Feline Leukemia
Prevention is Protection.
Feline
Leukemia Virus (FeLV) infection is nothing for cat
owners to take lightly. There are close to one million cats in the
Vaccinations
are available now to protect your cat - even if your cat is an "indoor cat." It
doesn't take much: Your cat somehow escapes outside, or an infected stray comes
and rubs its nose along your screen on your window, and your cat says hello back...The
best protection is prevention. And it doesn't cost a lot to protect your cat.
In fact, it will cost much more if
your cat becomes infected.
Feline
Leukemia is a misleading name for an entire group of diseases, which may include
leukemia (a blood cancer) or tumors, but more often the related diseases are what
develop before cancer does.
These may include:
-
Respiratory Disease
-
Infectious Peritonitis
-
Reproductive Failure
-
Panleukopenia-like
Syndrome
-
"Fading Kitten"
Syndrome
The cancers that
FeLV can cause include blood cell cancers:
-
Leukemia
-
Reticuloendotheliosis
-
Erythemic
Myelosis
-
and even Intestinal,
Thymic, and Lymphoid sarcomas
FeLV
breaks down a cat's immune system, much like the AIDS virus does to the human
immune system. Cats infected with the virus can't fight off invasions by bacteria,
viruses, and funguses. They may reproductive problems, such as miscarriages, or
give birth to weak or dying kittens. They often develop such diseases as pneumonia,
and suffer from chronic colds, stomach problems, skin and mouth sores, and anemia.
In fact, one prominent researcher has said, "FeLV
infection must be suspected and investigated whenever a feline patient develops
anything but the simplest of problems." Cats that are lucky enough to survive
the related diseases, often go on to develop cancer.
The sad fact that a lot of owners must face is that once a cat is actively infected
with FeLV, it rarely lives longer than 3 years...
So
how exactly can your cat become infected? FeLV is
passed on from cat-to-cat contact. The virus is shed through saliva, but also
in urine and feces. It is transmitted through licking, biting, and sneezing. Infected
pregnant cats can pass it to their unborn kittens through nursing.
FeLV enters the body through the nose, eyes, and mouth.
From there, it enters the bloodstream, eventually infecting tissues and organs.
Food dishes and litter pans can be a source of infection for healthy cats if they
share them regularly with infected cats.
Some
cats are more prone to infection than others. Immunes systems in younger cats
aren't fully capable of fighting off disease. Likewise, elderly cats or those
stressed or sick will also be more prone to infection.
A
cat's environment also affects its chances of infection. Households with several
cats can have rates of FeLV infection up to 30%. Outdoor
cats, which encounter other cats that might be infected, are more likely to be
infected than indoor cats. However, indoor cats sneak outside occasionally or
are boarded in close contact with other cats while their owners are away. In such
situations, you have NO control over your cat's exposure to
FeLV...again, the best protection is prevention.
Because
so many disease are associated with
FeLV, it's hard to tell whether a cat is infected
just by observation. Such signs as: chronic infection, gum disease, loss of weight
and appetite, and swollen glands can be warning signals. If any of these symptoms
are noticed, please call us immediately and schedule a FeLV
test.
A
positive FeLV test simply means that your cat has
been exposed to the virus. If your cat is strong and healthy, there is a 40% chance
that it will survive. Another 30% of cats neither reject the virus nor develop
active diseases. Thee cats are called "carriers." If female carriers become pregnant,
for example, the active form of the disease can re-emerge - they pass infection
on to their unborn or newborn kittens, which are highly prone to infection and
death. The remaining 30% of infected cats develop persistent infections, which
result in full-blown FeLV. Various cancers, as we
have seen listed above, lead to the death of your beloved pet. Some deaths are
sudden, but some can be lingering and very painful.
Two things that you can do
to protect your pet are:
1.) Minimize contact with other cats. This isn't
always practical, as cats that roam outdoors, live with other pets, or are boarded
while you are away, are all potential victims; if you add that to the number of
cats that are taken to cat shows and exhibits, you can see why
FeLV continues to spread.
2.) The second, more reliable approach...is to
test and vaccinate annually against Feline Leukemia. Every cat should be tested
prior to vaccination. A vaccination will not harm an infected cat - but it won't
help either. If your cat is getting his/her FIRST FeLV
vaccine, we will re-boost your cat in about 3 weeks; then, after one year, only
one vaccine is required.
There is no cure for Feline Leukemia. Prevention is Protection.
***There is currently no scientific evidence
that links FeLV with human cancer or disease.