Pansystemic DZ

• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

  A disease caused by a retrovirus
• Leukemia


  • Tends to be most severe in young animals
  • Older cats develop a natural resistance to the disease
• Possible Outcomes of FeLV Infection

  • Rapid-onset death—common in neonates and very young
  • Development of bone-marrow suppression (leukemia) and death related to anemia or secondary infections
  • Virus-induced lymphoma
  • Nothing
  • Some cats clear the virus completely
  • Some cats remain positive but never succumb to the disease
• Since leukemia can affect many of the organ systems, clinical signs of FeLV infection vary
• Clinical signs of FeLV infection

  • Weight loss
  • Fever
  • Chronic infections (stomatitis, gingivitis, upper respiratory infections)
  • Gastrointestinal signs (when the virus causes intestinal lymphoma)
• Diagnosing FeLV


  • Point-of-care testing (ELISA/SNAP/Witness)
  • CBC showing bone marrow suppression (anemia/leukopenia)
  • Biopsy with histopathology (lymphoma)
• Managing FeLV


  • No cure
  • If lymphoma develops, standard chemotherapy protocols can be initiated
  • If bone marrow suppression occurs: blood transfusions, erythropoietin to stimulate RBC production, granulocyte-stimulating factor to stimulate the production of neutrophils
  • Chronic infections should be treated with appropriate antibiotic therapy
  • Antiviral and immunomodulatory medications can be used (AZT, PMEA, Acemannan, Interferon)
  • Excellent nursing care
• Preventing FeLV Transmission/Infection


  • Vaccination (especially important for the young cat, breeding cat and high-risk outdoor cat)
  • Prevention of exposure by keeping naive cats indoors
  • Prevention of exposure by keeping positive cats indoors
  • Housing solitary positive cats or having a positive cat-only household
  • Excellent hygiene (wash all bowls, housing structures and bedding well, wash hands in between feline patients)
  • Routine testing for all new cats and for all high-risk or sick cats
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)


  A retrovirus that predominantly affects adult outdoor male cats
• Possible Outcomes of FIV Infection

  • Impairs the body's immune system (destroys T-cells) leading to severe illness and death from even simple infections
  • Development of bone-marrow suppression (leukemia) and death related to anemia
  • Nothing
  • Infected animals often live completely normal, healthy lives
• Diagnosing FIV


  • Point-of-care testing (ELISA/SNAP/Witness) - looks for antibodies (can be falsely positive if vaccinated or if kitten received maternal antibodies)
  • PCR test - looks for natural virus proteins (ignores vaccine proteins)
  • CBC showing bone marrow suppression (anemia/leukopenia)
• Managing FIV


  • No cure
  • If bone marrow suppression occurs: blood transfusions, erythropoietin to stimulate RBC production, granulocyte-stimulating factor to stimulate the production of neutrophils
  • Chronic infections should be treated with appropriate antibiotic therapy
  • Antiviral and immunomodulation medications can be used (AZT, PMEA, Acemannan, Interferon)
  • Excellent nursing care
• Preventing FIV Transmission/Infection


  • Spay/neuter owned cats to prevent wandering and fighting
  • Keep cats indoors and away from stray/feral populations
  • Vaccinations are no longer available due to minimal efficacy, risk of a fibrosarcoma and testing interference
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)


  A mutated form of a very common intestinal virus called coronavirus (FECV or FCoV)
• Possible Outcomes of FIP Infection

  • Severe vasculitis, leading to effusion (buildup of fluid) in the abdominal or thoracic cavities (WET form)
  • Granulomas within tissues like the eye or the central nervous system (DRY form)
  • Nothing
  • Some cats have dormant FIP infections that cannot be tested for
• Diagnosing FIP


  • WET form: Analysis of the effusion (high protein with albumin:globulin ratio <0.81, yellow color, thick sticky, not very cellular), new PCR test for FECV variants, bloodwork (elevated neutrophils, low lymphocytes, elevated total protein), histopathology
  • DRY form: Bloodwork (elevated neutrophils, low lymphocytes, elevated total protein), histopathology, PCR test for FECV variants in fluids
• Managing FIP


  • No cure, most animals die despite therapy
  • Steroids to decrease inflammation and vasculitis
  • Excellent nursing care (keeping clean, well hydrated and nourished)
• Preventing FIP Transmission/Infection


