Indiana State Board of Animal Health • Technical Bulletin CP-46.01
eline Leukemia Virus, or weeks, months or years. Vaccination FeLV, is a retrovirus that will not help. Fcauses the immune system Other cats have an immune to break down, making cats more response and do not become susceptible to other diseases. Feline “persistently viremic,” which Leukemia Virus is the leading cause means the cat does not carry the of illness and death of cats virus in the blood or bone marrow today. indefinitely. They may only develop TRANSMISSION FeLV is most commonly a mild form of feline leukemia • saliva-sneezing, transmitted by mutual lasting three days to 10 days. Adult hissing grooming, biting and fight- cats are more likely than kittens to • mucus ing. Prolonged cat-to-cat develop an immunity to the disease. membranes,tears contact is necessary for The FeLV virus may stay latent in • mutual grooming effective transmission, as the the bone marrow for several years • biting,fighting virus is fairly unstable and or confined in the body for variable • sharing food, water will not survive long in the periods of time, during which the bowls environment. Detergents, cat appears to be healthy. The • urine bleach, heat and drying will disease can erupt after the cat has • feces, sharing litter inactivate or kill FeLV. Not all been stressed or medicated with a boxes cats exposed to the virus will drug that suppresses the immune • blood contract the disease. system. • milk of nursing queen Developing Infection Diagnosis • intrauterine Upon entering body, The ELISA and IFA are two transmission to unborn kittens the virus reproduces in the commonly used tests available for lymph tissue, which serves the diagnosis of FeLV. The ELISA, as the cat’s first line of or enzyme-linked immunosorbent defense against disease. assay, is performed by a the About 30 percent of veterinarian and shows a color cats exposed to FeLV will become change if the cat is positive for the permanently infected. Infection may virus. False-positive test results be detected within 2 weeks to 5 do occur occasionally, so retesting weeks after exposure. An infected is recommended. The IFA test, or cat will be ill for a few days, recover immunoflurescence assay, requires a and appear to be back to normal for blood sample be tested at a diagnostic laboratory. The IFA test is also called the Hardy or slide test. FELV In the early stages of infection, some test results will be negative. The SYMPTOMS ELISA test will test positive for the FeLV • gingivitis, oral ulcers virus before the IFA test. • abcesses, non-healing wounds • persistent infections Treatment • chronic illness Currently, no cure exists for FeLV. • anemia However, various antiviral compounds • jaundice to treat feline leukemia are in the • weight loss, decreased appetite experimental stages. If a cat is sick the • depression illness can be treated, but treatment • diarrhea/constipation will not eliminate the virus. Many cats • blood in stool live for several years after diagnosis. • enlarged lymph nodes Prevention • difficulty breathing Several vaccines are available for • progressive weakness FeLV, but USDA doesn’t have standard • excessive drinking, urination requirements for these drugs. Vaccine • abortion effectiveness is estimated between 75 • infertility percent and 85 percent. No vaccine • birth of “fading kittens” is 100 percent effective. Therefore, after vaccinating a cat, avoiding unnecessary exposure is the best means of prevention.
Indiana State Board of Animal Health Office of the State Veterinarian 1202 E. 38th St.; Discovery Hall, Suite 100 Indianapolis, IN 46205-2898 317/544-2400; Fax 317/974-2011 www.in.gov/boah