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By: Alfred, Senior Editor of the Feline Section of this Site
A diagnosis of Chronic Nasal Discharge in cats usually
occurs when the discharge lasts more than two months. This
discharge can be serous (clear and liquid), purulent (thick,
yellow, greenish like pus), or sanguineous or hemorrhagic
(bloody) discharge, or any combination thereof.
Chronic nasal discharge is a description of a disease that
affects the nose and frontal sinuses. It isn't a diagnosis,
per se. Diseases that affect the nose and frontal sinuses
will almost always cause inflammation and irritation to the
lacy bones in the nose that are called turbinates.
When an infection is present in the nose it is called
rhinitis. The bones called turbinates are very easily
destroyed or distorted by infection. When the bones become
distorted or destroyed, bacteria that normally lives in the
nose will grow rapidly and cause a secondary bacterial
infection.
Sinuses are cavities that are located in the skull. The
frontal sinuses are located just above the eyes and are
connected to the nose through a small canal. Diseases that
occur in the nasal cavity can move through the canals to the
front sinuses. These sinuses then become inflamed from the
bacteria and this disorder is called sinusitis.
CND in cats can be caused from several different disorders
that involve the nasal cavity and sinuses, including:
- Chronic bacterial infection
- Chronic fungal infection
- Chronic viral infection
- Food allergy
- Inflammatory polyp
- Nasal foreign body
- Nasal tumor, usually malignant
Your veterinarian will likely conduct several different
tests to diagnose CND or Chronic Nasal Discharge. A blood
profile will detect any diseases that may be present that
could contribute to the CND. Tests that will tell your
veterinarian if your cat has FLV aka Feline Leukemia Virus
and/or FIV aka Feline Immunodeficiency Virus aka Feline AIDS
Virus will also be taken.
It is important to rule out these diseases as they suppress
the cat's immune system which would make a normal cold a lot
harder to heal if not impossible to heal. Cats with these
serious diseases often will contract something minor like a
small cold or bacterial infection will often develop further
and more extensive issues such as the small cold leading to
pneumonia or the bacteria infection running rampant and
causing organ failure.
