Feline Panleukopenia (Feline Infectious Enteritis)

What is feline panleukopenia?

Feline panleukopenia, also known as feline infectious enteritis, is a serious gastrointestinal disease caused by the feline parvovirus (FPV). It can be fatal. The virus is highly contagious and can survive in the environment for a long time.

What are the symptoms of feline panleukopenia?

Cats infected with feline panleukopenia can become seriously ill very quickly. The most common early symptoms include:

• Diarrhoea, sometimes containing blood
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Fever

These symptoms can quickly lead to dehydration. The virus also weakens the immune system by damaging white blood cells, making the cat more susceptible to other infections, such as respiratory infections. Infection in pregnant cats can also result in miscarriage or the birth of kittens with developmental abnormalities.

How does my cat catch feline panleukopenia?

The virus can spread through both direct and indirect contact. Infected cats shed the virus in their faeces, saliva, vomit and tear fluid. The virus can also survive in the environment for a long time, meaning it can be transmitted through contaminated objects such as food bowls, litter trays and clothing.

You can even bring the virus into your home on the soles of your shoes. This means that indoor cats are also at risk of contracting feline panleukopenia.

Vaccination against feline panleukopenia

Feline panleukopenia is one of the diseases cats are routinely vaccinated against. We recommend starting vaccination when your cat is still a kitten, at 12 and 16 weeks of age. A booster is then recommended at 1 year of age, followed by a booster every 3 years to maintain adequate protection.

By keeping your cat properly vaccinated, you can help prevent feline panleukopenia or reduce the severity of the symptoms if your cat becomes infected.

Diagnosing feline panleukopenia

Based on the clinical signs and the rapid progression of the disease, a presumptive diagnosis can often be made quickly. The diagnosis can be supported by a faecal test for parvovirus.

However, if the cat has been vaccinated against feline panleukopenia within the previous 7 to 10 days, the test may produce a false-positive result. For a more definitive diagnosis, a blood or faecal sample can be sent to an external laboratory for further testing.

Treatment for feline panleukopenia

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment that directly targets the feline panleukopenia virus. If a cat becomes infected, treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and supporting the body while it fights the infection. This may include:

• Medication to control vomiting
• Intravenous fluid therapy
• Assisted feeding
• Broad-spectrum antibiotics
• Blood transfusions

Treatment is intensive, so the cat will need to be hospitalised at the clinic. As the virus is highly contagious, the cat must be cared for in isolation.

Even after recovery, a cat may continue to shed the virus for up to two weeks. It is therefore advisable to keep your cat isolated at home during this period as well.

Feline panleukopenia and humans

The term cat-scratch disease or other cat-related infections are sometimes confused with feline panleukopenia in humans. In this context, people are often referring to a Toxoplasma infection (toxoplasmosis).

Feline panleukopenia, caused by the feline parvovirus, is not transmissible to humans.