Feline panleukopenia is also known as feline parvoviral infection or feline distemper. It is different from canine parvoviral infection with distinctive causative agents, the disease is not transmittable between dogs and cats.
Cause:
Feline panleukopenia is caused by a very virulent virus called feline parvovirus. It is highly contagious and the spread rate is very high among unvaccinated cats, especially kittens less than eight weeks old. The virus is spread via body secretions, particularly urine and feces, infecting any healthy pet getting in contact. The virus is very resilient and survives for a very long time in the environment. Robust antiseptic solutions are required to clean the contaminated surface.
Signs:
This virus replicates and increases its number in fast-growing cells, targeting lymphatic cells, bone marrow and small intestinal cells. It invades and destroys the cells causing severe damage to the organs or the body systems.
Signs of feline panleukopenia include fever, loss of appetite, dullness, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration. The infected cat will stay in cold areas or near the water bowl for a long time, they will keep staring at the water bowl but won’t drink from it.
Acquisition of the disease during pregnancy is hazardous to both mother and kittens’ lives. Even if the mother cat survives, there are very high chances of abortion or stillbirth.
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