.

(Feline parvovirus was present before the

strain that affects dogs appeared.
 Feline Panleukopenia is a highly contagious virus that causes severe intestinal tract disease in
cats

 Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV, cat parvovirus, cat distemper) is a highly contagious virus that
is still present in the feline population

 Feline panleukopenia (Feline Parvovirus, FPV) is a vaccine-preventable infectious disease.

 . The most vulnerable cats are those that live in shelters and who are exposed to un-vaccinated
wild cats or cats where the vaccine has never taken hold because it was administered when they
were too young.


 Because the blood cells are under attack, this virus can lead to an anemic condition, and it can
open the body to infections from other illnesses—viral or bacterial.
 ",
 One of the hardiest virus known to science, Panleuk can live outside the body in a dormant yet
infectious state for more than one year.
 Bleach and specialty disinfectants are generally effective agents in preventing the spread of the
virus, but other common household disinfectants are useless against it.
 It attacks white blood cells in the body and literally destroys the lining of the GI tract, allowing
bacteria to infect the bloodstream (a serious condition called septicemia). It is often this
septicemia, combined with the effects of dehydration and the depletion of white blood cells
needed to fight the infection, which proves fatal to most cats infected with Panleuk. Some cats,
however, -particularly kittens – may die suddenly before symptoms are even apparent due to
the aggressive nature of the virus.


 In fact, the first vaccination efforts to control canine parvovirus were made using feline
panleukopenia vaccines.)
  extremely resistant to most disinfectants—in fact, it can persist in the environment for more
than a year.

SHEDDING
 The incubation period for the virus is 3-14 days (usually 5-7 days, but a longer period is
possible0. Cats may be contagious 2-3 days before clinical signs appear. The virus is shed and
transmitted in all body fluids and feces and can be spread for 2-6 weeks post-recovery.


CLINICAL SIGNS
 SYMPTOMS AND TYPES
 Anemia (due to lowered red blood cells)
 Rough hair coat
 Complete loss of interest in food
 Hiding
 Neurological symptoms (e.g., lack of coordination)
 * Anorexia (weight loss)
 *
 * Endotoxemia and Bactermia (the presence of bacteria or toxins in the blood)
 * Problems walking (Cerebellar disease)
 * Eye problems
 * Sudden death


 The signs of panleukopenia can vary and may be similar to other illnesses. Infected cats may
even show signs that resemble those seen when a cat has been poisoned or has swallowed a
foreign object. The first visible signs might include generalized depression, loss of appetite, high
fever, lethargy, vomiting, severe diarrhea and dehydration.

 Sick cats may sit for long periods of time in front of their water bowls but not drink much water
  Cats are very good at hiding disease and by the time a cat displays the signs of illness, it may be
severely ill. In shelters, kittens and cats may simply be found dead in their kennel, when they
were not previously showing any notable signs of illness.

Pathophysiology of Panleukopenia
 The feline parvovirus infects and kills cells that are rapidly dividing, such as those in the bone
marrow, intestines and the developing fetus
 . Infected cats usually develop diarrhea (which may or may not be bloody) because of the
damage to the cells that line the intestines
 They also develop the hallmark of the disease “panleukopenia” (shortages of all types of white
blood cells) because the parvovirus infection damages the bone marrow and lymph nodes.
 When pregnant queens are infected in early to mid pregnancy, abortion or stillbirth is the usual
result.
 When infection occurs late in pregnancy, the kittens may survive but the virus may affect their
brain development, causing the kittens to be born with a condition called "cerebellar
hypoplasia," which has effects on the kittens' coordination.
 Kittens can acquire this disease in utero or through breast milk if the pregnant or nursing
mother should be infected. Generally, the prognosis is not good for kittens who have been
exposed to this virus while in utero. Kittens may also be exposed in catteries, pet stores, shelters
and boarding facilities.


DIAGNOSIS OF PANLEUKOPENIA
 For example it is possible that if your cat got vaccinated for FPV while a kitten, it might not of
taken hold due to interference from antibodies passed on from the mother.


  You will need to give a thorough history of your cat's health and recent activities to your vet.
Whether your cat has recently come into contact with other cats, or if she is generally permitted
to go outside can be important in pointing your veterinarian in the right direction.
 Panleukopenia can mimic many other types of diseased conditions, including poisoning, feline
leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and pancreatitis, amongst others, so it is
important to give your veterinarian as much detail as possible so that the appropriate treatment
can be started immediately.
 Your doctor will then perform a physical examination with routine laboratory tests, including a
complete blood count, biochemistry profile and urinalysis. The routine laboratory testing results
are usually non-specific, but the magnitude of blood cell loss will point your veterinarian
towards panleukopenia.


 Common laboratory tests include the Enzyme Linked Immunofluorescent Antibody (ELISA) and
complete blood count (CBC).
 The ELISA test is a useful screen for canine parvovirus as well as feline panleukopenia, both of
which have significant population implication for shelters. This test utilizes a fecal swab to
detect viral antigen, and can be run in 10 to 15 minutes.

