Download FELINE LEUKAEMIA VIRUS Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) is a

FELINE LEUKAEMIA VIRUS
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) is a potentially fatal and preventable virus in the cat population. As
the name suggests this virus attacks the lymphatic immune system and can cause leukaemia in cats.
In fact there are four possible manifestations of this virus, all of them involving cancers of one part
or another of the immune system:
- Leukaemia, i.e. cancer of the bone marrow causing massively increased production of white blood
cells.
- Thymic lymphosarcoma, or cancer of the thymus, a gland in the chest of young animals.
- Alimentary lymphosarcoma, a cancer affecting the bowels.
- Renal lymphosarcoma, a cancer affecting the kidneys leading to kidney failure.
Immunosuppression, leaving the cat susceptible to a variety of other infections. Feline
immunodeficiency virus, or ’cat aids’, another scourge of our cat population can also cause this.
The virus that causes this condition (FeLV) is spread from cat to cat by fighting and bite wounds,
and also by venereal spread. It can also be spread by saliva where mutual grooming occurs, or where
a mother licks her kittens. It is quite common for young cats to be affected; we often see cases in
2-3 year old animals. It is reasonably prevalent in the cat population of Kilkenny, and indeed most
areas of Ireland, and any cat that spends time outdoors may be at risk of picking up FeLV infection.
It is also possible for kittens to be born infected, if their mother was a carrier of the virus (such
kittens would have very poor life expectancy).
Because FeLV infection can manifest in a number of different ways, as outlined above, infected cats
can be presented to a vet with a variety of symptoms, and occasionally it may take a little time to
diagnose the root cause of the problem. Occasionally, because cats keep to themselves and don’t
show illness readily, they can be at an advanced stage of disease before their owners notice and
bring them to a vet. Unfortunately a diagnosis of FeLV infection in a sick cat usually ends in the
death or euthanasia of the cat. These are often young animals who might otherwise have been
expected to live another eight to ten years.
The good news about FeLV is that it is preventable. There are effective vaccines to prevent this
disease. As well as having your cat vaccinated with the standard flu and enteritis vaccine, you should
request or ensure that it is inoculated against FeLV infection also. Having your cat neutered as it
reaches sexual maturity will eliminate the risk of venereal spread and reduce the risk of infection
by getting bitten while fighting, but effective vaccination before exposure to the virus is the only
way to be sure to protect your cat. People who keep pedigree cats for breeding should consider
having animals blood tested to ensure freedom from FeLV infection before breeding or introducing
new cats to their colony.