Exotic Shorthair Cat health: common diseases of the breed
The list of common diseases of the Exotic Shorthair: let’s see how to identify and promptly treat the most frequent diseases.
Taking care of the health of our furry cat is the most important way to ensure that the life of the four-legged is long and healthy. Let’s find out together what are the most common diseases in the Exotic Shorthair, understanding more about prevention, symptoms and treatment.
Common diseases of the Exotic Shorthair: the complete list
Specimens of this breed tend to be in good health. Their average lifespan is between 12 and 15 years.
However, there are a number of frequent diseases, particularly of a hereditary nature, which are transmitted from one generation to the next. Common diseases in the Exotic Shorthair include:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Breathing problems
Kidney stones
Peritoneo-pericardial hernia
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy opens the list of common diseases in the Exotic Shorthair.
It is a heart disease that affects the left ventricle, causing its walls to thicken. As a result, the ventricular lumen is reduced and hinders the normal process of blood circulation.
Among the main symptoms that allow to identify hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are:
Heart murmur
Cyanosis
Respiratory difficulties
Wheezing
Apathy
Unfortunately, to date there is no definitive cure for this pathology. Therefore, prevention is of great importance.
In fact, it is essential to identify the specimens affected by the disease through genetic tests and periodic screening, in order not to make them reproduce.
Respiratory problems
Due to the particular shape of its muzzle, respiratory problems are among the common diseases in the Exotic Shorthair.
The specimens of this breed, in fact, are brachycephalic. This means that their skull has a number of anatomical anomalies, including a flattened snout.
In particular, the respiratory disorders to which these cats are predisposed occur more frequently during sleep or after exercise.
Symptoms of difficulty in breathing are evident, manifesting mainly through wheezing and shortness of breath.
In this case, the best advice is to periodically monitor the health conditions of your four-legged friend, subjecting him to regular veterinary checks.
Kidney stones
Kidney stones are among the common diseases of the Exotic Shorthair.
This term indicates the accumulation of minerals within the urinary tract of the cat. Such formations can be different from each other, since they depend on the specific chemical formation. For example, it is possible to distinguish between:
Struvite stones
Stones of cystine
Uric acid stones
Calcium oxalate stones
Among the main causes that determine the onset of this pathology, there is an incorrect diet. For this reason, it is essential to give your four-legged friend fresh and top quality food .
How to identify the presence of kidney stones? The symptoms manifested by the cat are:
Frequent urination
Ache
The cat pees out of the litter box
Presence of blood in the urine
To treat this disease, depending on the type of stones and the severity of the situation, you can opt for the administration of drugs or surgery.
Peritoneo-pericardial hernia
Finally, the peritoneo-pericardial hernia closes the list of common diseases in the Exotic Shorthair.
It is a congenital pathology that affects the cat’s diaphragm, which often appears even before birth.
It causes some organs to escape abnormally from the membrane that surrounds the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum, to that surrounding the heart, or the pericardial sac. The symptoms with which it occurs are:
He retched
Cough
Scythians
Weight loss
Pats with peritoneo-pericardial hernia must necessarily undergo surgery to restore the leaked organs in place.
