Selkirk Rex Longhair Cat health: common diseases in the breed


Diseases of the Selkirk Rex Longhair, the most common pathologies in this exotic cat breed. Let’s find out together which ones can hit him.

When the desire to adopt a kitten arises in our hearts, even before it arrives in our home, we try to learn more about the breed.

Above all, we learn to understand the needs of the animal and any diseases that could affect it.

In the next paragraphs you will find everything you need to know about Selkirk Rex Longhair diseases, the most common diseases of this cat breed.


Diseases of the Selkirk Rex Longhair

If you have adopted a Selkirk Rex Longhair and want to know any diseases they may be prone to, read on.

Learning to recognize or prevent the diseases that can affect our cat is really very important, since thanks to an early diagnosis it is possible to save the life of our four-legged friend.

The Selkirk Rex Longhair is a massive, muscular, medium-sized cat weighing around 6kg for the male.

It is a cat with a good appetite, so it is good to pay attention to the amount of food necessary for its needs.

Its characteristic is the thick and curly coat for which it is known as the cat-sheep.

This breed, if kept under control with due attention, has a life expectancy that varies between 12 and 20 years.

Despite its muscular and strong build, the Selkirk Rex Longhair is subject to some specific diseases, namely :

  • Obesity and diabetes: the Selkirk Rex Longhair possesses a muscular build and has a tendency to gain weight, if not if not carefully controlled and following a suitable diet, it can find itself in a critical situation regarding obesity in cats. For this reason, it is necessary to encourage the animal to exercise daily through the use of useful accessories, such as: scratching posts for cats, high shelves to climb and toys.
  • Polycystic kidney in cats : caused by the development of cysts in the renal cortex and medulla oblongata. These cysts increase in size and number as the animal ages and eventually cause kidney failure in the cat. Generally the cysts grow very slowly and the cat does not show any symptoms of the disease until around 7-8 years. Regular consultation with a veterinarian and proper nutrition can delay this pathology and improve the quality of life of the cat.
  • Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): is a thickening of the heart muscle resulting in a reduction in the volume within the ventricles (main chambers of the heart) of the blood that the heart can pump with each contraction. The affected animal is at risk of developing congestive heart failure and occasionally sudden death. With the intervention of the veterinarian it will be possible to administer a drug therapy that can improve the health of the cat.

Diseases of the oral cavity

The Selkirk Rex Longhair is also prone to the same diseases as domestic cats, such as mouth diseases in cats , such as:

  • periodontitis : this is an infection that reaches the teeth, generating pus that comes out of the gums and that could be ingested by the feline. This substance will in fact affect various internal organs, such as the kidneys, liver and even the heart.
  • dental resorption : this condition prevents the cat from eating properly and drooling frequently, because the part that covers the tooth is completely worn out. In these cases the veterinarian could prescribe some antibiotics or resolve with dental extraction;
  • absorption of the enamel : the enamel tends to detach and the cat to swallow it. The teeth will look different than usual, with a tendency to have red spots on the tissues.
  • carcinoma : is the tumor of the mucous membranes of the mouth. It presents with growths, ulcers and peeling of the tissues. A rather serious conduction where it is possible to try with radiotherapy;
  • gingivitis : an inflammation of the cat’s gums caused by tartar. The obvious symptoms will be: bleeding, itching, redness and inflammation of the part. The animal must absolutely be treated, generally with antibiotics;
  • stomatitis : inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth due to the presence of bacteria. Symptoms are: redness, excessive salivation and tissue irritation;
  • tartar : Bacteria that attach to food debris and more, form dental plaque, which can worsen and become tartar. Correct oral hygiene and the use of specific objects and snacks for the teeth will suffice to avoid the problem.

Other diseases common in all breeds

Of course, like other felines, it can suffer from common diseases in cats which can be:

  • FeLV: known as feline leukemia, it affects the bone marrow and is caused by a virus of the Retrovirus family, among which there is also the one responsible for FIV itself;
  • FIV: a is a feline immunodeficiency syndrome similar to human HIV, transmissible through saliva and blood. It is not curable and there is no vaccine but, if intercepted in time, it can sometimes allow a considerable survival;
  • Otitis: is the inflammation of the epithelium that covers the ear canal and the auricle. It often occurs when the cat has low defenses;
  • Allergies : the cat can suffer from allergies that can have very different origins;
  • Conjunctivitis – inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eye;
  • Cold : it is a light respiratory disease but which in any case must be treated to avoid complications and also be attacked by secondary diseases of the respiratory tract;
  • Mange: It is caused by a mite of which there are several species and subspecies that behave in different ways. It is transmissible to other animals and to humans, there are several types and has symptoms similar to eczema: itching, scabs, patchy hair loss. This disease is also called scabies;
  • Toxoplasmosis: an infectious disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which finds its final host in the feline where it can reproduce.

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