Runny nose in cats..Causes of injury and treatment

A cat's runny nose is not a sign of good health and the absence of disease, because the humidity of our cats ' noses can change throughout the day, with temperatures, exercise, food, personal care or health status.

But why do cats have a runny nose We explain what causes a runny nose in cats, how normal it is, and what can cause changes in the humidity of the feline nose.

Is a cat's runny nose normal?

If you are wondering what happens if my cat has a wet nose, don't worry, it's normal. This moisture is produced by glands located around the Anvi in the area of the nose. These elements, together with the internal lacrimal canal, promote secretions and make your cat's nose somewhat moist naturally . But your cat's nose getting wet may be due to other reasons, as we explain in the next section.

On the other hand, if you notice that your cat's nose is dry and has lost moisture, it could be for reasons such as heat, dehydration or fever.

Causes of a cat's runny nose

In addition to your cat's nose being wet, there are some reasons that can explain why it gets wet. We highlight the following:

Grooming: you already know that cats, provided they are healthy, spend most of their day doing this activity, which allows them to relax and feel clean from dirt and organisms that could endanger their health.

Water intake: another reason that can explain the moisture in your cat's nose is that he just passed through the drinking fountain to swallow a little water.

Climatic conditions: the coldest months of the year and the places with the highest ambient humidity also tend to make the noses of our kittens colder and wetter than in other months of the year and in other drier places.

She sneezes and has a cat runny nose

A wet nose in cats is normal, if your cat's nose seems to be too wet, this may be due to an infectious disease that is common in cats, such as feline rhinopharyngitis . This disease is caused by the herpes virus of the first type (FHV-1), which has the ability to determine the transmission time of infection in the cells of cats that it infects. This latency can end in stressful situations or immunosuppression, in which the virus activates and clinical signs reappear. The most characteristic of them are rhinitis, mucous nasal and eye discharge, loss of appetite, sneezing, secondary bacterial infections, and even pneumonia.

But in addition to rhinopharyngitis, there are other diseases that can change the humidity of the feline nose, as well as produce a runny nose. These are diseases such as the following.

Squamous cell carcinoma

Due to ultraviolet radiation, it develops especially in white or very white cats, roseola, sunbathing. It is a malignant tumor that spreads locally to the level of the nose, face, mouth and ears. In certain cases it can spread to the lungs or lymph nodes. The skin becomes reddish with ulcerated areas and crusts with raised, hard edges. 

 Nasal Polyp

The nodules in the nasal cavity overlap and can increase secretions, increase humidity, and cause nasal discharge. Inflammatory polyps in cats are non-porous lumps consisting of the mucous membrane of the eardrum, the Eustachian tube, and the nasopharynx.

The disease is more common in young cats and may be congenital, as a result of the development of remnants of the pharyngeal arch, or as a result of chronic infection of the upper respiratory tract, nasopharyngeal infections or otitis .Half. These cats show heavy breathing, as well as ear scratching, vestibular signs or Horner's signs. 

The treatment is a laparotomy of the bubble with the withdrawal of the tumor and surgical removal, although it can also be performed by endoscopy. Corticosteroids can then be used to prevent recurrence. The most common tumors of the nasal cavity in cats are lymphoma, cancer and sarcoma, which cause clinical signs such as nosebleeds, breathing sounds, facial deformity or nasal discharge.

Pneumonia

It consists of an infection / inflammation of the lung caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Infected cats, in addition to a wet nose, are affected by coughing, fever, loss of appetite, lung sounds and shortness of breath. 

You need to go to the vet to start treatment.

Foreign body

Damage caused by a foreign body entering the cat's nose, such as a small spike, is responsible for irritating the nasal cavity, causing inflammation, rhinitis and runny nose, as well as the ability to be predisposed to secondary infections. Especially if you see that the discharge goes from transparent to purulent, yellow or bloody, urgently go to the veterinary center. She can be serious and needs quick attention.

Treatment of a cat's runny nose

We have to go to the vet. A disease such as tracheitis can be determined only by observing the symptoms. In these cases, it is necessary for the veterinarian to prescribe antibiotics to cats with colds, since although they will not work against viruses, they fight secondarily associated bacterial infections, taking advantage of the lesions produced by the viruses.

If the cat does not respond well to treatment, it is possible to carry out a culture of secretions to detect the pathogen, so that a more specific antibiotic or antifungal can be prescribed if possible . Such treatments will be longer. Polyps can be excised and cancer can be treated with chemotherapy. Of course, we must always maintain nasal hygiene.