Clinical features and management

TLDR: Cats suffering from this disease were first recognized in late 1981, and during the early months of 1982 the number of cases increased dramatically, and reached a peak in July, when the authors saw as many cases as in the previous 6 months put together.

Abstract: Cats suffering from this disease were first recognized in late 1981. During the early months of 1982 the number of cases increased dramatically, and reached a peak in July, when we saw as many cases as in the previous 6 months put together. There may have been a drop in numbers during the winter of 1982 but a large number of cats were affected during 1983. Cases are continuing to occur but I have no accurate figures on incidence. However, a number of interested colleagues in practice in various parts of the United Kingdom have agreed to log their cases during the next year and this should give us a better picture of incidence totals, plus any indications of regional and seasonal variations. The pattern of the disease does not appear to have altered since it first appeared. Usually it occurs sporadically, with one cat in a household affected. However, there have been a number of instances in which several kittens in a litter have been affected, and pairs of related or unrelated cats in the same house have become ill at the same time. In other cases individual cats in adjacent houses have become ill at the same time, and instances have occurred where another cat in a previously affected household has developed the disease up to 12 months later. Nevertheless, these occurrences have tended to be the exception rather than the rule. Country cats as well as town cats have been affected and the disease has occurred in animals kept permanently indoors as well as in those allowed total freedom. Domestic short-haired cats have outnumbered pure-bred cats affected by about 4 : 1, and males to females by 3 : 2. Seventy five per cent of affected cats have been less than 3 years old at the onset of the disease with an overall age range of 2 months to 11 years. In most cases the owner reports that the disease has developed quite suddenly. Not infrequently many of the major signs have appeared in less than 12 hours. In other cases (about 30 per cent) the onset is more prolonged, up to one week, with the cat becoming vaguely ill prior to the onset of recognizable signs. The presenting signs vary, but generally consist of one or more of dullness, anorexia, ‘vomiting’, and ocular changes become apparent early on. In some cases, the change from healthy normality to severely ill has occurred so quickly and dramatically that a road accident has been suspected.