by Dawn R. Cole

Created on: December 21, 2009   Last Updated: December 22, 2009

Feline parvovirus (FPV), also called panleukopenia, feline distemper, feline infectious enteritis and cat typhoid, is a very dangerous and often fatal disease.  FPV used to be the leading cause of feline death, but the availability of an effective vaccine has made the disease less common. 

Basic FPV Facts:

* Feline parvo (distemper) and canine parvo (distemper) are not the same.  A different virus causes each disease.

* The virus affects the immune system by destroying white blood cells, which compromises the cat's ability to fight off other diseases and infections.  It can severely inhibit the cat's digestive functioning, resulting in the inability of the intestines to properly digest food or absorb necessary nutrients and liquids, as well as alter the enzymes in the liver.

* FPV is highly contagious to unvaccinated cats.  Once the disease has been contracted, there is no cure.  Your veterinarian will only be able to administer supportive care.

* Kittens, and adult cats with weakened immune systems, run the greatest risk of not surviving the infection.  An otherwise healthy cat is usually able to fight off the virus with proper medical intervention and, after they recover, will develop a natural immunity to FPV for life.

* FPV is resistant to disinfectants and can survive in the environment for over a year.  During that time, the virus is still potent enough to infect any unprotected cats that come into contact with it.  
 
* Infected cats can be contagious 2 or 3 days prior to the on-set of noticeable symptoms.

The Causes of FPV:

* FPV is commonly transmitted by exposure to the urine, blood, feces, nasal discharge or fleas from an infected cat.  Humans who come in contact with an infected cat's bodily waste and secretions can also transmit the disease to an uninfected cat if proper disposal of contaminated items and proper personal hygiene is not practiced before interacting with other cats.  (A water and bleach solution is the only viable method of killing the virus.)

* Kittens can contract FPV while in an infected mother's uterus.  Due to their immature immune systems, they run a 50 - 90% chance of dying from the disease. Surviving newborns often develop permanent brain damage (cerebellar hypoplasia), resulting in muscular or neurological tremors that impair their ability to walk and navigate. 

The Symptoms:

* Continuous, often severe, vomiting
* Fever
* Decreased or complete

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