Leukemia in cats (viral leukemia)

Feline leukemia, another name for leukemia in cats, is a dangerous virus that compromises a cat’s immune system. The feline leukemia virus, or FeLV, is the cause of it and can result in a number of health issues, such as blood disorders, infections, and cancer. FeLV is particularly dangerous for cats because it makes them more susceptible to other illnesses.

Despite what may sound concerning, not every cat exposed to the virus will become ill. While some cats may be carriers of the infection and never exhibit symptoms, others may be able to fight off the infection on their own. But frequently, the virus gradually weakens the cat’s body, resulting in serious health issues.

Cat owners should be aware of the warning signs and risks of feline leukemia because prompt diagnosis and treatment can prolong a cat’s life. Preventive care and routine veterinary exams are essential to your cat’s health.

Aspect	Description
Cause	Viral infection (FeLV) spreads through saliva, urine, and other bodily fluids.
Symptoms	Weight loss, fatigue, fever, poor appetite, pale gums, recurring infections.
Diagnosis	Blood tests are used to detect the presence of the virus in the cat’s body.
Treatment	There is no cure, but supportive care can help improve quality of life.
Prevention	Vaccination and keeping infected cats separate from healthy ones.

Why it is dangerous to neglect leukemia treatment

Ignorance of treatment is a recipe for the development of fatal diseases and related pathologies. When an animal is not given veterinary care, it can develop:

• anemia;
• spontaneous bleeding;
• chronic cystitis;
• constant subfebrile temperature;
• bacterial infections;
• viral respiratory diseases;
• peritonitis;
• ascites;
• toxoplasmosis;
• autoimmune glomerulonephritis;
• stillbirth;
• mammary gland lesions in females;
• miscarriages;
• resorption of fetuses and fading kitten syndrome;
• sarcoma of the lymphatic system.

When a pregnant cat with leukemia gives birth to already-infected kittens, the body’s inability to fight the virus usually results in the kittens’ death. Owners of catteries must thus make sure to check their felines.

Which cats can get leukemia

There’s a risk for any cats. Both domestic and stray animals, young and old, purebred and mixed breeds are susceptible to the disease.

Then why aren’t all of them virus carriers? The virus is, in fact, highly susceptible to outside influences. It often perishes in a few days when exposed to the outside world. He is susceptible to the effects of low and high temperatures, sunlight, and UV radiation. It is susceptible to products containing alcohol and disinfectants. But it’s incorrect to even discuss how safe animals are in comparison.

Reference: Male cats are more likely to contract the disease because of their lifestyle, which involves fighting, even for the privilege of mating with a female cat when she is in heat.

Methods of transmission of the virus

The ability of the virus to spread from sick animals to healthy ones makes it extremely contagious. It spreads in the following ways from a sick animal to a healthy one:

• contact with saliva, urine, feces of the carrier, discharge from his nose or eyes;
• bites during a fight or game;
• through common dishes, toys, beds;
• sexually;
• in utero from mother to kittens (as a rule, such babies do not survive);
• through flea bites;
• at an exhibition when using common things or being close to a sick fellow;
• after the owner visits the house where the leukemic cat lives, or a shelter, without changing clothes;
• in a clinic where instruments and the table are not thoroughly sanitized after each patient.

Hemoblastosis is most common in overcrowded cat prides, so-called granny apartments, shelters, and the basements where the homeless reside.

A thorough explanation of feline leukemia from a vet:

What causes the development of leukemia and what is its danger

An oncogenic retrovirus that contains RNA enters blood cells and obliterates their genetic code is the disease’s primary cause. Name in Latin: Virus of feline leukemia. In 1964, scientists in Glasgow made the identification. By identifying variants of this virus in cats’ blood, researchers have connected blood and lymphatic system cancer cases in cats.

The virus poses a threat because it can cause cancer, alter blood composition, weaken the body’s resistance, and trigger secondary illnesses in cats. It starts in the tonsils and nasopharyngeal lymphatic tissues and works its way up to the brain, circulatory system, and lymph nodes.

Unnoticed immune deficiency is growing. Once the process reaches the bone marrow, leukocytosis advances and the afflicted bone marrow generates an increasing number of new virus replicas along with blood cells, making it too late to stop it. The majority of deaths are caused by hemoblastosis-related illnesses.

Symptoms of leukemia in cats

The disease is sneaky because it doesn’t always show symptoms right away. Instead, it develops when the blood’s leukocyte count exceeds allowable thresholds. Helping your pet in this situation is extremely difficult, if it can be done at all.

Therefore, it is necessary to show the fluffy one to the veterinarian twice a year so as not to miss the first symptoms of the disease.

The following signs and symptoms are indicative of VLK in cats:

• drowsiness;
• lack of interest in games;
• frequent temperature increases;
• loss of appetite;
• lethargy;
• drooling;
• frequent colds, cystitis;
• digestive problems;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• discharge from the eyes and nose;
• exophthalmos;
• pale mucous membranes.

Because the symptoms are vague, the owner will be unable to identify the cause of his pet’s discomfort. Self-medicating can lead to time waste and even the loss of your pet.

Life expectancy of a cat after infection

A cat’s immunity will determine how long it survives a viral leukemia infection. Typically, it takes three to ten years from the time of infection to death. A period of four days to eight months is required for incubation.

Regretfully, 90% of afflicted animals pass away within the fourth year of the illness. The reason for the high death rate is that the symptoms become evident three years after the cat becomes infected.

