What are the features of chronic upper respiratory infection?
The term “chronic” means long-lasting. When signs of upper respiratory tract inflammation such as sneezing or nasal and ocular discharge persist over weeks or months or tend to recur at intervals of a few weeks, this is referred to as Chronic Upper Respiratory Tract Disease. A runny or stuffed-up nose (sniffles) is the most common clinical sign. The nasal discharge tends to be thick and often yellow and purulent. It may also be red-tinged (fresh blood) or brown (older blood). One or both nostrils may be involved. There may also be chronic eye discharge. Facial swelling and resentment of handling or touching the face may occur. Because smell is so important in appetite, many cats have poor appetite and lose weight. There may also be some inflammation in the throat making swallowing uncomfortable. This may lead to drooling of saliva. In some cases the chronic signs are relatively mild, such as episodes of sneezing and a clear discharge. Cats with mild symptoms usually have normal appetit
