How to Recognize Panleukopenia, One of the Most Serious Diseases of Cats

You, as cat keepers, will probably be frightened when hearing “cat plague”. But precisely this phrase is sometimes used for panleukopenia which is a very dangerous cat disease. You may not only prevent it thanks to information obtained but to identify its symptoms as well.

You, as cat keepers, will probably be frightened when hearing “cat plague”. But precisely this phrase is sometimes used for panleukopenia which is a very dangerous cat disease. You may not only prevent it thanks to information obtained but to identify its symptoms as well.

Panleukopenia or parvovirosis is aggressive and highly contagious disease, affecting only cats (or feline). It is tricky because of its rapid progress the fact that it is manifested with strong and sometimes even bloody, diarrhea and vomiting. Exhausted animal then quickly gets into mortal danger. The cat is usually apathetic, loses its appetite and stops to drink even before the digestive disturbances occur.

“Panleukopenia in cats is a serious fatal disease which can be prevented by timely and proper vaccinations, preferably in a juvenile cat. When the disease outbreaks, it is necessary to start with an intensive therapy which requires patient’s hospitalisation. The diagnosis of the disease is made after the evaluation of the clinical state and the blood count. It is also possible to complement the diagnosis with a commercial test on virus identification in the faeces. But even an early therapy does not have to be successful" says MVDr. Aneta Kasanová, a vet.

The incubation period of cat plague is 2 to 10 days. The cat can be for example infected through  a bowl with water contaminated with saliva etc. The insidious and very resistant parvovirus that causes the disease is transmitted by all body fluids. The infected places remain infectious for several months. Even the cat that was successfully treated is infectious for the next couple of weeks.

The parvovirus quickly replicates following the outbreak and it gradually gets into blood which is spread in the body and it attacks various organs, including the gastrointestinal tract. It also attacks white blood cells and reduces its number and it significantly decreases the immunity of the infected cat.

If you are scared panleukopenia, ask the vet for vaccination. Prevention is in this case more than desirable, there is unfortunately very often no help to the animal after the outbreak of the disease and the treatment is at least complicated.

Related articles

Katarina Vigodová on skiing with a dog (part 2)

In the first part of the interview with the Slovak musher Katarina Vigodová, we talked about how to prepare for a skiing trip with your furry friend. Today we are going to hit the skiing trails with Katka. What commands should the dog know? Why are a...

7 trends in the world of pets in 2022

Breeding supplies are currently becoming a fast growing sector and as with any other industry, even here we can trace the development trends of new products coming to the market. Let's take a look at the biggest trends in the world of our furry...

Tereza Vajner on trends in dog training

We've become accustomed to the sight of dogs in public places. Probably everyone has experienced a dog in the workplace, in a park, in a café, etc. Dog owners should therefore always bear in mind the handling and training of their pets. Let's go...

2022 Canicross Events

We recently wrote about planned musher races. The canicross events aren't being left behind and the fans of running with a dog have plenty to look forward to this year.