Feline Leukemia FAQ
FAQ on Feline Leukemia
Description of feline leukemia virus
Cats can become infected with a retrovirus called (FeLV) feline leukemia virus which effects two to three percent of all cats in the United States. It can be transmitted by nasal secretions and or saliva in an infected cat to another. Unfortunately it can be lethal to a cat if their immune system is not able to fight off the infection.
How is FeLV transmitted?
There are a variety of ways that FeLV can be spread from one cat to another. Often, cat fights result in the spread of the virus with the exchange of saliva and open wounds spreading the infection. Transmission can also occur with cats that groom each other, share water and food bowls and between a mother and her kittens.
The virus can be transmitted to another cat through contact with feces, urine, nasal secretions, saliva or a nursing mother to her young. In normal household conditions the virus will not survive outside the infected cat for more then a couple of hours.
Testing your cat with a leukemia test
Three different tests may be performed on your cat to determine if it has FeLV and what possible stage of infection it might be in.
ELISA test uses a blood sample and will detect any stage of infection for FeLV. Within a few days of infection the ELISA test can show a positive result as well as a negative result, if the cat’s immune system was able to fight off the virus.
IFA tests a blood smear and reflects a positive result for FeLV after the virus has reached the last stage. If this test comes out positive it is usually not possible for the cat to fight off the infection and it will be a permanent condition.
Another ELISA test is conducted with samples of saliva or tears, unfortunately positive results will indicate the late stages of infection. Check with your doctor about this type of testing; there have been false positive results caused by the way that the test is given. Some veterinarians will not even use this test because of the questionable results in the past.
How common is feline leukemia?
The highest rates of infection for FeLV rise to about 13% in cats that are very young or very ill. Infected cats have been found worldwide, but the occurrence of infections has been shown to vary greatly with lifestyles, environments, age and the health of the animal.
What are the effects of FeLV on a cat?
FeLV creates a weakened immune system which results in the cat being unable to fight off other diseases. Exposure to fungi, protozoa, viruses and bacteria can be a problem for an animal with a weakened immune system. These infections are accountable for several diseases connected with FeLV including cancer.
What are some of the symptom or signs of FeLV?
The list that follows contains things to watch for or check, but you should certainly sit down with your veterinarian and have a discussion; some of these symptoms could be indications of a different problem other than FeLV.
Signs to look for:
Coat is in poor condition.
Persistent fever
Pale gums and mucus membranes
Loss of appetite
Progressive weight loss slowly over a period of time
Enlarged lymph nodes
Persistent diarrhea
Inflammation around the gums
Infections in the upper respiratory tract, urinary bladder and skin
Unusual behavior changes or neurological disorders
Changes in eye conditions
How can I protect my cat from being infected?
Exposure to other cats that are infected is what causes the transmission of the virus; keep your cats away from cats that are already infected. Keeping cats inside where they won’t be exposed to already infected cats is a good preventative measure. If you are considering adopting additional cats; only bring in tested infection free cats to your home.
If you have more than one cat and one becomes infected; separate them and see that they don’t share litter boxes, water or cat food.
Can feline leukemia be prevented?
The two best methods for preventing FeLV are to keep your cat indoors; unexposed to other cats that may be carrying the virus and get the FeLV vaccine. The vaccine is not 100% guaranteed to protect your pet but there has been a decline in the number of feline leukemia occurrences reported since the development and distribution of the vaccine. A cat that remains indoors and is vaccinated stands a much better chance of not contracting the virus.
What are the possible outcomes if a cat has been exposed to FeLV?
There are four possible outcomes that can occur when your cat has been exposed to FeLV.
Ideally your cat may be exposed to the virus and its own immune system will fight off the virus. About 40% of cats will develop mild symptoms lasting for 3 to 10 days. Symptoms may include swollen lymph node glands, lethargy, poor appetite and fever.
Infected cats in many cases will die of FeLV related diseases that they contract because their weakened immune systems are not able to fight off these infections or diseases. Up to 50% will continue to live and be healthy for two to three more years. It has been estimated that 30% of cats that have been exposed to FeLV, become infected with the virus.
Latency occurs when the cat bears the virus but it can’t easily be detected. In this stage the cats’ genetic makeup of cells will undergo a transformation and it is undetected for a period of about 2 1/2 years; during this time it will appear to be a totally normal cat.
The fourth possible outcome is that a cat will become an immune carrier. In one to two percent of the time, FeLV survives in the epithelial cells of a cat and remain trapped in those cells because the cats own antibodies prevent any further spread. The cat that is an immune carrier appears ordinary in every appearance with no signs of infection.
Treatment for infected cats
Lymphocyte-T-Cell Immune Modulator 5 has been used in the United States as a possible treatment for feline leukemia.