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| Lappin 1998). Some cats with CNS toxoplasmosis | | Lappin 1998). Some cats with CNS toxoplasmosis |
| require continuous treatment. | | require continuous treatment. |
− | Cats that cannot tolerate clindamycin can be adminis- | + | Cats that cannot tolerate clindamycin can be adminis-tered trimethoprim-sulphonamide combinations. Owing |
| + | to good penetration into the CNS, trimethoprimsulphonamide |
| + | therapy is also indicated for those cats |
| + | with CNS toxoplasmosis which show a poor response to |
| + | clindamycin. If trimethoprim-sulphonamide combinations |
| + | are used, a complete blood cell count should be |
| + | performed every two weeks to monitor for the development |
| + | of macrocytic anaemia. |
| + | Pyrimethamine combined with a sulphonamide drug |
| + | is effective for the treatment of human toxoplasmosis, |
| + | but commonly results in toxicity in cats. The macrolide |
| + | antibiotics, spiramycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin, |
| + | may be effective alternate anti-Toxoplasma drugs |
| + | but have not been evaluated for the treatment of clinical |
| + | feline toxoplasmosis. Minocycline is effective for the |
| + | treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis in rabbits. It is possible |
| + | that the related synthetic tetracycline, doxycycline, |
| + | administered at 5 mg/kg orally every 12 hours for four |
| + | weeks, may also be effective for the treatment of clinical |
| + | feline toxoplasmosis. |
| + | Cats with Toxoplasma-induced uveitis have intense |
| + | intraocular inflammatory reactions that commonly lead |
| + | to lens luxation and glaucoma. Thus, cats with uveitis |
| + | should be treated with anti-Toxoplasma drugs in combination |
| + | with topical, oral or parenteral glucocorticoids. |
| + | The author generally prescribes clindamycin and topical |
| + | 1 per cent prednisolone acetate (unless there are concurrent |
| + | corneal ulcers) administered at one drop, four to six |
| + | times daily. The animal is re-evaluated on days 3 and 7 |
| + | 588 |
| + | and, if there is a poor response by day 7, oral |
| + | prednisolone, at 1.1 mg/kg orally every 12 hours, is |
| + | added to the treatment regimen. Alternate anti- |
| + | Toxoplasma therapy may also be considered in cats |
| + | showing a poor response by day 7. Anti-Toxoplasma |
| + | therapy is usually discontinued after four weeks, while |
| + | glucocorticoid treatment is continued as needed to |
| + | control inflammation. Occasionally, parenteral administration |
| + | of glucocorticoids is required. |
| '''Prevention''' | | '''Prevention''' |
| *Cat | | *Cat |