Can Cats Be Affected by Parvo

Early-stage symptoms

• Lethargy and depression: Cats may seem unusually tired and less active than normal.
• Fever: In the early stages, a fever may be present, but it can later drop to below normal levels.
• Vomiting: Vomiting is a common symptom, often accompanied by a loss of appetite.
• Watery discharge from the nose: Some cats may have a clear nasal discharge.
• Dehydration: Due to vomiting and diarrhea, cats can quickly become dehydrated, which can be life-threatening.

Late-stage symptoms

• Severe dehydration: As the disease progresses, dehydration can become more severe, leading to sunken eyes and dry gums.
• Bloody diarrhea: Diarrhea may become bloody, indicating severe intestinal damage.
• Collapse: In some cases, cats may collapse due to weakness and shock.
• Bruising of the gums or skin: This can occur due to a decrease in platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting.

Symptoms in kittens

• Wobbly kittens: Kittens infected in utero may be born with cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological disorder that affects balance and coordination.
• Sudden death: In some cases, kittens may die suddenly without showing any symptoms.

Other possible symptoms

• Rough coat: The cat's fur may become dull and unkempt.
• Painful or tense abdomen: Cats may show signs of abdominal discomfort when touched.
• Purulent discharge from the eyes and nose: In some cases, cats may develop a green or yellow discharge from their eyes and nose.

If you notice any of these symptoms in your cat, it is important to contact your veterinarian immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of survival.

How Do Cats Get Feline Parvo (FPV)?

Feline panleukopenia is transmitted primarily through direct contact with infected cats or contaminated environments. Here’s how cats can get the virus:

• Fecal-Oral Transmission: The virus is shed in the feces of infected cats and can remain viable in the environment for long periods, making it easy for other cats to contract the virus by licking or sniffing contaminated surfaces.
• Mother-to-Kitten Transmission: Pregnant cats infected with FPV can pass the virus to their kittens either in utero or through their milk, which can lead to severe outcomes, including miscarriage or birth defects.
• Contaminated Items: Cats can also become infected by coming into contact with contaminated food bowls, litter boxes, or even the hands of their owners if they’ve been in contact with an infected cat.

How to Treat Feline Parvo (FPV)?

Treatment for FPV (feline distemper virus) in cats is as follows:

I. Supportive therapy

• Infusion

After cats are infected with FPV, severe dehydration is often caused by vomiting and diarrhea, which requires timely infusion of fluids to replenish water and electrolytes, commonly used sodium lactate Ringer's solution, glucose solution, etc. Potassium chloride and sodium bicarbonate will also be added to regulate the acid-base balance and replenish potassium ions according to the results of blood tests.

• Nutritional support

Cats with poor appetite during illness can be provided with easy-to-digest food, such as prescription canned food, boiled chicken, fish, etc. They can also be slowly fed with fluid food through a syringe, and nasal or intravenous nutritional support is required when necessary.

II. Symptomatic treatment

• Antiemetic and antidiarrheal

Antiemetic and antidiarrheal drugs can be used, but they should be used under the guidance of veterinarians to avoid overdose leading to constipation or other adverse reactions.

Also Read: Is Cat Constipation An Emergency

• Control infection

FPV infection will lead to a decrease in white blood cells and immunity in cats, which is prone to secondary bacterial infections. Antibiotics need to be used for treatment, such as amoxicillin and cephalosporin, etc. However, care should be taken to choose drugs that have fewer side-effects on cats and use them in strict accordance with the doctor's instructions.

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• White Blood Cell Boosting Treatment

When the cat's white blood cells are severely reduced, white-boosting injections such as recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor can be used to promote the production and recovery of white blood cells.

• Hemostatic treatment

If the cat has bleeding symptoms such as blood in the stool, hemostatic drugs such as hemostasis can be used for treatment.

III. Antiviral treatment

• Feline distemper monoclonal antibody

Can specifically neutralize the feline distemper virus, reduce the damage caused by the virus to the organism and improve the cure rate.

• Interferon

It has the function of anti-virus and immunity regulation, and can be used in the treatment of FPV.

• Oseltamivir

At the early stage when the disease is not serious, antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir can be used for auxiliary treatment, but cannot replace other treatments.

IV. Other treatments

• Blood transfusion therapy

For cats with serious condition, anemia or thrombocytopenia, blood transfusion treatment can be considered to replenish blood components and maintain the normal function of the body.

Related: How to Treat Anemia in Cats Naturally

• Chinese medicine treatment

Some Chinese medicines such as Astragalus polysaccharide and Shuanghuanglian have certain anti-viral and immunity-regulating effects, and can be used for adjuvant treatment of FPV under the guidance of veterinarians.

It should be noted that FPV is a serious infectious disease and the cat's condition needs to be closely observed during treatment and the treatment program adjusted in time. Meanwhile, the treatment of FPV needs to be carried out under the guidance of professional veterinarians, and self-treatment is not recommended to avoid delaying the condition or causing the death of the cat.

FAQs

Can cats get parvo from a dog?

Cats don't get the fine-papillomavirus from dogs.
Although both feline fine-papillomavirus (FPV) and canine fine-papillomavirus (CPV) belong to the family of fine-papillomaviruses, they are different strains of viruses with different host specificities. Feline poliovirus mainly infects felines, while canine poliovirus mainly infects canines.
The differences in viral structure and antigenicity between feline and canine microviruses prevent them from being cross-infected between different hosts. The cat's immune system recognizes and fights off canine poliovirus and vice versa.
Feline microviruses are transmitted primarily through direct contact with infected cats or their secretions, whereas canine microviruses are transmitted primarily through contact with infected dogs or their secretions. Therefore, even if cats and dogs live in the same environment, they are unlikely to infect each other with HPV.

Is FPV the same as canine parvovirus?

No, although they are related, FPV is specific to cats and CPV is specific to dogs. They have different host specificities and some differences in their genetic makeup and the way they cause disease.

Conclusion

While cats cannot get parvovirus from dogs, they can be affected by a similar, dangerous virus known as feline panleukopenia, or feline parvo. This highly contagious virus can cause severe illness and even death, especially in kittens or unvaccinated cats. The good news is that vaccination is an effective way to prevent FPV. By keeping up with your cat’s vaccinations, maintaining good hygiene, and limiting exposure to infected environments, you can significantly reduce the risk of feline parvo and keep your cat safe and healthy. If you suspect your cat has FPV, immediate veterinary treatment is essential for the best chance of survival.