Or, an FeLV-positive cat may have recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Symptoms include:. The virus occurs in saliva, nasal secretions, urine, feces and milk from infected cats. It is spread cat-to-cat through:. The good news is that the virus will not survive outside a cat for more than a few hours in most environments.
There are two types of blood tests for feline leukemia, and usually both are required for accurate results. If your cat is infected with feline leukemia, keep her indoors to reduce exposure to other infectious agents and prevent the spread of infection to other cats. Most treatments are aimed at managing the clinical signs and complications. Cats that are anemic may receive blood transfusions; cats that are dehydrated or not eating may receive intravenous fluids and feedings; chemotherapy is sometimes helpful in managing cancers; and antibiotics may be used to treat associated infections.
Several vaccines are available for preventing disease associated with FeLV. All of the available FeLV vaccines have been tested and found to be safe and effective when administered as directed. Kittens are generally vaccinated against FeLV around 8 to 9 weeks of age.
A booster vaccination is given 3 to 4 weeks later according to the vaccine label, followed by boosters each year as long as the risk for exposure remains. Cats that go outside or live with other cats are at greater risk for exposure to FeLV compared with cats that stay indoors and have limited contact with other cats. If risk for exposure is low, your veterinarian may not recommend the FeLV vaccine for your cat.
Ask your veterinarian about how to protect your cat from this disease. Because FeLV is transmitted through contact, keeping sick cats separated from healthy cats can reduce the likelihood of transmission. Any new kitten or cat being introduced into the home should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible and separated from all other household pets for a quarantine period of at least a few weeks.
During that time, the new cat should be tested for FeLV and monitored closely for any signs of illness. Any problems should be reported to your veterinarian before introducing the new cat to your other pets. Feline leukemia is a contagious, untreatable disease that can be fatal. Feline leukemia has been linked to the development of certain cancers in cats. In general, cats with FeLV have weaker immune systems so they are more prone to infections, such as upper respiratory infections, dental disease and mycoplasma hemofelis.
Most cats with FeLV live normal lives, but their life span tends to be significantly shorter. Around 80 percent of FeLV kittens do not live past three years and most die within a year. The young cats tend to die from feline infectious peritonitis FIP , lymphoma a cancer affecting lymphatic tissue or bone marrow disease.
It is less likely for older cats to get a persistent infection, and when they do, they tend to handle the disease better. Cats can test positive within a few weeks after exposure, but almost all cats who are positive for the virus will be so by 28 days. It is possible for them to fight off the infection.
To find out if it is a persistent infection, an IFA test can be sent to a lab. If this test is positive, the cat is positive for FeLV and always will be. If it is negative, there is a chance the cat can fight off the infection although recent research shows that the virus may just be dormant until a physiologic stressor allows it to circulate again.
Cats who have fought off the virus are less likely to get re-infected, but it is possible.
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