Diagnosing Bartonellosis in Cats
Dog Breeds
Blood tests, and blood cultures, can be used to diagnose Feline Bartonellosis. If a cat has tested positive for this disease, additional tests may be performed to determine if the cat’s organs or other systems have been adversely affected by the disease and if so by how much.
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Introduction
Blood tests, and blood cultures, can be used to diagnose Feline Bartonellosis. If a cat has tested positive for this disease, additional tests may be performed to determine if the cat’s organs or other systems have been adversely affected by the disease and if so by how much.
Diagnosing Bartonellosis in Cats
Tests which are used to determine Feline Bartonellosis infection in cats include the Western Blot, the IFA, the ELISA, and blood cultures. All of the blood tests, except for the blood cultures, check for the presence of antibodies to the Bartonella bacteria in the cat’s blood. If a sufficient number of antibodies are present, then a positive diagnosis is made. Currently, a Western Blot Test, known as FeBart, is one of the most popular diagnostic tests for Feline Bartonellosis.
Unfortunately, there are cons to Feline Bartonellosis blood tests. In some cases, a cat may be carrying the Bartonella bacteria without producing antibodies to the bacteria, and so blood tests would not catch this disease in these instances. In the case of blood cultures, multiple cultures are needed to accurately test for the disease and even when multiple cultures are conducted the bacteria may still be missed.
Due to the possibility of missing Feline Bartonellosis through blood tests, a doctor may begin treatments for the disease even if the blood tests come back negative. However, if the cat’s condition improves it does not necessarily mean that the cat was suffering from Feline Bartonellosis.
Additional tests are usually conducted as well to check the cat’s overall health, effects of the disease, and to determine any underlying conditions that could have caused the cat to become sensitive to the Bartonella bacteria. A complete blood count, in addition to blood tests to measure organ function, FIV test, and FeLV test are the most common tests that are used in the Feline Bartonellosis diagnosis process.
Treatment Options
Symptoms and Types