Why Has My Persian Been Sick for Three Months? (Vet Answered)
This question has been answered by a vet
Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats and garden!
The Question
Hello, Doctor. I hope you’re doing well. I have a cat named Carmela. He is 3.5 years old and has been sick for about 3 months. I would really appreciate your opinion on his condition.
Quick Info about Caramela
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Omar,
Thank you for writing in. Gosh, this sounds like a really tricky case, and I really feel for what you and Caramela are going through.
Firstly, I would want to be certain that the blood parasite treatment has been effective, so repeat testing for this would be one of my first priorities.
What I’m particularly worried about are these fungal lesions. Unfortunately, being on corticosteroids (which would have been prescribed to manage the inflammation) can have the effect of lowering the immune response, which may explain why the fungal infection has progressed more than it might have under normal circumstances. But I’m also concerned about the fact that Caramela has been infected with both a blood parasite and a fungal organism, and I would be quite concerned that there may be something else that is making him susceptible to infection.
The high white blood cell count and globulin levels are consistent with an immune response to infection, but I would want to rule out any underlying conditions such as Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
In the meantime, you could help support his immune system by adding some probiotics and the amino acid lysine into his diet.
I hope this helps,
Dr Karyn