Cat disease – feline leukemia

Feline leukemia is a disease which tears at the immune system of the cat, making the cat more susceptible to illness and disease. A cancer of the white blood cells, feline leukemia is actually a virus, which travels between cats. It does not infect dogs, humans, or any other species of animal.

Feline leukemia is transmitted between cats through saliva, mucus, urine, feces and blood. Any mutual grooming, fighting or sharing food and water dishes leaves your cat vulnerable to the devastating effects of feline leukemia.

A “leukemia test” is often performed at a vet’s office to find out whether or not the cat has the feline leukemia virus. There are three different methods to test cats, including blood tests, tear tests, and saliva tests. The earlier feline leukemia is caught, the better chance of survival your pet has.

Just because your cat may have been exposed to the virus, this does not neccesarily mean that the cat will suffer any ill effects. Age plays a factor in illness; very young and very old cats who have been exposed to feline leukemia will most likely develop the full-blown effects of the disease. Weakened immune systems, infections or the presence of other diseases also make it more likely that cats will test positive for feline leukemia. Some cats are immune (or develop immunity) to the virus. A cat that is infected can fight the virus, experience short-lived symptoms, and completely recover.

Symptoms of feline leukemia include: fever, poor appetite, swollen glands in the neck region, lethargy and vomiting.

There are only a small number of treatments available today to treat an infected cat. Some types of cats respond well to traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, although they will continuously face the possibility of relapse. Other, more experimental treatments are now being tested, which involve boosting your cat’s immune system. When considering which treatment option is best for your pet, its best to consider the current condition of your animal and whether or not treatment will be worse than the actual disease. The easiest way to prevent feline leukemia is to have your pet vaccinated against the virus. There are several different vaccinations available today. Your vet can help you decide which preventative treatment is best suited for your cat.