Feline Panleukopenia
 

Article extracted from Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Third Edition) Chapter 3, Infectious Diseases, pg 84-85

Feline panleukopenia, also called feline infectious enteritis, is a leading cause of death in kittens. It has been called feline distemper, but it bears no relation to the virus that causes distemper in dogs. There may, however, be crossover infectivity between cats and the newer forms of parvovirus isolated in dogs.

Panleukopenia virus is present wherever there are susceptible animals. Mink, ferrets, raccoons, and wild cats all serve as a reservoir. The virus is highly contagious. It is spread by direct contact with infected animals or their secretions. Contaminated food dishes, bedding, litter boxes, and the clothes or hands of people who have treated an infected cat are other routes of exposure.

The panleukopenia virus has a special affinity for attacking white blood cells. The reduction of circulating white cells (leukopenia) gives the disease its name. Signs of acute illness appear two to ten days after exposure. Early
signs include loss of appetite, severe apathy, and fever up to 105°F (40.5°C). The cat often vomits repeatedly and brings up frothy, yellow-stained bile. The cat may be seen crouching in pain, his head hanging a few inches over the surface of the water bowl. If he is able to drink, he immediately vomits. With pain in the abdomen, the cat cries plaintively.

Diarrhea may appear early in the course of the disease, but frequently comes on later. The stools are yellow or blood-streaked. In young kittens (and some older cats), the onset can be so sudden that death occurs before the owner realizes the cat is ill. It may seem as if the cat was poisoned.

Panleukopenia can be transmitted to kittens both before and shortly after birth. In such cases, the mortality rate is 90 percent. Kittens recovering from neonatal infection may have cerebellar brain damage and exhibit a wobbly,
jerky, uncoordinated gait that is noted when they first begin to walk. Secondary bacterial infections are common. The bacterial infection, rather than the virus itself, may be the cause of death.

A white blood cell count confirms the diagnosis. In-office tests for canine parvovirus will also detect feline panleukopenia virus, which is a member of the parvovirus family.

Cats who survive are solidly immune to reinfection but can shed the virus for several weeks. Along with asymptomatic carriers, this leads to repeated exposure in a population of cats. The repeated exposure helps to boost immunity among cats who have already acquired protective antibodies, by continuing to stimulate their immune systems.

Treatment: Detecting panleukopenia early in the course of the illness is of prime importance, because intensive treatment must be started at once to save the cat’s life. It is better to consult your veterinarian on a false alarm than to wait until the cat is desperately ill. Supportive measures include fluid replacement, antibiotics, maintaining nutrition, and, occasionally, blood transfusions.

Prevention: The panleukopenia virus is hardy. It can survive in carpets, cracks and furnishings for more than a year. It is resistant to ordinary household disinfectants but can be destroyed using a bleach solution (diluted with water at 1:32).

Most cats are exposed to panleukopenia sometime during their life. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent serious infection (see page 107).

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

To summarise, feline panleukopenia is not airborne. It's spread by contact. So we can control whether our cats get it or not.

Make it a habit to wash your hands thoroughly BEFORE touching your own cat if you have come into contact with cats outside your own home. This is especially true if you go to pet shops, pet exhibitions, cat shows, stray colonies, etc.

Call it paranoia, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

blakie,

bila dah kena virus nie... adakah kucing tersebut akan kena lagi...atau tidak..

then virus nie... terus ujud kt badan kucing tuh ker... berpa lama kucing tuh leh hidup yerr.

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

Kalau dah kena penyakit tersebut dan survive, kucing akan mencapai immunity seumur hidup dan tidak akan kena lagi. Ada setengah kucing menjadi carrier dan akan menjakiti kucing lain.

Penyakit ini adalah salah satu penyakit pembawa maut yang dilindungi melalui 4-in-1 vaccination.

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

got news from the vet today that my tan sri 's white blodd cell is normal but very low ... it could be panleucoparnia.... huhuhuhuhuhu can my tan sri survive?

he wants to eat... but tak gemok gemok... monyok and inactive...... huhuhuhu{cry}{cry}{cry}

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

sigh......lost a patient to FPL..... heartbreaking i tell you....{cry2}

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

Yes, I agree with you.
Losing the one that you love really Hurts {cry2}

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

worst part is the client who is sooooooooo oblivious to the disease state..... to make things worst...the mangy kitten's from pak cu and it's just a stray..... and this silly guy paid 70 ringgit for it!!!! {nah}{ohmygod}{angry}

Re: Feline Panleukopenia
 

I have a survivor from FP with me. It was really a hard and sad time to watch her handle the pain and suffer badly from the sickness. I lost few during that time and managed to have her alive.

