Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) is spread over the whole world. It is the most occurring cause of different kinds of tumors with cats like lymphoma, lymph sarcoma and leukaemia. In addition, the virus can undermine the cat’s immune system due to which normally rather innocent infections might suddenly end in disaster.
The infection course of FeLV
FeLV is a virus which is strongly attached to the cat and doesn’t survive outside the cat’s body. Infection only takes place by means of direct contact between cats. This transfer can take place by means of saliva, urine, blood, faeces, mucous or through the female cat’s uterus to her kittens. After infection first a virus increase takes place in the throat’s lymph glands. Then, the virus ends up in the blood and is transported to the bone marrow (the production of both red and white blood cells takes place here), where a virus increase takes place again. FeLV can spread from here to all kinds of other organs, like liver, kidney, spleen, eye, nerves…….and the salivary gland; an infection of new cats can take place again now.
What clinically happens to an infected cat, depends on various factors amongst others the cat’s age and the state of his immune system.
• A large part of the cats is strong enough to eliminate the virus. This mostly already happens in the throat, sometimes only in the bone marrow. We don’t know exactly which percentage of the cats belongs to this category; in any case it is true that the largest part of the adult healthy cats will eliminate the infection, while infected kittens will almost all develop the disease.
• If a cat doesn’t have enough resistance to eliminate the FeLV infection, there is a huge chance that he will develop one of the so-called “FeLV related diseases” later on. This usually happens somewhere between a couple of months and 3 years upon the infection.
The infection course of FeLV
FeLV is a virus which is strongly attached to the cat and doesn’t survive outside the cat’s body. Infection only takes place by means of direct contact between cats. This transfer can take place by means of saliva, urine, blood, faeces, mucous or through the female cat’s uterus to her kittens. After infection first a virus increase takes place in the throat’s lymph glands. Then, the virus ends up in the blood and is transported to the bone marrow (the production of both red and white blood cells takes place here), where a virus increase takes place again. FeLV can spread from here to all kinds of other organs, like liver, kidney, spleen, eye, nerves…….and the salivary gland; an infection of new cats can take place again now.
What clinically happens to an infected cat, depends on various factors amongst others the cat’s age and the state of his immune system.
• A large part of the cats is strong enough to eliminate the virus. This mostly already happens in the throat, sometimes only in the bone marrow. We don’t know exactly which percentage of the cats belongs to this category; in any case it is true that the largest part of the adult healthy cats will eliminate the infection, while infected kittens will almost all develop the disease.
• If a cat doesn’t have enough resistance to eliminate the FeLV infection, there is a huge chance that he will develop one of the so-called “FeLV related diseases” later on. This usually happens somewhere between a couple of months and 3 years upon the infection.
Symptoms The clinical symptoms which belong to these “FeLV related diseases” can be various:
• The main symptoms are: reproduction disturbances like infertility, abortion, stillborn kittens or death of newborn kittens.
• Tumors on different spots in the body. Depending on the spot where the tumor develops itself this may lead to different symptoms.
o In the thymus, an organ in the chest cavity, this tumor can grow very fast and causes a fluid accumulation between the lungs and the chest wall, which causes a severe tightness of the chest. This form especially occurs with young animals.
o If the tumors are located in the organs of the digestive system they might cause vomiting, diarrhoea and weight loss.
tumor at stomach height, as a result of FeLV
o The kidneys, liver, spleen and glands are also often infected and this causes often rather vague symptoms, which might also belong to other diseases.
o In more rare cases you often see tumors of nerves which cause paralysis symptoms, eye problems, bone tumors.
Perhaps the most important action of FeLV is undermining the cat’s normal immune system, due to which other infections (like FIP, FIV) can take place and due to which certain banal bacterial infections, which don’t cause any problem with a normal cat, might end in disaster.
If a cat doesn’t succeed in eliminating FeLV and the disease develops itself, it will finally always end in disaster.
Diagnosis
There are various blood tests available which can detect FeLV; some of them can take place at the veterinarian’s. Other tests must be executed by specialized laboratories. Making a diagnosis can be very important. On the one side with clinically suspected animals but on the other side also for detecting (apparent healthy) carriers.
There are various blood tests available which can detect FeLV; some of them can take place at the veterinarian’s. Other tests must be executed by specialized laboratories. Making a diagnosis can be very important. On the one side with clinically suspected animals but on the other side also for detecting (apparent healthy) carriers.
A FeLV test is executed
This is the result
Interpreting a result of such a blood test isn’t always simple. It is true that:
• An animal with a positive test result might be busy eliminating the virus and will after some time become negative.
This doesn’t go for clinical disease, of FeLV suspected animals; a positive blood test is definitive here.
While making a diagnosis the fact that an ill, from FeLV suffering animal, might just as well (on that moment) have a negative blood test (in some FeLV forms even until 60%) is very confusing.
An animal with a negative test result might possibly in the incubation period and is actually positive.
For this reason it is sometimes useful to repeat the blood test after some time. Next to blood tests you can also track FeLV in a biopsy of a suspected piece of tissue.
Prevention and treatment
Since FeLV is almost exclusively transferred by means of direct contact between cats, the most important fighting method is tracking FeLV positive animals and making sure that they will not get in contact with other cats, either by means of euthanasia or by keeping them inside in a family with only one cat.
Besides, it is possible to vaccinate against FeLV, but for various reasons this vaccination isn’t applicated routinely on most places. FeLV doesn’t survive outside the cat’s body and is inactivated fast by most common disinfectants. A specific treatment against FeLV is not available. If the diagnosis is made, usually euthanasia takes place.
• An animal with a positive test result might be busy eliminating the virus and will after some time become negative.
This doesn’t go for clinical disease, of FeLV suspected animals; a positive blood test is definitive here.
While making a diagnosis the fact that an ill, from FeLV suffering animal, might just as well (on that moment) have a negative blood test (in some FeLV forms even until 60%) is very confusing.
An animal with a negative test result might possibly in the incubation period and is actually positive.
For this reason it is sometimes useful to repeat the blood test after some time. Next to blood tests you can also track FeLV in a biopsy of a suspected piece of tissue.
Prevention and treatment
Since FeLV is almost exclusively transferred by means of direct contact between cats, the most important fighting method is tracking FeLV positive animals and making sure that they will not get in contact with other cats, either by means of euthanasia or by keeping them inside in a family with only one cat.
Besides, it is possible to vaccinate against FeLV, but for various reasons this vaccination isn’t applicated routinely on most places. FeLV doesn’t survive outside the cat’s body and is inactivated fast by most common disinfectants. A specific treatment against FeLV is not available. If the diagnosis is made, usually euthanasia takes place.
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