Feline Leukemia is another virus that has a vaccine
available to help prevent its spread. This, as the name suggest, is only a
concern in our cat patients. Patients at the highest risk of infection are
those that are outside and have contact with other cats. Typically the leukemia
virus is spread from contact with secretions form an affected cat. This
includes nasal discharge, grooming of other cats or sharing litter boxes and
food bowls. They can also be spread by an affected mother to her the fetuses
she is carrying.
If your cat has been exposed or you have recently taken in a
stray cat or kitten it is best to get them tested by your veterinarian. There
are specific tests that can determine if they are carrying the virus. The
timing of the test is very important and sometimes they may have to be retested
if they were a stray and therefore at an even higher risk of contracting the
virus. While vaccinating does decrease the risk of the virus, it does not
completely eliminate it. Ideally all new animals introduced into a home will be
quarantined until you can determine they are not carrying any contagious
diseases.
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| Vaccine Location: Source |
Symptoms of Feline Leukemia can look like just about
anything. Patients of are FeLV positive may not show any signs for awhile.
However once they start to have active infections their life span is
dramatically decreased. You can see anything ranging from lethargy, inappetance
to symptoms of liver disease such as yellowing of the skin. Feline leukemia
weakens the host’s immune system making them more likely to have serious
conditions such as lymphoma or kidney disease.
If you have a feline leukemia positive patient it will be
very important to establish routine care with your veterinarian. When active
infections are occurring patients can become very ill and may need supportive
care in a hospital. It is crucial when taking on care for a FeLV positive
patient that you understand it will be a life long condition that will
predispose them to other health concerns. There is a lot of great information
out there and can be found on the following websites here, here and here.
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