Do you know of ANY treatment for FELINE LEUCOSIS...or why now 2 of my cats will die from it...3 years apart?

Question

these cats have never met, this second one was vaccinated every year (hes 2..). i never get a straight answer from vets and they cant even give accurate anwsers as to whether my third cat is infected...what is this disease and why does it keep coming back to us?????? i know cats can be born with it, but this coincidence..they were both castrated, although sometimes came home with cuts. help

Answer 1

I believe that you are referring to Feline panleucopaenia.
Feline panleucopaenia is a very serious disease of cats which carries a high risk of mortality especially in young cats and kittens. The virus is very similar to the one that causes parvovirus in dogs and indeed recent parvovirus strains of dogs have been show to infect cats and cause feline panleucopaenia
Infected cats pass virus in their urine and feces for a maximum of six weeks. The virus persists in the environment for long periods (many months or even years) and is resistant to many cleaning products and disinfectants. For these reasons, contact with a contaminated environment is the most likely source of infection. Kittens may also be infected inside the womb by the virus passing across the placenta from their mother, if she is infected while pregnant.Panleucopaenia causes severe vomiting, anorexia and fever. Sometimes the disease can progress so quickly that a kitten may die before the owner even notices any signs. The disease may initially be mistaken for foreign bodies stuck in the gut or poisoning. Kittens deteriorate very quickly because once they stop eating and drinking, they become severely dehydrated. Older cats tend to show less severe signs and, if queens are infected whilst they are pregnant, they often show no signs of illness. The unborn kittens, however, can be infected inside the womb and this may lead to their death ‘in-utero’ or damage to their developing brains.Cats that survive more than five days without developing complications have a better chance of recovery although frequently it takes several weeks for this to occur. If a cat recovers from panleucopaenia, it is highly unlikely that they will catch the disease again. Treatment is typically supportive often including intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Without intensive nursing, many cats can die from the effects of the disease.
Most cat vaccines on the UK market includes panleucopaenia as one of the diseases it protects against and is recommended for all cats as part of their regular healthcare. Boosters are required to maintain immunity and it is particularly important that queens are up-to-date before any planned breeding. One of the vaccines on the UK market has been shown to cross protect against the canine parvo strains that can cause panleucopaenia.So, since the virus can exist for years in a given location and is not easily killed off, it is difficult to predict any success with cats unless they have been properly immunized before introducing them to you home.

Answer 2

It can be picked up from other cats, if yours go out side they are at a higher risk. And yes if the mother cat is infected she will have infected Kittens. There is no cure it is like leukemia in a human. As long as you have an infected cat in your home chances are all your cats will get it.

Answer 3

i suggest u keep changing vets until one can b honest with u and tell u upfront what's going on.