Feline Panleukopenia Virus
Panleukopenia refers to a low white blood cell count. This virus causes destruction of a pet’s white blood cells. This disease is the equivalent of canine parvovirus and the virus is actually extremely similar to the canine form. Feline parvovirus can survive many years in the environment and is extremely contagious.
As noted before, this virus is very stable, so transmission does not require cat to cat contact. A pet can contract the disease just by passing by an area where the virus had been shed in the past. Also, there are cases of canine parvovirus causing feline parvovirus.
These pets have a very sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia. This is extremely common in young kittens that have recently been adopted from a shelter, especially if there is not a vaccination history. Cats become dehydrated and hypothermic very quickly.
Supportive care is usually very successful if initiated early in the disease. Intravenous fluids and antibiotics are key.This disease is completely preventable in a vaccine. It is part of the FVRCP vaccination given to kittens.The virus is extremely hard to eradicate in the environment. It is necessary to use diluted bleach in order to kill the virus. All cats must be vaccinated before introducing them to an environment that has had a positive parvovirus patient residing.
