Tuesday's Tips from our Doctors!
Recently
our Doctors asked how they could share some facts about the common
(and not so common) things that can effect the health of our pets in S.
Florida. This is what we can up with. Be on the look out for more Tips
from our Doctors and be sure to let us know what other things you would
like to know about!
FeLV stands for Feline Leukemia Virus. It is a
retroviral disease
of cats that affects their bone marrow and immune system. It is estimated that
about 3% of cats worldwide are affected with this virus. FeLV can be
transmitted multiple ways; it is shed in the saliva, feces, milk, and urine of
an infected cat, although the primary route of transmission is through
saliva.
Transmission can occur via grooming, licking, biting, as
well as sharing dishes and litter pans. Therefore, close cat-to-cat contact is
required for transmission. Transmission from infected mother to kitten may
occur during pregnancy, and it can also be transmitted by the exchange of blood.
Any age a cat can become infected with the virus. However,
kittens and younger cats are at the highest risk of significant and rapid
progression of the disease because of their naïve immune system. Some cats will
contract the disease and will not show clinical signs (signs of illness), but
they will continue to spread the virus. These are known as latent carriers.
They can become symptomatically ill when stressed. On rare occasions, some cats
that are infected may eliminate the virus on their own and never become ill.
These cats become immune.
There is no specific treatment or cure for a FeLV infection.
Many cats with FeLV will live normal lives, but their life span tends to be
significantly shorter. Most cats will not live more than 3 years past the time
they are infected with the virus.
Many
cats become sick with lymphoma (cancer), bone marrow disease (such as leukemia),
or feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
FeLV cats may encounter other problems that include an
earlier onset of dental disease and more upper respiratory infections (colds),
as well as multiple diseases related to being immune suppressed. If your cat
becomes ill and is FeLV positive, treatment involves supportive care based on
their clinical signs. Examples include supportive care for the leukemia form
(bone marrow disease). The lymphoma form of the disease may be treated with
better results using chemotherapy drugs, but is still not curable.
There is a vaccine available for the prevention of FeLV.
This
vaccine is considered a “core” vaccine for kittens. This means all kittens
should receive the vaccines as the proper standard of care in veterinary
medicine.
Kittens will receive 2 vaccines 2 weeks apart (at 12-14
weeks of age, and then again at 15-17 weeks of age), and then a booster one year
later. Current recommendations in the literature indicate that after 2 years of
age (with proper vaccination until then), yearly vaccination is “risk based.”
This means certain cats should continue to receive the yearly vaccine. This includes
cats who have certain factors which increase their risk of exposure such as
going outdoors, living in large colonies, or living with positive cats.
All cats should be tested for FeLV before being vaccinated. New
kittens can be tested as early as 6-8 weeks of age.
Your
veterinarian has an
ELISA test (this is normally able to be done in the office
with a few drops of blood) which screens for FeLV and FIV (another virus of
cats). If you know your cat has been exposed to FeLV, it is recommended to test
them again at least 30 days post exposure to ensure a second negative result.
Some cats will test positive, but then clear the virus on their own and test
negative the second time.
Kittens should be tested at an early age (at adoption, etc.)
however they should be re-tested at least 30 days later to ensure a second
negative result since the virus may take weeks to months to be detected. If
your cat tests positive, a confirmation test (known as an IFA (immunoflourescent
assay test) can be done at an outside laboratory to confirm the positive
result.
If your home has a FeLV positive cat, it is recommended that
you do not bring any new negative status cats into the household to minimize
other cats from being exposed. If you own two cats, separating them to avoid
possible bodily fluid exchange is best. Luckily, the virus is very unstable in
the environment, and common household cleaners easily destroy it. Even without
cleaning, the virus is destroyed naturally in a span of days.
University of Florida, 2015