Sometimes, we overlook why cats wont eat. Most of the time it might be their appetite, but sometimes do try to open up their mouth and see whether there are blisters on their gums and tongue. Mine did, and being aware made me the happiest man alive.

And I do hate FP, FIP or FIV. There are so hard to identify yet so lethal and unforgiving. {angry}

My battle with FIP
 

I think some of you may knew me, or some may not. Anyway, I'm on a stressfull battle with FIP spread around my compound. Vet says it is airborne, my verdict it was another sick stray cat walking around my compound. {nah}

Current lost is 5 kittens {cry} and it was devastating. As we are the pet lover, we never lay low not wondering what is happening to those poor things. I've done IV, supplement feed, antibiotics and still my chances are very slim. But for some reason, for every wave of the FIP attack (in my case this is the 3rd wave for period of 2 years), I do have a survivor when I least expected. I don't know how I manage to pull it to have those luck but in this wave, I've pretty much figure some method to make it my arsenal for future use.

Method A :
Antibiotic (tablet) 1 tablet daily, 2 times per day.
Pallete supplement nutripet - 2 full measurement of syringe once daily.
Amino solution - 1 ml + 1/2 cup full (tudung botol ubat) 3 times daily.

Verdict :
The kittens didn't even ate any food left on their plates and rarely drink from their cups. Drastic measure taken for the first kitten for IV. He passed away with vomitting fluids out of the mouth within the next 6 hours. It hurts to see it but I'm still having faith in the last 4. {cry}

On occasions, the supplement was vomitted out for they feel incomfortable in their tummy from my view. Their body getting weaker. Eyes getting tire. 4 of them died after on the 2nd day of the infection, lying gasping for air and my heart was broken as being pierce by a thousand needles watching their suffering.

So I went on a different module for the last infected kitten, no force feed, no force medicine, prayers and persuasive method to make them drink and eat.

Method B :
Amino solution - 1 ml + 1/2 cup full (tudung botol ubat) 3 times daily.
ONLY

Verdict :
The kitten didn't react the first day, it won't eat it won't drink. All day I can see the yellow vomit on the tray. The body loosing energy and I can feel that she is dehydrating. I only wait for the worst to come for this FIP things are very certain. {cry} I do the Method B and yesterday was the 2nd day.

Overview, no more puking yellow substance. But still orange colored urine and stool present. I was feeling lucky. I just continued the method.

Today, 3rd day. I walked out, he was calling me. I thought he was going to say goodbye, but the meowing looks more to saying hello. I run towards the cage. She was sitting below with the plates but she didn't ate any of it {ohmygod}

But she reacted well to my treatment. Only fluids + amino solution, no antibiotics or food whatever. Suddenly after the morning dosage, she walked out, eyeing the can of wet food I've opened. I put in her plate and she went towards it and ate like never before {happy}. I quickly poured in lots and monitor whether it was only liking by licking onto it but no..it was eating. So I ran towards the antibiotics and spread half tablet measured powder onto it, she's still eating.

I left to the office a happy man, can't wait to feed her this afternoon. I will continue this method till a week and see the improvement. Wish me luck. {victory}

Re: My battle with FIP
 

My late Tan Sri was diagnosed with FIP - it was a tragic evening when the blood test came out not so good for him.

I was terrified - didnt know what to do. His tummy was bloating n his 'buah' as well - The vet gave him something to reduce the bloating.... yet, Tan Sri didnt show any improvement.

We took Tan Sri to another vet - another diagnosed - his stool filled with protozoa.

The vet took care of him - intensive care - didnt hv much positive development - but he had no more flu - finally the vet called that Tan Sri had a bit of jaundice and kidney - another shocking news. That time was the 9 day...

The 10th day... I was at the airport - cant wait to see Tan Sri - The vet called that Tan Sri was no longer with us here - Huh.... I cried until I reached home - the next day, we went to the vet, get Tan Sri to be buried in the most honor way....

Miss you Tan Sri - and in deed..... FIP is not a joke!

I hope Puan Sri is healthy - she had suffered before, but survived.

Re: My battle with FIP
 

My condolences for your lost psycheupp. May Tan Sri lives well on the other side of the rainbow bridge with our other furry friends {happy}. And hoping for the best for Puan Sri as well.

Update, this morning 2 kittens caught the same symptoms. And another is suspected to build up the symptoms. Isolations done. Implementing method B and will try to hope for the best for the next 2 days. Currently, they are not eating any from their plates and drinking any from their cups.

