Panleukopenia in Cats: What to Know About This Serious Illness
Key takeaways:
Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious and often fatal virus. It most often affects kittens because of their weak immune systems.
Symptoms of panleukopenia include depression, lack of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting. Treatment requires supportive therapy in a hospital.
Panleukopenia is best prevented by staying up to date on your cat’s vaccines.
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If you have a cat, you likely know that one of the required vaccines is for feline distemper — or panleukopenia. But you might not know why it’s so important to vaccinate against the virus, even if your cat stays indoors.
Panleukopenia is not as common as it used to be, likely because of vaccination. But this virus can still be deadly, especially in kittens.
What is panleukopenia?
Panleukopenia is a contagious virus that infects cats. Most cats who get the illness tend to be less than 1 year old. Kittens are especially vulnerable because their immune systems are weak, and the disease can be fatal in these younger cats.
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The virus is contagious and can move quickly through a group of cats. Infection usually occurs through the nose or mouth. The severity of the illness depends on factors such as a cat’s level of immunity.
Within a week, the virus stops the production of white blood cells, which the body uses to fight infections, and causes bacterial infection in the intestines. All of the cat’s bodily fluids contain the virus and are infectious. This includes:
Mucus
Feces
Saliva
Urine
Vomit
Symptoms of panleukopenia
Some veterinarians automatically suspect panleukopenia when a kitten has diarrhea along with fever and no appetite.
Common panleukopenia symptoms include:
Depression
Fever
Lack of appetite
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dehydration
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Infected cats might show interest in drinking water but actually drink very little. They might also have diarrhea with blood in it. Contact your veterinarian if your cat doesn’t want to eat or drink. If the symptoms progress to diarrhea or vomiting, your vet will likely want you to bring your cat in.
The symptoms of panleukopenia vary between cats. Sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms before a cat dies of the virus.
How is panleukopenia diagnosed?
Veterinarians usually diagnose panleukopenia based on three considerations:
Symptoms
Whether the cat is vaccinated
A blood test to measure the cat’s number of white blood cells
A test used to detect canine parvovirus can also be used to diagnose panleukopenia, because the viruses are very similar. But how well this test works depends on how long a cat has been infected.
What are the treatment options for panleukopenia?
There isn’t an official antidote or treatment for panleukopenia. Antibiotics can be used to address the bacterial infection in the intestines and fluid therapy helps with hydration.
Your cat will receive supportive care to try and help them through the infection until their immune system can recover. Supportive care also includes controlling:
Pain
Nausea
Low body temperature
Low blood sugar
Cats with severe cases will likely need to be hospitalized.
The illness typically lasts about 5 to 7 days. Infected cats generally have a 10% percent chance of survival. Death can be caused by dehydration or by the bacterial infection. However, if a kitten survives the first 5 days of the infection, the chance of survival might be higher.
If a cat recovers from panleukopenia, there usually aren’t any long-term effects afterward. Your cat will also have immunity for a long time. But the virus will continue to shed in your cat’s feces for at least 6 weeks after recovery, so be mindful if you have other cats at home. Make sure to disinfect everything your sick cat came into contact with and keep them quarantined.
Can panleukopenia be prevented?
The best way to prevent panleukopenia is by vaccinating your cat. The FVRCP vaccine protects against a number of diseases, including panleukopenia, and it’s very effective.
For kittens, the first dose can be given when they’re as young as 6 weeks, but it’s recommended that the last dose in the initial vaccination series be given when the kitten is at least 12 weeks old, for better effectiveness. After that, booster vaccines are usually given every 1 to 3 years.
If a pregnant cat is infected, their surviving kittens can have immunity to panleukopenia for up to 12 weeks. In this case, your veterinarian may advise you to wait to give your kitten the FVRCP vaccination until after they no longer have antibodies from their mother. But kittens born from infected mothers are at risk of having a condition called cerebellar hypoplasia, which affects mobility.
Panleukopenia can survive up to a year in the environment. The virus can be brought in from outside and can live on clothing or shoes. It can also survive common household disinfectants and freezing temperatures.
Here’s how to disinfect areas that may have been exposed to panleukopenia:
Use a mixture of 1 part bleach and 32 parts water to disinfect counters and other hard surfaces. You can use a spray bottle. Leave this solution on the surface for at least 10 minutes before rinsing. Allow the surface to dry completely.
For other surfaces — such as carpet, furniture, or plastic — use potassium peroxymonosulfate or accelerated hydrogen peroxide products. Brands such as Accel Rescue or Trifectant are effective.
Blankets, soft toys, and clothing can be washed with bleach in a washing machine and fully dried in a dryer with heat. You might also throw exposed items away.
The bottom line
Panleukopenia is a highly contagious virus that is deadliest for young cats and kittens. It prevents the immune system from producing white blood cells and attacks the intestines. Symptoms include depression, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Treatment usually requires hospitalization to give supportive therapy until the cat’s immune system overcomes the virus. The best way to prevent your cat from becoming sick with panleukopenia is to get them vaccinated and keep them up to date on the vaccine.
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References
Animal Veterinary Medical Association. (n.d.). Feline panleukopenia.
Brooks, W. (2022). Distemper (Panleukopenia) in cats. Veterinary Partner.
Shelter Medicine School of Veterinary Medicine. (n.d.). Feline panleukopenia.
Squires, R. A., et al. (2022). Feline panleukopenia. Merck Manual.
Weir, M., et al. (n.d.). Feline panleukopenia. VCA Animal Hospitals.
