Feline Panleukopenia

Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious, often fatal worldwide viral disease in cats that most severely affects kittens.

It's caused by an incredibly tough parvovirus that can last for up to a year in the environment. Feline panleukopenia is not diagnosed as often as it used to be.

But that's mostly because of a widespread use of vaccines. Feline panleukopenia virus or F PV is closely related to mink enteritis virus and the type two canine parvoviruses.

F PV can cause disease in all kinds of felis as well as some related families including raccoons and mink, but it doesn't harm dogs or other cans.

Conversely, some strains of type two canine parvovirus can cause a disease like panleukopenia in domestic cats or larger felis during the acute stage of illness.

F PV is shed by infected cats in large numbers. It can also be shed in the feces of diseased survivors for up to six weeks.

After clinical recovery, it can be spread over a long distance on shoes or other fomites but can be destroyed by a variety of disinfectants like bleach, formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide F PV infects and destroys actively dividing cells in bone marrow lymphoid tissues, intestinal epithelium and in very young animals, cerebellum and retina.

Most unvaccinated healthy adult cats have a high level of anti F PV antibodies which means that most infections are subclinical cats that do become ill are usually less than a year old.

In per acute cases, the cat may die suddenly with little or no warning, which is known as fading kitten syndrome. Cats that do show signs develop a fever, are depressed and stop eating.

Vomiting starts 1 to 2 days after the fever appears and there may also be diarrhea. This can quickly develop into extreme diarrhea in the final stage.

Before death. Cats may be hypothermic and septic.

In kittens with brain involvement, there may be ataxia and tremors. Diagnosis of panleukopenia can be made based on the clinical signs.

A history of no vaccination and leukopenia on a CBC. There is a fecal antigen test available but it commonly yields false negative results.

Differential diagnoses include salmonellosis, an infection with feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus. Successful treatment of panleukopenia requires vigorous fluid therapy and supportive nursing care.

Infected cats should be isolated to prevent spread of the virus. Parenteral antibiotics are indicated.

But nephrotoxic drugs like gentamicin or amikacin should be avoided until dehydration has been corrected. Recombinant feline interferon use could be considered although it has not been approved by the FDA to prevent feline panleukopenia.

There are both inactivated and modified live vaccines available that provide excellent long lasting immunity kittens are generally given two or three doses of vaccine at 3 to 4 week intervals, starting at 6 to 9 weeks of age.