***This article first appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of CCAH Update***

The two most common causes of death in kittens are diarrhea and severe upper respiratory tract infections. Thanks to a Center for Companion Animal Health grant, UC Davis veterinary scientists have made a small discovery that may give veterinarians a better understanding of one of those issues.

“This is a little dent out of a big problem,” said Dr. Karen Vernau of the recently published research that found Tyzzer disease—which can affect the intestines and cause diarrhea—to be more common than previously believed in orphaned kittens. Often associated with rodents, Tyzzer disease is likely spread environmentally to orphaned kittens, since most are born to feral cats.

The study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, examined tissue samples from 37 deceased kittens that were seen at the UC Davis veterinary hospital from 2000-2021 that fit the criteria for potentially having the disease. Nineteen of them tested positive for the bacteria Clostridium piliforme, the known causative organism for Tyzzer disease. Colitis (inflammation of the large intestine—the main sign of which is diarrhea) was the major lesion in 18 of the 19 kittens, leading the researchers to believe that there may be a connection between a kitten’s diarrhea and this disease.

“Tyzzer disease was never thought to be an issue in unweaned kittens, but we found that it is with this study,” said Vernau, a neurology professor and faculty advisor for the Orphan Kitten Project. “Since this was a pathology study, however, we don’t yet know how important this discovery will be clinically.”

Going forward, clinicians will look at how they will test for Tyzzer disease. Also, once it’s diagnosed, they will need to determine how they will treat it. Vernau said the discovery is a good first step in recognizing that the disease is present in kittens, and is hopeful that clinicians can find a way to diagnose and treat the often-fatal disease.

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