Most common Persian cat diseases

Card of the animal: Persian

The Persian cat is one of the oldest and most desired breeds known. Due to its peculiar physical constitution the Persian cat suffers from some recurring problems of which we will inform you in this article. What I have just commented does not mean that Persian cats are sick, because if their needs are met correctly, their precise morphology usually does not have problems.

In this article we will inform you of the most common Persian cat diseases, so that you learn to prevent them.

Take note of them and do not forget to visit the veterinarian on a regular basis to make sure that your cat’s health is in perfect condition.

Trichobezoars

Persian cats are the feline race whose hair is longer and denser. Consequently, they are cats more prone to suffer trichobezoars than other felines with shorter hair.

The trichobezoars are balls of hair that form in the stomach and digestive tract of the cat. Usually cats regurgitate the hairballs, but sometimes they accumulate in the stomach. When this happens, cats have a very bad time, and it can even have serious consequences for the cat’s health. The veterinarian must intervene quickly to solve the problem.

To prevent trichobezoars must comb daily to the Persian cat, eliminating dead hair. You should be supplied malt for cats, or pharmaceutical paraffin oil to evacuate the trichobezoars.

Political riot

Persian cats are a breed very prone to suffer from this disease, consisting of the development of cysts in the kidney area, which if left untreated grow and multiply. It is estimated that an 38% of Persian cats suffer from this hereditary disease.

For this reason, Persian cats should be practiced annual ecographies from the 12 first months of life. If it is observed that they have renal cysts, the veterinarian will apply the corresponding treatment to alleviate the ailment.

In the event that no surveillance is practiced, it is common for affected Persian cats to suddenly collapse at 7-8 years of age, dying as a result of kidney problems.

Respiratory problems

If we look at the face of the Persian cat, we are immediately struck by what flat who are and their big eyes. Both characteristics sometimes produce collateral effects on the health of the feline.

The fact of having the snout so little pronounced causes that its nasal passage is very short and it shows more sensitive to cold, heat, humidity or dry environment. Which affects the efficiency of your breathing. For this reason Persian cats are not as active as other breeds, whose breathing is more efficient and allows them to oxygenate their blood better.

Heart problems

A consequence of the lack of correct breathing is that sooner or later this circumstance translates into Heart problems. Obese Persian cats are more likely to suffer from these mentioned ailments.

A contrasted curiosity is that a percentage lower than 10% of Persian cats suffer hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This anomaly is that the left chamber of the cardiac muscle develops more, which can cause the sudden death of the cat. The curious thing is that this disease affects practically only the male cats, leaving the females very apart from said ailment.

Eye problems

The special shape of the eyes of the Persian cat, can also cause problems. Next we indicate the most important:

• Ankylosphene congenital. This hereditary anomaly usually occurs in the blue Persian cat. It consists of the union by means of a membrane between the upper and lower eyelid.

• Congenital epiphora. It consists of an excessive lachrymation of the lacrimal duct, which results in the oxidation of hair in the eye area and infection by bacteria or fungi in the affected area. There are specific medications to alleviate this anomaly. It is a hereditary disease.

• Entopion. It is when the cat’s eyelashes rub and irritate the cornea as a result of the inversion of the margin of the eyelid. It causes an excessive tearing, that the cat has squinted eyes and a corneal vascularization that produces ulcerations. It must be treated surgically.

• Primary glaucoma. It consists of an excessive blood pressure in the eye, whose effect translates into opacity and loss of vision. It must be treated by surgery.

Uncommon problems

There are some infrequent problems among Persian cats, but it is convenient to know them.

• Oculocutaneous Albinism. It is an autosomal recessive characteristic that causes a mild albinism that affects the cat’s mantle that is lighter than normal. Where the effects of this anomaly are most evident is that the cat suffers photophobia and is more sensitive to infections. The veterinarian should treat the symptoms.

• Skin fold dermatitis. It refers to the irritation of the cat’s facial folds, as a result of excessive tear overflow.

• Oily seborrhoea. The symptoms that the veterinarian must treat consist of a scaly and greasy skin.

• Dial dislocation. It causes lameness and prevents the cat from jumping without hesitation.

• Hip dysplasia. It is when the joint between the head of the femur and the socket of the hip fails. It produces lameness, renounces jumping and pain when moving.

• Kidney stones. Stones in the kidney that must be removed by surgery. The 80% of obese Persian cats suffer from this ailment.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

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