grovercentervetDistemper Panleukopenia in Cats: The Ultimate Guide to Feline Parvovirus
Being a cat owner I am keen on keeping my cat safe, active and happy. There is however a silent, extremely hardy and sometimes fatal health hazard every cat owner should be aware of, distemper panleukopenia in cats. This is a highly contagious, life threatening viral disease which attacks rapidly dividing cells in a cat’s body and is commonly known as feline distemper or Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV).
In the past, this infection has completely eradicated entire feline colonies and shelters. Even though it sounds like distemper, it has nothing to do with distemper itself—however, it has many of the same frightening structural and symptomatic characteristics as the canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus. With its aggressiveness, it’s essential to know how to identify the signs, be able to provide proper care, and how it can be stopped from being passed on, which can mean the difference in life and death.
In this all-encompassing guide, you’ll learn all about distemper panleukopenia in cats, how to prevent it, and how to act to navigate it.
What is DPV (Distemper Panleukopenia) in Cats?
The first step in protecting your pet is to get to know the enemy’s biology. The term “panleukopenia” literally means a multi-systemic deficit of all types of white blood cells. Your cat’s immune defense system is built from white blood cells. Once the virus attacks the body, it basically robs it of its resistance to any type of micro-organism or infection.
The cause of distemper panleukopenia in cats is a small, single-stranded DNA virus of the Parvoviridae family. The virus is active inside a host and actively targets cells that are rapidly dividing. These include the lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, bone marrow and developing fetus in pregnant queens. The virus damages the bone marrow and stops it from making white blood cells, making the feline totally vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections.
How Does the Virus Spread?
Distemper panleukopenia in cats is still a problem in the cat community because cats are very susceptible to this virus. The virus is a “non-enveloped” virus because it doesn’t have a tender outer coating of lipids. It, of course, lacks such an outer layer and thus can withstand up to a year or more in an environment of freezing cold, intense heat, and the common household detergents.
- Direct Contact: It’s transmitted mainly through the interaction of healthy cats with infected cats nasal discharge, saliva, urine or feces.
- Fomites (Inanimate Objects): The virus is very tough and can easily transfer from food bowls, litter boxes, bedding, grooming brushes, hands or shoes of humans. These things can infect unvaccinated cats if they come into contact with them at a later time.
- Utero Transmission: If a mother cat does contract the virus it is able to pass it directly on to her unborn kittens. This frequently leads to miscarriage, stillbirth or a major neurological birth defect.
However, this ease of infection means that an indoor pet is not 100% protected from distemper panleukopenia in cats. The microscopic virus can be transferred by a human who has been in contact with an infected animal to un-vaccinated indoor pets, by simply walking through the infected animal’s environment on clothes or shoes.
Symptoms & Clinical Signs
Cats may begin to show signs of distemper panleukopenia within 3 to 14 days after exposure, although symptoms may be very aggressive and begin to appear in a week. The clinical signs are variable and frequently involve the digestive tract and energy levels to a great degree, depending upon the cat’s age and immune status.
- Abnormally Lethargy and Depression: The normally playful cat suddenly becomes unresponsive, hiding in dark corners and not moving.
- Fever: The affected cats will have a very high fever, up to 107°F – 104°F but later in shock, their body temperature may drop significantly lower.
- Severe Vomiting: Virus will actively attack the lining of the stomach and intestines. Cats will vomit clear liquid, bile or blood repeatedly and without any association with eating food.
- Bloody Diarrhea: When the lower portion of the intestine becomes damaged, it causes diarrhea that is profuse, foul, and liquid, with blood sometimes visible.
- Dehydration and Hunching: Due to extreme fluid loss, cats will become severely dehydrated. They may be seen sitting hunched over their water bowl, but they are unable to swallow because of the uncomfortable nausea.
- Sudden death: In severe cases, such as in young kittens under 6 months old, the virus can be fatal within hours, before any digestive symptoms are seen.
If a pregnant queen survives a distemper panleukopenia infection in cats, or if very young newborn kittens become infected, the virus will attack rapidly multiplying cells in the cerebellum. The part of the brain that controls fine motor control, coordination and spatial awareness is the cerebellum.
This special attack results in a congenital disease called Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH). In Utero FPV Infection leads to Destruction of Cerebellar Cells which results in Cerebellar Hypoplasia (“Wobbly Cat”).
Although this damage to the nervous system may seem frightening, it is non-progressive and non-painful. As these kittens mature, adapt to their own coordination challenges and can enjoy a long happy indoor life with a few house modifications.
Diagnostic Procedures
If you notice any symptoms from the above list, it is imperative that you seek veterinary treatment right away. A quick multi-step clinical assessment is needed to diagnose distemper panleukopenia in cats.