 While no test is 100% sensitive or specific, positive results in a symptomatic animal are worth
heeding.
 Negative results may occur even when animals are infected depending on timing of sampling or
excessive blood in stool, so an ill animal with negative test results may require further testing
and care and should still be handled as though infectious. Results are most accurate with this
test if it is administered the first few days after infection, or within five days after clinical signs
appear.

 A complete blood count or blood smear can be done in-house in many shelters, or sent out for a
nominal fee. This can be done as further confirmation to look for low white cell counts, a
hallmark clinical sign of the disease
 Any time a cat or kitten has died suddenly from an unknown cause in the shelter, panleukopenia
should be high on the list of diagnoses to attempt to rule out.
 A Parvo SNAP test is used to test for the disease. It is possible to get a false negative reading. A
negative reading also means that your cat is no longer shedding the virus.


PREVENTION, MANAGEMENT & TREATMENT OF FELINE

PANLEUKOPENIA
  Vaccination is a critical tool for preventing feline panleukopenia.
 All cats four weeks of age and older entering a shelter environment should be
vaccinated as soon as possible upon entry. The vaccine starts working immediately, and
can provide immunity within hours to days. This can be lifesaving in environments
where infectious disease exposure is common.
 This virus can remain on many surfaces, so it is important to practice safe and clean
methods for preventing the transmission of this disease.

VACCINATING TIPS
 Use a modified live FVRCP vaccine. Modified live vaccines provide quick onset of immunity.
 Begin vaccines at 4-6 weeks in kittens, and provide boosters every 2-3 weeks until ~20 weeks
of age.
 In adults, vaccinate once on entry and again in 2-3 weeks.
 Sanitation
 Sanitation is the root of a healthy animal shelter environment and a key component in
maintaining the health of the animals housed within. Proper sanitation involves thorough
cleaning before appropriate disinfecting.
 Because panleukopenia is a non-enveloped virus, it is hardy and resists some commonly
applied shelter disinfectants. It is therefore important to have a regular sanitation protocol
that includes products and processes that kill this virus.
 SANITATION TIPS
 Regular handwashing is the single most important disease prevention tool in a shelter.
Disposable latex gloves (changed between animals) and thorough handwashing when hands
are soiled are key elements of hand sanitation.
 The order of cleaning and care of animals should move from healthy kittens and queens to
healthy adult animals to unhealthy animals, ideally with dedicated staff handling any sick
animals.
 Follow a written sanitation protocol for regularly cleaning and disinfecting the entire facility,
not just the kennel cages.
 Understand the disinfectant you are using well!
 Choose a disinfectant that has efficacy against panleukopenia for regular use in the shelter cat
areas. There are several common choices, including bleach, potassium peroxymonosulfate,
and accelerated hydrogen peroxide.
 Unfortunately, many quaternary ammonium products commonly used in shelters are labeled
as parvocidal, but multiple studies over the past several years have proven they are not
reliably effective.
 Whichever disinfectant is used, the manufacturer's instructions should be followed for
dilution, application and required contact time in order for proper disinfection to occur.
 Each area should have its own dedicated equipment and supplies to limit fomite transmission.
 Launder clothing, bedding, towels, etc, in hot water, a good quality detergent and bleach.
Severely soiled items should be discarded.
 Segregation
 Placing animals into smaller groups in separate housing areas of the shelter based on species,
health, age and other factors helps maintain optimum animal health during a shelter stay.
Designate at least the following four housing areas: healthy hold, adoption, isolation and
quarantine.

 SEGREGATION TIPS
 Kittens and queens with litters should ideally be housed in a separate area
 Do not mix kittens from one litter in with another
 Isolate sick animals immediately
 Quarantine exposed and in-contact animals for two weeks if possible
 Treatment of Panleukopenia in the Shelter
 Panleukopenia can have a high mortality rate despite early or aggressive therapy. However,
some animals do survive, particularly adult cats. Because panleukopenia is a virus, there is no
specific cure, so treatment consists of providing supportive care. This includes fluid therapy to
correct dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, antibiotics to fight off secondary bacterial
infections, and control of the vomiting and diarrhea.

 Decisions to attempt treatment in the shelter should be thought out carefully. Consideration
should be given to the following:

 Shelters are not hospitals and seldom have the resources to provide proper isolation and
treatment.
 It takes several days of intensive care therapy to treat, with overnight monitoring and care
often required.
 Sufficient recovery to reach adoptability may take two to three weeks or longer.
 The ability of the virus to persist in the environment long-term endangers the lives of both
current and future residents.
 Recovered cats and kittens should still be isolated for at least 14 days post recovery from
clinical signs because they may still continue to shed virus. Repeated laboratory testing for the
presence of panleukopenia virus may also be helpful in documenting when a cat or kitten is
no longer shedding virus that poses a risk to other animals.
  If a strict isolation area managed by staff skilled in maintaining the integrity of an isolation
protocol is not available, animals with panleukopenia virus should be removed from the
facility for treatment or euthanasia to curtail their suffering and minimize disease spread.

Intro : It is sometimes referred to as panleukopenia virus because one of the results of infection is the
development of a low white blood cell count (which is what panleucopenia means).

