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Name
Distemper Virus, Feline
Short Description
Feline panleukopenia, feline parvovirus, feline distemper
Affected Animals: Cats, minks, raccoons.
Overview:Caused by the feline parvovirus, feline
distemper, or panleukopenia, is a serious and potentially fatal
disease. In its most severe form, feline distemper kills the white
blood cells that fight off disease and infection. The disease also
can destroy the cat's digestive tract, preventing the intestines
from digesting food and absorbing liquids and nutrients. Vomiting
and diarrhea can result in severe or fatal dehydration. In addition,
affected cats can succumb to secondary bacterial infections because
of the reduced number of white blood cells. Because their immune
systems are not fully functional, kittens and cats with impaired
immune systems are more likely to show severe signs or die from the
disease. Healthy, mature cats may show only mild or no symptoms at
all.
Newborn kittens that contract panleukopenia while within the
mother's uterus have a very different response to the disease. They
may develop permanent brain damage and have a hard time walking and
maneuvering, but they often survive.
There is no cure for panleukopenia; thus, treatment is in the form
of supportive care. Dehydration can be alleviated through the use of
fluids administered in the vein or below the skin. Antibiotics can
be given to treat secondary bacterial infections. Most importantly,
an effective vaccine is available that will prevent the disease's
transmission.
Clinical Signs: About a week after being infected with the virus
that causes panleukopenia, cats will begin to experience continual
vomiting, weight loss, decreased or absent appetite, fever, diarrhea
that may contain blood, and dehydration. Often animals with the
disease will be listless or lacking in energy. Some cats can develop
a yellow color to the ears and eyes due to jaundice caused by
developing liver disease. Cats with the disease often have a
decreased number of white blood cells. Bloodwork also will show a
marked panleukopenia and some changes in the liver enzymes.
Symptoms:
See clinical signs.
Description:
Most frequently, the parvovirus is passed to the
cat or kitten when the animal inhales or ingests secretions from
cats infected with the virus. The virus replicates within the
tissues and then travels to the blood stream, where it continues to
spread throughout the cat's body. The virus destroys the digestive
tract and makes it unable to function normally: the intestines lose
their ability to digest food or absorb any liquid or nutrients. As a
result, vomiting and diarrhea often occur, causing severe
dehydration that can be fatal if not treated.
The disease becomes more serious when it enters the cat's bone
marrow, which manufactures the red and white blood cells and
platelets. When panleukopenia reaches this stage, the cat may become
very ill or die, since its capacity to fight off infection will be
impaired by the decrease in white blood cells.
When a kitten becomes infected with the parvovirus while within its
mother's uterus, part of its brain called the cerebellum may not
develop normally, resulting in permanent brain damage. This
condition, clinically known as cerebellar hypoplasia, can cause the
animal to experience tremors in the head and have difficulty walking
and maneuvering. Cerebellar hypoplasia does not grow more severe as
the kitten matures, but the damage is permanent.
Diagnosis: The veterinarian will suspect panleukopenia if
the cat has symptoms of the disease and a very low white blood
count. However, making a positive diagnosis of distemper requires
ruling out all other diseases causing similar clinical signs. Other
ways of diagnosing this disease include using an electron microscope
to find the virus in a fecal sample, or sending a blood sample to a
laboratory to detect exposure to the virus.
Prognosis: Cats that develop feline parvovirus become very
sick; there is a 50 to 90 percent chance that affected kittens will
die from the illness because of their immature immune systems. Also,
adult cats with weak immune systems do not have a good prospect of
surviving. Healthy animals, however, are often able to fight the
illness and their symptoms tend to be less severe. If a cat survives
the disease, it is immune to reinfection for life.
Transmission or Cause: Feline parvovirus is shed in all secretions of
infected cats; it is very hardy, and resistant to many
disinfectants. The virus can survive in the environment and remain
highly contagious for over a year.
Treatment: There is no cure for panleukopenia or the
parvovirus that causes it, so treatment involves supportive care.
Preventing dehydration in cats that experience continual vomiting
and diarrhea requires the administration of fluids -- either into
the cat's vein, through intravenous fluid therapy, or under the skin
through a procedure called subcutaneous fluid therapy. Antibiotics
can help prevent or treat bacterial infections in cats that have a
low white blood cell count because of the disease.
Prevention:
The best prevention is proper vaccination against
the virus starting approximately when the kitten is six to eight
weeks old. Repeat vaccinations will be necessary when the animal is
nine, 12 and 16 weeks of age. Properly vaccinated cats have
long-term immunity.
Feline parvovirus can survive in the environment for over a year and
continue to infect other cats that come into contact with it. The
virus is very difficult to kill. The only substance that will
eliminate it is household bleach diluted with tap water at a
concentration of approximately 31 parts water to 1 part bleach.
Rinse the surfaces well if animals are to be housed on bleached
surfaces. Also, make sure the area is well ventilated to prevent
fume inhalation.
