The feline leukemia virus is a friendly infectious disease, mainly through direct transmission (mutual licking), vertical transmission (female cat to milk cat). Cats infected with feline leukemia carry the virus for life (whether currently healthy or not).
When cats develop (FeLV) infection, there are usually three outcomes:
1. Suppressed infection, effective humoral and cellular immunity suppresses the development of the virus, and antibody tests are positive.
2. Degenerative infection, after effective immunization, virus replication and viremia were suppressed, and PCR test was positive.
3. Progressive infection, low immunity, lifelong maintenance of viremia, positive antibody test, positive IFA.
①Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is an in vitro nucleic acid amplification technology developed in the mid-1980s, a method of pathogen detection.
②Immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA).
Currently, feline leukemia detection mainly includes: ELISA detection of virus, P27 antigen, rapid immunochromatography, and PCR detection. Once detected, the cat is absolutely not allowed to give blood to other cats (infection).
If the above is not quite understandable, then it is easy to understand: what are the symptoms after infection?
? Asymptomatic ? Weight loss
? Loss of appetite ? ? Swollen lymph nodes ? High fever
? White mucous membranes ? Oral inflammation
? system infection.
? Chronic diarrhea
? Convulsions or other psychiatric symptoms.
What should I do when I learn that my cat is infected with leukemia?
Infected cats will have two stages: the first stage virus is present in the blood, and the cat with this condition has a certain probability of overcoming the possibility of infection; the second stage virus reaches the bone marrow and other Organs will be poisoned for life.
Actually, most treatments are supportive, primarily to ensure the cat’s quality of life.
“The feline leukemia causes a decline in immunity, so that it is unable to resist the infection of the external environment. A sparse and common microorganism in the environment may cause the cat to become ill.”
How to treat cats with FeLV?
No clinical symptoms
.Treatment not required .Strict indoor feeding
Clinical symptoms present
. Disease .FeLV alone usually does not cause clinical symptoms .Treat the underlying disease
Anemia associated with FeLV
.Look for the underlying disease causing the anemia (lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome)
. Blood transfusion should be considered for severe anemia.
. Erythropoietin (100IU/kg sc q48H ) may be effective. If ineffective, glucocorticoids may be considered.
(Because FeLV is an immune-mediated problem, it is effective in some cats.)
FeLV with Neurological symptoms
.Choose the underlying cause of neurological symptoms (lymphoma)
. If you find the underlying disease, you can treat it according to the cause of FeLV first. Can use azidothymidine (AZT) 5-10mg/kg po q12H
FeLV with recurrent secondary infection
. Actively treat recurrent infection (long-term antibiotic control)
.Consider the use of immunomodulators (feline interferon-Ω1000000UI/kg sc q24H, Staphylococcus a protein 10ug/kg intraperitoneal injection, twice a week)
Suggestions for sick cats :
1. Daily indoor living, quality feeding (reduces the risk of secondary disease).
2. Sterilization.
3. Shorten the time for physical examination and vaccine immunization (once every six months, choose inactivated vaccine).
4. Do not mix new cats.
Finally, a new cat friend, no matter whether it looks healthy or not, is recommended to take the cat home for FeLV testing (at least 2 times, with an interval of 60 minutes) sky).
Currently, rapid detection test strips are more convenient for detection (serum, plasma, whole blood can be used), and the accuracy of detection results can reach up to 92.9%.