  • Breed only cats negative for FECV
  • Separate kittens from queen as soon as weaned, test kittens for FECV, vaccinate if negative
  • One FECV vaccine available, but has little value since most cats are already FECV positive
  • Routine screening for "FIP" (FECV) is not recommended
• Feline Panleukopenia


  A virus that causes high morbidity and high mortality, kittens are much more susceptible
• Possible Outcomes of Feline Panleukopenia Infection


  • Sudden death (kittens)
  • ADR, poor-doer kittens that die despite good husbandry
  • Full-blown vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, shock, and death (kittens)
  • Full-blown disease as above but recovery occurs (low percentage of infected kittens)
  • Transient disease and recovery (much more likely in an adult cat)
  • Nothing (well-vaccinated clinically healthy adult cats)
• Diagnosing Feline Panleukopenia


  • Point-of-care testing (canine parvovirus SNAP/Witness)
  • Clinical signs (fever, vomiting/diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia)
  • CBC (panleukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia)
• Treating Feline Panleukopenia


  • Correct fluid and electrolyte abnormalities
  • Correct protein deficiencies with serum or other colloid
  • Cover with broad-spectrum antibiotics
  • Pain control for GI-associated pain
  • Anti-nausea medications
  • Treat in isolation
• Preventing Feline Panleukopenia Transmission/Infection

  • Vaccinate kittens and adult cats appropriately
  • Vaccinate breeding queens appropriately
  • Provide excellent hygiene
  • Isolate all infected animals
  • Euthanize sick animals (due to high mortality rate)
• Toxoplasmosis


  A protozoal disease that affects cats of all ages, can be fatal in very young kittens and immunosuppressed cats
• Possible Outcomes of Toxoplasmosis Infection

  • Death in neonatal kittens exposed in utero
  • Disease of multiple organ systems (neurologic, ocular, hepatic, pancreatic, respiratory)
  • Silent infection (not all cats develop clinical signs)
  • Dormant infections (parasite can lay dormant for years)
• Diagnosing Toxoplasmosis


  • Finding oocysts in stool
  • Antibody titers (serum, CSF, aqueous humor)
  • Finding tachyzoites or bradyzoites in affected fluids/tissues
  • CBC/serum chemistry abnormalities
  • Radiograph/ultrasound
• Managing Toxoplasmosis


  • Antibiotics (clindamycin, trimethoprim sulfonamide, azithromycin)
  • Supportive care (fluid support, seizure control, anti-inflammatory therapy, liver support, draining effusions, oxygen therapy)
• Preventing Feline Toxoplasmosis Infection

  • Do not allow cat to hunt/control rodent population
  • Do not feed raw foods to cat
• Preventing Human Toxoplasmosis Infection

  • Practice excellent litter box hygiene
  • Wash vegetables
  • Do not drink unpasteurized milk
  • Cook foods well
  • Freeze meats prior to cooking
  • Practice excellent kitchen hygiene
  • Garden in gloves/wash hands after gardening
• There are times when clients might ask about risk factors with pregnancy and with immunosuppression (HIV positive people, people being treated for cancer or receiving an organ transplant)
• Women should get tested for Toxoplasmosis before getting pregnant, so they know if they need to be extra cautious
• Immunocompromised individuals can also be tested by their doctors, and they do not have to give up their cat
• Canine Distemper (CDV)


  A deadly disease that affects many carnivorous animals, with higher prevalence in shelter and rescue organizations
• Possible Outcomes of Canine Distemper Infection

  • Full-blown distemper with epithelial/neurologic involvement (vomiting/diarrhea, fever, pneumonia, pyoderma/hyperkeratosis, KCS/chorioretinitis/uveitis/optic neuritis, seizures, death)
  • Recovery, often with persistent neurologic signs
  • Distemper with limited clinical signs
• Canine Distemper (CDV)


  Deadly disease that affects many carnivorous animals
• Parvovirus (CPV)


  Deadly, highly contagious virus in dogs, related to the feline panleukopenia virus
• Rickettsial Diseases


  Caused by a group of bacteria that are primarily transmitted through blood-sucking arthropods (ticks)
• Rabies


  Highly contagious, highly lethal virus that can be contracted and spread by any mammal
• The primary mode of transmission of FeLV is through oral and respiratory secretions; grooming and sharing food, water bowls and litterboxes are possible routes of infection. Wounds from bites can also spread the disease. 
• Only a very small percentage of cats with FECV will ever develop FIP; there seems to be a genetic risk factor with Burmese and Persians being overrepresented.