After my pet had a long, drawn-out battle with cancer, I realized that I needed to do a better job with understanding my pet's needs. I wanted to be there for them no matter what, so I started focusing on my other animals. They needed more love, attention, and medical care, so I focused on those things. I started taking them in for regular checkups and working on their physical appearance. I was able to spot a few other potentially catastrophic health conditions with my animals because of my actions. This blog is all about understanding your pet's needs.
Understanding Your Pet's Needs
Mycoplasma And Cats
Gisele Pereira
If your cat has been diagnosed with mycoplasma, you may have many questions, like how it could have happened, or what it means for your cat's well-being. This guide will explain what mycoplasma is, where it comes from, and the general outcome of this illness.
Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma is a type of bacteria that can infect a cat's blood supply, rendering them anemic. It's sometimes referred to as feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis or feline infectious anemia, meaning that the anemia wasn't caused by a defect in your cat's body.
Unfortunately, mycoplasma is a strange illness where your cat's own immune system can harm itself. When mycoplasma bacteria attaches to red blood cells in your cat's bloodstream, the immune system recognizes the threat and goes to attack it. However, the red blood cells are simultaneously attacked, reducing the overall quantity of red blood cells your cat has. If the infection isn't treated and the red blood cells continue to be destroyed, anemia results, and it can be life-threatening if your cat doesn't get help.
How They Get It
Mycoplasma is a bacteria, but it's generally spread by pests, rather than getting into your cat via a wound. Mycoplasma bacteria is typically transferred to cats by ticks, fleas, or even mosquitoes. There's no vaccine to protect cats from this bacteria, so the only way to keep them safe is to keep them indoors and maintain anti-pest treatments, like flea and tick repellents.
Treatment
Thankfully, once a kitty has been diagnosed with mycoplasma, treating it is relatively easy. Your veterinarian will most likely prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria. If your cat has become seriously anemic, a blood transfusion may also be necessary to boost them back up to a healthy level. Your vet may also decide to prescribe a steroid to temporarily reduce your cat's immune system so that it doesn't continue to do damage to your cat's body.
If your cat has been diagnosed with mycoplasma, don't worry too much. The most important thing is that your vet knows what's wrong and can now start treatment to kill the bacteria once and for all. Once your cat is free of the bacteria and their blood volume is back at a healthy level, make sure to take steps to protect your cat from biting pests that can reinfect them with the bacteria. If you have other pets at home, you should consider bringing them in for a blood test to make sure they're not infected, since symptoms can take a while to manifest.
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