Your vet will use a few different tests to make a diagnosis, usually including the following:
⦁ Complete Blood Count (CBC): This is the most important diagnostic. Significant decrease in the number of white blood cells (leukopenia) strongly suggests this particular viral infection.
⦁ Fecal ELISA Snap Test: same as the rapid test for canine parvovirus. The two viruses are very structurally similar, so it is possible to detect the FPV antigen in a fresh feline stool sample in minutes.
⦁ PCR Testing: In cases of uncertainty, a veterinary lab may be able to perform a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) on a fecal swab to confirm the correct genetic makeup of the virus.
Veterinary Treatment Protocols
At the present time there is no specific antiviral drug to clear distemper panleukopenia in cats. New veterinary treatment, however, is limited to intensive support measures to keep the cat alive until their immune system can recover and restore their white blood cell count.
It is usually necessary to hospitalize kittens in a special isolation room as the risk of death can be as high as 90% if no treatment is done.
⦁ Fluid Therapy: An Urgent Treatment.
Immediate treatment of severe dehydration from repeated vomiting and diarrhea is with intravenous (IV) fluids if the dehydration is life-threatening. This helps keep the blood pressure in check and prevents vital organs from shutting down.
⦁ Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics: Combating Sepsis.
Antibiotics are helpful here although they do not fight viruses. Since the virus kills off white blood cells and weakens the barrier of the gut, normal bacteria from the gut can easily enter the bloodstream. This secondary bacterial sepsis is prevented by antibiotics.
3. Anti-Emetics and GI Support: Controlling Nausea.
Strong anti-nausea drugs are injected to prevent vomiting. This gives the damaged gastrointestinal lining a chance to rest, heal and rebuild.
4. Nutritional Restoration: Once Stabilized.
As soon as vomiting is well controlled, the feeding is started with a highly digestible recovery diet or temporary feeding tube. Nutrition supplies the energy that the cells require for repair.
Prevention: The Ultimate Shield
Prevention: The Ultimate Shield is easy and very effective versus distemper panleukopenia in cats, while treating an active infection is stressful and cost the pet owner lots of money.
The Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia (FVRCP) vaccine is considered one of the core vaccines by the veterinary profession. This refers to all cats, whether indoor or outdoor, who should be given this vaccine series.
If a cat hasn’t had any vaccinations or has an incomplete vaccination history, a two shot series a couple weeks apart is usually the way to go to establish adequate immunity.
Household Disinfection Protocols
If you have unquestionably had a cat with distemper panleukopenia inside your house, just about any household cleaners or sprays that contain alcohol or bleach will not disinfected safely.
A diluted bleach solution (household bleach diluted 1:32 in water) is used to completely neutralize the viral particles on non-porous surfaces. Or, special veterinary disinfectants that are labeled to control non-enveloped viruses may be used. Items that are porous, like soft plush toys, cat trees with scratches, or soiled bedding should be tightly bagged and discarded if they can’t be thoroughly bleached.
Conclusion
When a cat is diagnosed with distemper panleukopenia, it can be a devastating shock and emotional experience for any pet owner. It’s very hard, fast and attacks the weakest feline members at incredible speed.
But armed with a knowledge of its transmission and an awareness of its early warning signs, you can act quickly and save your pet a chance. The most important is to keep your cat’s regular routine FVRCP vaccines on track which will offer a virtually impenetrable barrier against this disease. Talk with your veterinarian today and ensure your pet is properly protected.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Can dogs catch distemper panleukopenia from infected cats?
⦁ No. Feline panleukopenia is caused by a feline parvovirus that is similar in nature to canine parvovirus, but distemper panleukopenia can be contracted by cats, but not dogs. Note that cats can sometimes be infected with certain strains of canine parvovirus, but do not contract canine distemper.
Q2. Is panleukopenia contagious to humans from their pets?
⦁ No. Distemper panleukopenia is highly species specific and caused by the parvovirus. It has absolutely no health risk to humans, children or domestic animals such as rabbits or rodents.
Q3. A cat that has been infected can infect others for how long after recovery?
⦁ If the cat survives the distemper panleukopenia outbreak, it will shed the virus in its bodily fluids and feces for up to 6 weeks after recovery. An un-vaccinated cat should be completely isolated from other cats during this period.
Q4. Should an indoor cat be given panleukenia?
⦁ Yes, absolutely. The virus is very stable in the environment and can be spread to your home in micro-particles on your clothes, shopping bags, or shoes. The only surefire way to keep an indoor cat safe is to vaccinate it.
Q5. Does a cat ever suffer from panleukopenia more than once?
⦁ Fortunately, those cats who do survive clinical infection with distemper panleukopenia become well protected against the virus for the remainder of their life.
