune system to recognize and fight a pathogen without causing the disease

define immunity

The body's ability to resist infection due to antibodies and immune cell activity.

define passive/acquired immunity

Passive (acquired) immunity:

Antibodies are received from another source (e.g., from mother’s colostrum).

Temporary protection (up to ~16 weeks).

define active immunity - cell mediated and humoral

Active immunity:

The body’s immune system produces its own antibodies after infection or vaccination.

Two components:

Cell-mediated immunity: Involves T-cells, B-cells, and macrophages attacking infected cells.

Humoral immunity: Involves production of antibodies that circulate and neutralize pathogens.

what is a modified live vaccine?

Weakened pathogen that replicates without causing disease

what is a killed and recombinant vaccine?

Dead pathogen; cannot replicate

which vaccines use adjuvants and why?

killed vaccines to promote an effective immune response to the vaccination

what can cause a vaccination to fail?

Maternal antibodies interfering with vaccine response (common in young animals).

Vaccine given while animal is already incubating disease.

Improper storage or handling (especially modified live vaccines).

Immunosuppression or poor animal health.

what are the possible reactions to a vaccine?

Mild (common):

Swelling at injection site, mild fever, tiredness.

Allergic (Type I hypersensitivity):

Hives, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea → treated with antihistamines/steroids.

Severe (anaphylaxis):

Collapse, shock → emergency treatment with epinephrine, IV fluids, corticosteroids.

Other rare reactions:

Immune-mediated diseases (anemia, thrombocytopenia, arthritis).

Cats: Vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma (linked to adjuvanted killed rabies or FeLV vaccines).

what is hip dysplasia?

ball and socket joint is not tied in there due to abnormal development of soft tissue

clinical signs of hip dysplasia and how to prevent it

pain, limping, or no clinical signs in young puppies, but you can see it when they get older and get arthritis

- prevent by managing weight and decreasing calorie intake to make sure they do not grow too fast or eat too much

what is osteochondrosis?

abnormal cartilage development in growing bones, causing a joint issue

different forms of osteochondrosis

3 forms

- ununited anconeal process affects elbow

- fragmented coronoid process affects elbow

- OCD (osteochondrosis dissecans) affects any joint, but mainly shoulder or elbow

clinical signs of osteochondrosis and treatment

Lameness, pain, joint effusion, DJD later

- treat with removal but not if they have artritis, pain meds, and rest

what is panosteitis and who gets it?

inflammation of long bones seen in a growing puppy or growing pains

what is gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV)?

stomach bloats and twists

what are the GDV signs?

sudden discomfort, non-productive retching/vomiting, salivation, labored breathing, panting, restless, abdominal distention and swelling, fast heart rate

basics of treatment of GDV

surgery - if there is necrosis, the patient will die, if not, they may survive

what affects prognosis of GDV and who gets it?

if there is necrosis or not, usually seen in deep chested dogs

what is hypothyroid?

too little thyroid seen in dogs

who gets hypothyroid and what are the clinical signs?

dogs, usually treatable

- weight gain, decreased energy, etc.

what is hyperthyroid?

too much thyroid hormone

who gets hyperthyroid and what are the signs?

cats, usually fine if treated, seen in older cats

- weight loss, decreased muscle mass, aggression, hyperactivity, blindness, etc.

what is hyperadrenocorticism or cushing's disease and clinical signs

overproduction of steroids, not life threatening but can worsen other issues, most common signs are PU and PD

what is hypoadrenocorticism or addisons disease and clinical signs

steroids are too low, very life threatening, but fine if you treat the crisis, there aren't really any specific signs

what is a hot spot?

area of injury to skin that gets infected

how to treat a hot spot

clip it so it is exposed to the air, antibiotics, get hair off of it, prevent them from scratching

what is atopic disease or atopy?

skin allergies

define parasite

they take something from its host, but do not give anything back