Feline Leukemia (feLV) Incidence, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prognosis

If you read my blog post this morning this will make sense to you; if not then you may want to check it out. You will get a better understanding of where this is coming from and why. Here's a brief breakdown: sadly, my sister Melinda's cat may have to be euthanized this morning.

He has had a rough couple of weeks and the prescribed meds haven't proved effective for his condition. Research indicates that he may in fact have Feline Leukemia (feLV). For all of you with kitties out there you may want to check this out and become more informed. It seems that this is actually very common in cats, even if they appear healthy and normal.

DEFINITION:

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a fatal infectious retrovirus that affects the immune system, and can cause some cancers and associated diseases. Although it is similar to the virus that causes feline immunodeficiency disease (FIV) and the virus responsible for human AIDS (HIV), studies so far indicate that it cannot be passed on to other animals or to humans. FeLV causes lymphosarcoma, also known as feline leukemia, a cancer of the lymph nodes. In 1964, the FeLV virus was first discovered in a household of cats with a high percentage of leukemia cases.

INCIDENCE AND TRANSMISSION:

Feline leukemia is the greatest killer of cats after accidents; 21% of sick cats brought to veterinarians have leukemia. Thirty percent of all malignant cat tumors are a result of the feline leukemia virus. It afflicts both males and females, usually from one to five years old. The virus can be transmitted through the saliva, tears, urine, and feces of infected cats, and it requires close, prolonged contact to spread. Warmth and drying deactivates it.

Cats can pass it on to each other through bites, grooming, and sharing water and food bowls and litter pans. Blood-sucking insects such as fleas and mosquitoes may transmit FeLV from cat to cat. It is not transmitted via air.