The Healthy Pet Blog

Posted on: 27 September 2016

Uveitis is a condition in which the uveal tract, the pigmented and vascular part of the eye, becomes inflamed, resulting in a cloudy eye appearance. This serious condition can cause extreme pain and may eventually cause blindness. While there are many causes of uveitis, including glaucoma, trauma, and cancer, infectious disease is usually suspected in younger cats and has to be ruled out before treatment can begin. This is done through a simple blood test. If one of these underlying diseases is found, the prognosis is not good. Following are three underlying diseases that can cause uveitis. 

Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis, FIP, is a virus that affects cats in many ways. There are two main types of FIP: wet and dry. In wet FIP, fluid accumulates in the abdomen and/or chest, making breathing difficult. Wet FIP is not usually connected with uveitis. Dry FIP, on the other hand, causes the accumulation of granulomas in various organs. When the eyes are affected, you will see cloudiness and signs of uveitis. FIP is difficult to diagnose. However, it is almost always fatal. More than 95 percent of cats with FIP do die. 

Toxoplasma Gondii

Caused by a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, may be either chronic or acute. In the chronic state of the disease, there are often not many clinical symptoms. In the acute form, worrisome symptoms, such as weight loss, fever, seizures, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea occur. Eye inflammation can occur in both types of the disease. The prognosis for this disease depends primarily on how severe the symptoms are. Cats with severe symptoms may die from it, whereas cats with mild symptoms may overcome it with antibiotics. 

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

The feline immunodeficiency virus, FIV, is not always noticeable at first. The disease can lie dormant for years. While in its dormant stage, FIV, can make your cat susceptible to secondary conditions, such as uveitis. Symptoms of the active disease include anemia, weight loss, poor appetite, inflammation of gums, hair loss, and behavioral changes. FIV can be managed in most cases by treating secondary illnesses and by feeding your cat a healthy diet. Without treatment, and even with treatment in some cases, the secondary illnesses may become life threatening. 

As you can see, there are many serious underlying diseases that can be causing your cat's uveitis. For this reason, it's vital that you have the necessary blood work performed as soon as your cat starts showing symptoms of uveitis. For more information, contact medical centers like Grove Center Veterinary Hospital.