The last kitten the was infected is recovering well, but only having apetite for wet food, yet she is looking well. Dosage of amino solution reduced to half to prevent overdose as precaution. Dark liquid stool improved to become more to a normal stool with a little presence of the dark liquid. Before this it was a 100% dark liquid stool.

I'll feed her wet food till she builds up apetite for other type of food. Can't risk the chance of having her loosing apetite for not having any of 3 of her daily dish.

Wish me luck on the new 2 patience. {cry} And hoping that the suspected new patience will not come to the same state as the 2. Need to adjust to the weather to prevent any other inconveniences. This rainy weather is keen to invite mites and fleas to attack on our furry friends {sick}

My battle with FIP
 

Hi!! Syunichi,my cats Coklat & Ranggi died because of FeLV in July & Oct. I have to bring all the house cats for blood test and 3 cats are positive FeLV.They look and behave normal but I'm not sure how long until their time is up.

My deepest sympathy for your loss. It wasn't easy when our beloved pets died. I never stop thinking abt Coklat & Ranggi {cry2}{cry2}{cry2}

Re: My battle with FIP
 

june how much the cos to do the test?

My battle with FIP
 

RM90 per cat.certain vet charge RM120.In my case,my vet gave special rates because I took 11 cats altogether for the test. They charged me RM600 only.

Re: My battle with FIP
 

ooooo between 90-120. tq

Re: My battle with FIP
 

Hi June, it's been quite a while since our last postings {happy}.

FeLV?? Yours?? OMG, that is really bad. I have a survivor from FIV and it was hard for quite less understanding between FIP, FeLV and FIV makes it quite difficult. I lost the tuxedo cat in my avatar, Milo for FIV. I notice that FIV patience during critical moment develop oral problems like ulcers and blisters on the gums or even tounge. Worst case, inside their esofagus. {cry}

My Oren Puteh survive via undergoing one time IV to eliminates dehydration, intensive antibiotics medication to eliminate blisters in their oral system,force feeding and giving amino solution. It's really hard to feed them for they will puke out back the food or meds for they had ulcers that is quite painful. {cry}

This oral problems at worst circumstances build up drooling symptoms in them and we'll see them just letting their head rest on the water cups. It's really sad to see {cry2}.

I wish for your cats to develop strong antibodies before worst to come. With your TLC with cats, it is always possible. It is understandable cats are able to develop antibodies to be immune to FeLV. Good luck June.

Re: My battle with FIP
 

May things go well to all of you..... and of course to the furries...

Re: My battle with FIP
 

Hi gang.

It's scary just by reading the acronyms.

Syunichi,
How do you prepare the Amino solutions ? Or can we step into the vet clinic and ask to buy some ?

Anyone has any suggestions how to build-up the kittens/cats' immunity (antibody?) naturally i.e. so that they'll be strong enough to face these viruses - apart from the 3x vaccinations. Sorry if this is a silly question, but i'm quite ignorant about these things. All i know is to send them to the vets (different ones), see them dying one by one (the cats, i mean). If anyone knows one vet that has worked hard and been "lucky" enough to have some survivors, please let me know.

Thanks.

Re: My battle with FIP
 

Hi Simple, nice to hear from you.{happy}

I got the amino solution from my vet, and when I went back to Kuching they call it something else but still the same thing. It is some sort either reddish or yellowish liquid that is for 1ml added to a litre of water for cats to drink daily. For cats under tight attention for dehydration and sickness, advisable 3ml direct feed. As under my supervision it does made my cat more prone to drink water, and this may eliminate the cause of getting dehydration. Plus, with all-in vitamins inside the substance it is said to also have lysine to prevent and cure cat flu. {happy}. Hmm...I'll take a photo off it later in the afternoon.

{cry}Sadly to update I lost a kitten to the virus again yesterday evening. It was a sad view watching her lying senseless when I got back home from work. So, from the 2 patience I lost one. The other one amazingly recovering, meowing for attention and slowly drinking the water from her cup and licking off and eating bits of wet food I've given this morning. Thank god. {happy}

As for the suspected patience are recovering drastically and doing well with the other recovering kitten. If this continues for the next 2 days, I'm glad to say I've fend off the virus spread. {happy}

It has been a crappy and sad weeks for me, but now I see everything pays off.

To all my furry love ones I lost, as said in a song.

Terkilan rasa jiwa
Ingin ku lihat mu dewasa
Apa daya
Tuhan lebih menyayangimu

{cry} I pray that we may see other again on the other side of the rainbow bridge.