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What is
Feline Panleukopenia? Also
known as feline infectious enteritis, cat plague, feline
distemper & feline ataxia, feline panleukopenia is a
severe & highly infectious disease caused by a virus from
the Parvovirus family. It has a high mortality rate of 25% -
70%. The name panleukopenia is derived from the very low white
blood cell count in infected cats. Feline
panleukopenia virus is extremely hardy, it can withstand
heating (56 C for 30 minutes) and many disinfectants. It
can survive in the environment for months or years. In
the host, it replicates in & kills rapidly dividing
cells. Cats
of any age can be infected although it is most commonly seen
in kittens & feral colonies. What
is a virus? A
virus is a ultramicroscopic infectious agent which consists of
either DNA or RNA wrapped in a protein coat. It is only able
to replicate inside living cells. The phrase "a piece of
bad news wrapped in protein" is a very well known saying
regarding viruses. Viruses
are not living organisms, they don't respirate, process
nutrients or generate waste products. What
are the symptoms of feline panleukopenia?
Symptoms
vary from cat to cat & range from mild to severe. Common symptoms
include
Infected
cats may hang off their food or water bowl, they often have a
hunched up appearance & their coat quickly becomes rough.
The skin loses it's elasticity due to dehydration caused by
vomiting & diarrhoea. Abdominal
pain may be severe upon palpitation. Onset
of symptoms appear rapidly & owners may mistake the onset
of this infection for poisoning. Cats
at the terminal stage may have a subnormal temperature,
convulsions & lapse into a coma. Death usually follows
within hours. Death
usually occurs within the first five days. Cats
who survive past 5 or so days will usually pull through. What
does feline panleukopenia do? There
are two basic forms of infection: Fetal & Postnatal.
Foetal:
Feline panleukopenia infection in pregnant queens may result
in abortion, foetal resorption, foetal mummification, and
other reproductive problems. If foetuses are born alive, they
usually have cerebellar hypoplasmia and/or retinal dysplasia. If
the mother has passed on the infection to the kittens later in
her gestation, the kittens may well be born alive. They may
appear well at birth or signs of ataxia (loss of
coordination/clumsy motion) appear around 2 weeks. Kittens
who survive may have ataxia for the rest of their life. They
may also have abnormalities of the retina. Kittens may
be severely brain damaged. Postnatal:
The virus infects bone marrow tissue causing destruction of
the white blood cells makes the cat vulnerable to secondary
bacterial infections. This destruction of white blood cells is
called "leukopenia" - "Leuk" meaning WBCs
and "penia" meaning a reduced number. Attacks
rapidly diving cells in the lining of the gut. Attacks
rapidly dividing cells in the nervous system. Severe
& untreated dehydration can lead to shock & death. How
do cats become infected? Direct
contact: Most commonly, cats become infected via direct
exposure to infected urine, faeces, saliva or vomit of an
infected cat. It is also possible for fleas to transmit the
virus from an infected cat. Indirect
contact: Contact with bedding, food bowls, cages,
grooming equipment & even by a person who has been in
contact with an infected cat via the hands or clothes. In
utero: The virus is passed from the mother to her unborn
kittens. How
is feline panleukopenia diagnosed? Your
veterinarian will give your cat a physical examination, take a
history of your cat (ie: has it been vaccinated/exposure etc),
check for clinical signs, and quite possibly perform a blood
test see if the white blood cell count is down. A
blood test to detect antibodies in the blood may be
performed. How
is it treated? The
prognosis for kittens is poor, especially in younger kittens.
There are no medications available to kill the virus,
therefore the cat is given supportive therapy, giving the cat
a chance to fight the virus off with it's own defences.
Strict isolation is essential during this period to ensure
other animals aren't infected. Antibodies
usually appear within around 3 - 4 days of infection, so if
the cat can be kept alive for this long, hopefully the
antibodies will be able to fight off the infection. Two days
later there is a sharp rebound in the white blood cell
count. Blood
transfusions may be given if the white blood cell count drops
significantly. Due
to the lowered white blood cell count, antibiotics may be
prescribed to help fight off secondary bacterial
infections. Electrolytes
are often administered intravenously to stave off dehydration,
which in itself is dangerous to the cat. Injections
of vitamin B & C are sometimes given. Plenty
of tender loving care is important. Cats may lose the will to
live. Prevention
of feline panleukopenia: The
best course of action is to vaccinate your cat. If
you have had an outbreak of feline panleukopenia careful
management of the enviroment is of utmost importance. The
virus is extremely hardy & careful disinfection of food
bowls, bedding, utensils etc., with bleach will help reduce
the viral load. Can
I catch feline panleukopenia from my cat? No,
feline panleukopenia can infect members of the Felidae
family, Mustelidae (mink & ferrets), but it doesn't infect
humans. References: The
Winn Feline Foundation The
Cornell Book of Cats Feline
Husbandry: Diseases & Management of the Multiple Cat
Household - Niels C. Pederson.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice. |
