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From: Kim Bartlett, Publisher, ANIMAL PEOPLE
To: anpeople@whidbey.com
Sent: Friday, November 01, 2002 3:24 PM
Subject: Bad-mouthed cats may be harboring Bartonella bacteria

BAD-MOUTHED CATS MAY HAVE BARTONELLA

There has been a breakthrough in treatment of chronic
gingivitis/stomatitis (bad mouth conditions) in cats. New research
indicates that these chronic conditions may be caused by the
Bartonella bacteria. Bartonella is the bacteria that causes "cat
scratch fever" in humans, which is transmitted into the human blood
stream by cat claws that have been licked by cats who are infected
with Bartonella. Cats can transmit Bartonella into the bloodstream of
other cats via scratching or biting; or they can infect one another
by transmitting infected saliva into the eyes via eye-licking in
social grooming, or by spitting, hissing, or sneezing Bartonella-
infected saliva into the eyes of another cat.

In addition to chronic mouth problems, Bartonella can cause
bronchitis, pneumonia and conjunctivitis (eye infection) in cats. It
can cause those diseases in humans PLUS chronic fatigue and serious
lymphatic diseases (a sign of which is enlarged lymph nodes).
Symptoms of Bartonella infection in humans can mimic mononucleosis.

The treatment for Bartonella is Azithromycin (brand name in the
US is Zithromax). The dosage for cats is 10 mg per 2 kilograms of
weight (an average cat weighing ten kilograms would get a dose of 50
mg daily for ten days. Dosage for humans is 500 mg for the first day
and 250 mg for four days thereafter.

We have seen remarkable improvement in the cats we have treated
with Azithroycin, not only in their mouths but also in their general
health.

Kim Bartlett, Publisher
ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

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Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper
Website:
Mailing address: P.O. Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 U.S.A.

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group - Feb. 2, 2003