 This was the first disease of cats to be shown to be caused by a virus, and parvoviruses are
particularly dangerous as they are able to survive for long periods (up to several years) in the
environment, and are resistant to many disinfectants.

SPREAD

 Feline parvovirus is spread by direct faecal-oral contact, and indirectly following contamination
of the environment or objects (eg, on food dishes, grooming equipment, bedding, floors,
clothing or hands).
 , and the virus can also be transmitted by dogs.

CLINICAL DISEASE
 Affected cats develop acute onset haemorrhagic vomiting and diarrhoea and some cats die
rapidly.
 The virus causes severe damage to the lining of the intestine and also travels via the blood to
the bone marrow and lymph glands. Viral replication at these sites leads to a marked depletion
of white blood cells
 Pregnant queens infected with parvovirus, the virus can spread to the unborn kittens where it
can interfere with the developing brain. Kittens may then be born with a condition known as
cerebellar hypoplasia (lack of development of the cerebellum, a part of the brain needed for fine
coordination of movement). Kittens may initially seem fine, but as they start to move and walk it
becomes obvious that they are highly uncoordinated. This may also happen in very young
kittens (less than 4 weeks of age) infected with FPV as the cerebellum is still developing at that
age.

TREATMENT
 No specific treatment is available for FPV infection and it is vital that any suspected cases are
nursed in isolation as this is a highly contagious disease.
 Affected cats often die from dehydration and massive secondary infection, so aggressive
support with intravenous fluids and broad spectrum antibiotics are crucial, but even with this, a
high proportion of affected cats may die.
 The first major goal of treatment is to restore body fluid levels and electrolyte balance.
 Anti-emetic drugs may be useful to help stop vomiting, and feeding the cat small meals as soon
as the vomiting has resolved is also important
 Interferons are chemicals made in the body that can exert an antiviral effect. Recombinant
feline interferon omega (or human interferon products) might be of some help in the treatment
of severe cases. Feline interferon has been shown to be useful in managing dogs with parvovirus
infection.
 Once your cat is home from the hospital, you will need to isolate her from other cats until all the
symptoms have resolved and your veterinarian gives the okay. This could take up to 6 weeks.

 This infection has a particularly depressing effect on a cat's physical and mental health, and your
cat will need affection and comfort during the recovery time. Needless to say, you will need to
practice strict hygiene, and keeping in mind that this infection can remain on surfaces, make
sure to stay especially clean after coming into contact with your sick cat, so that you are not
unintentionally spreading the virus to other cats.

 If your cat is treated promptly and effectively, she may recover fully. It may take a few weeks for
your cat to feel completely back to normal. Unfortunately, mortality is as high as 90 percent for
panleukopenia.
 Again, keep in mind that even then, you may not be able to remove all traces of the virus. While
your cat will not be susceptible to reinfection after it has recovered, other visiting cats can still
be infected by contaminants that have been left behind.
 . However, those that do survive the virus typically recover completely with no lasting effects.
 Cat panleukopenia destroys a protective layer in the gut making your cat susceptible to bacterial
infection (called bacteriaemia and sepsis). Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent this condition.


 A new natural remedy, Panleuk-Free is a "homeopathic vaccine" that temporarily relieves

symptoms of cat distemper and feline panleukopenia.

 If your cat is vomiting your veterinarian may restrict water and food. Vitamin supplements can
be helpful with an emphasis on vitamin B.
 Cats that develop blood issues such pressure may need a blood transfusion to restore depleted
proteins.
 Anti-FPV serum is available to prevent infection of susceptible cats following exposure.
 



CONTROL
 Feline parvovirus is much better prevented than treated
 Highly effective vaccines are available and all cats and kittens should be vaccinated (including
indoor-only cats).
 Modified live vaccines should not be used in pregnant queens or cats that are
immunosuppressed and, in such cases, inactivated (killed) vaccines are recommended. For
further information see vaccinating your cat.
 Control of the spread of FPV relies on both vaccination and good management practice,
including disinfection (with appropriate disinfectants) and use of isolation procedures.
 When faced with an outbreak of FPV in a colony of cats, vaccinating all the cats will help, and in
some countries anti-FPV serum is available that may be given to susceptible cats and kittens to
help protect them by providing antibodies against the virus.
 Vaccination is the most important tool in the prevention of panleukopenia. Before you bring a
new kitten into your home, find out whether it has been vaccinated. Luckily, the vaccine is so
effective that just one dose prevents most infections. Be on the lookout for any signs of illness,
especially in young kittens, and have your veterinarian examine your pet as soon as possible if
you notice anything of concern.
 Adequate vaccinations begin before birth with a fully vaccinated mother cat who is able to pass
some immunity to her kittens through antibodies at birth
 The virus is resistant to many common disinfectants, but can be killed by cleaning agents that
contain peracetic acid, formaldehyde, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), or sodium hydroxide.
Household bleach in a 1:30 dilution is effective on smooth hard surfaces like litter trays.
Formaldehyde gas can be used for room disinfection.
 Since the virus is stable living in the environment all contaminated cages, litter trays, food
dishes, water bowls, shoes and clothing should either be disposed of or if necessary, cleaned.