When given proper care, the animal carries the infection for a considerable amount of time without becoming ill or exhibiting any clinical symptoms. However, other cats are at risk if the virus is carried by them.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), which causes leukemia in cats, is a contagious viral infection that impairs a cat’s immune system and increases susceptibility to other diseases. Your cat’s health can be protected from it through early detection and prevention through vaccination, even though it can spread through close contact like grooming or sharing food bowls. The risk of the disease spreading can also be decreased by keeping infected cats indoors and by scheduling routine veterinary exams.

Can a person get infected from a cat?

Several studies demonstrate that leukemia cannot be contracted from cats. Since the virus-prone regions in the DNA of cats and humans differ, there is nothing for it to "catch" on in the human body. Furthermore, the nature of leukemia in humans is entirely different and not viral.

Dogs are not at risk from feline leukemia either.

As a result, you shouldn’t be scared to bring an animal like this inside the house alone or with another person who has the virus.

Types and forms of leukemia

One or more of the A, B, C, or T retrovirus strains may be present in an animal.

Leukemia in cats can take many different forms, depending on the condition of the immune system:

• Transient (temporary). The initial period of the disease, until leukemia has affected the bone marrow. At this stage, in rare cases, a strong immune system can develop a powerful response and destroy the pathogen completely. Such an animal receives lifelong immunity against viral leukemia. Usually no more than two months pass from the onset of the disease, and these cats do not become a source of danger to others.
• Latent. This type can manifest itself with a strong immune system. Virus replications are already present in the tissue structure, but the infection cannot multiply and become active. The animal remains a carrier, it can feel fine, however, it poses a danger to healthy fellow tribesmen.
• Persistent or form of replication of the viral organism. A weakened immune system no longer resists the penetration of the virus into the bone marrow structure. Signs of leukemia increase, anemia is noticeable first of all. Particular harm is caused to the gastrointestinal tract, skin, bladder, respiratory system.

Differentiating leukemia based on the type of localization is possible.

• thoracic leukemia is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the chest area, due to which the animal experiences increasing suffocation. A differential analysis with the wet form of viral peritonitis is required due to the similarity of symptoms;
• abdominal is characterized by damage to the gastrointestinal tract and resembles an intestinal disorder or jaundice, constipation, dehydration, cachexia also develop;
• multifocal affects several organs at once and has a very poor prognosis due to the difficulty of diagnosis.

Diagnostics

The veterinarian performs several tests to either confirm or rule out viral leukemia and, if found, to identify the kind and form of the illness.

• clinical blood test – to determine the level of leukocytes in the blood, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the presence of anemia;
• PCR – polymerase chain reaction – a study of peripheral blood;
• immunofluorescence blood test, which allows you to detect antibodies to the virus and determine its type;
• ELISA – enzyme immunoassay, which detects the presence of antibodies and antigens to the virus in the blood.

Take note! It’s too early to give up if all of the VLK tests come back negative while the symptoms are still present. Since the same symptoms can point to entirely different diseases, it is necessary to retake them in three months and perform a differentiated study.

Express tests for leukemia are being performed in veterinary clinics more and more frequently these days. They offer a high degree of reliability, but it is best to be safe and perform a thorough analysis.

Additionally, it doesn’t obstruct studies using ultrasonography and computed tomography, which are useful for detecting malignant neoplasms and abnormalities in the function of internal organs.

In certain circumstances, the diagnostics are advised:

• biopsy;
• colonoscopy;
• gastroscopy;
• laparoscopy.

Under general or local anesthesia, these studies are either invasive or minimally invasive.

Treatment of viral leukemia

A cat with leukemia cannot be fully cured at this time. However, with time, the symptomatic therapy will greatly improve the pet’s condition and lengthen his life. The veterinarian carefully considers each patient’s condition, test results, and symptoms when choosing medications.

When a veterinary’s health is declining, modern science advises taking two actions:

1. Stimulation and strengthening of the animal"s immunity. The following proven drugs are used:

• Raltegravir.
• Feliferon.
• Interferon.
• AZT.

Additionally, vitamin complexes and antibiotics are used.

1. Symptomatic therapy:

• with the help of drugs symptoms of diseases, developing due to decreased immunity and suppression of hematopoiesis are relieved;
• a good but temporary effect is given by blood transfusion, this procedure will have to be repeated every 2 weeks; if oncology is diagnosed, chemotherapy is recommended (in particular, Vincristine), usually this method can stop the pathological process.

Furthermore, the owners will need to reevaluate how they feed the animal. Food needs to be complete, of the highest quality, and heat-treated to keep bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens out of the pet’s weak body.

A cat with viral leukemia will need to be kept in quarantine for life, not be allowed to interact with family members, and have her bed, dishes, toys, and tray cleaned. If there are other cats in the house, you should, if at all possible, change your clothes and give yourself a thorough wash after handling the carrier. Having regular fights in the carrier cats’ room is beneficial (the animal has to be taken out of the room while the animal is being quartzed).

Crucial! Keep in mind that a cat lounge is an extreme situation. Never give up the battle against the illness without first seeking medical attention.

A dangerous illness that can affect your cat’s health and quality of life is feline leukemia. Even though there may not always be symptoms right away, it’s important to understand the risks and take precautions like vaccinations and routine veterinary exams.

Keep in mind that early detection and appropriate care can help manage your cat’s viral leukemia. Prioritize your cat’s comfort, create a secure and stress-free environment, and heed your veterinarian’s advice regarding available treatments.

Above all, a cat with this illness needs love and care to be supported. Even in the face of leukemia, you can help your pet live the greatest life possible with the correct care.

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