Feline leukemia is a disease caused by the Feline leukemia virus (feline leukemia virus) that causes depression of the animal’s immune system.
The virus affects the white blood cells of the immune system, making the animal less defensive and at increased risk of infections and other complications.
- This disease can be found in cats around the world and can cause the death of the animal and is not transmitted to humans.
- Read this Animal Expert article to learn all about leukemia in cats.
It is transmitted between cats through bodily fluids (saliva, blood, faeces, urine, nasal secretions, etc.) or during pregnancy and lactation.
It is typical of cats living abroad or stray cats that live in groups or colonies, when the virus comes into contact with the animal’s immune system three situations can occur:
The symptoms of feline leukemia are very varied and depend on the health of the animal, these are some of the most common:
In addition to considering symptoms, it is necessary to confirm whether the cat actually has leukemia, the following tests may be done:
Currently there is no specific treatment to cure this disease, the goal is for the cat to have the best possible quality of life.
Treatment can help the cat live a few months or even years, and will be based primarily on:
Read our article on the lifespan of a cat with feline leukemia
These are the main preventive measures to consider:
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis.We suggest that you take your pet to the vet in case of any ailment or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Viral Diseases section.