The main symptoms and methods of treating leukemia in cats

Viral lesions of the immune system in cats (as in humans) are among the most severe diseases with a questionable prognosis. In humans, it is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The two most common diseases in cats are feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Both of them have a suppressive effect on the hematopoietic organs. Today we will talk about feline viral leukemia, caused by the oncogenic retrovirus FeLV.

Pathogenic effect of the FeLV virus

The leukemia virus belongs to the family of retroviruses (RNA viruses) that attack vertebrate cells. Having penetrated the body, it penetrates into the bone marrow tissue and disrupts the genetic code of immune cells - leukocytes. As a result, they can no longer fully perform their protective function. The disease has another name - leukemia, since the number of immature white blood cells in the patient's blood increases pathologically.

The main results of the destructive effect of a viral infection are as follows:

1. A blow to the immune system leads to a sharp decrease in resistance. Animals often get sick. Any interaction with pathogens can cause unpredictable complications, including death.
2. Immune cells with a disrupted genetic code are carried throughout the body by blood. This dramatically increases the likelihood of cancer.
3. There is a difficulty in making a diagnosis. The disease begins almost asymptomatically. Immune deficiency increases gradually. Serious disorders appear when the disease is already advanced. When examining sick animals, doctors cannot always associate the presence of malignant tumors with the effect of the virus.
4. With leukemia, the death of a cat usually occurs from a secondary infection that develops in conditions of weakened immunity. At the same time, there were cases when, even without the introduction of a vaccine, the initially strong immune system destroyed the invading virus, and the animal recovered.

Routes of transmission of the virus

Individuals leading a street lifestyle and individuals with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to the disease. Cats get sick somewhat more often than cats. The virus is unstable and can survive in the external environment for about two days. In addition, it does not withstand the effects of disinfectants and is afraid of heating.

The pathogen can be transmitted through close contact between animals, through saliva, blood, breast milk, feces, urine and feces. A cat can become infected when playing together, through a shared bowl, tray, and during sexual intercourse. A transplacental (intrauterine) route of infection is also possible. Blood-sucking insects (for example, fleas) can transmit the virus from sick cats to healthy ones. Very often, animals become infected by biting and licking each other.

The disease is not believed to be airborne. The main caution must be observed if a pet goes for a walk and freely communicates with its street counterparts, who may be contagious. It's definitely worth getting him vaccinated. But the vaccine against feline viral leukemia also does not provide 100% protection. In addition, weakened animals should not be exposed to the vaccine.

What is viral leukemia in cats?

Leukemia is a viral leukemia of cats, also known as leukemia. The disease is caused by the RNA virus FeLV. All cats can get sick, regardless of age, gender and breed. During the acute course of the disease, the cat may die. Most often, the disease becomes chronic.

The retrovirus that causes the disease belongs to the group of oncoviruses and has two types:

• endogenous - does not cause disease;
• exogenous - pathogenic, causes feline leukemia.

To protect your pet from viral leukemia, it must be vaccinated.

Forms and types of leukemia

After entering the cat’s body, the virus begins to multiply in its tissues, after which it spreads along the lymphoid pathways, accumulating in the lymph nodes. At this stage, the disease is reversible; the body can still fight off the infection. When the virus penetrates the bone marrow and begins its destructive effect there, the cat will have almost no chance to be cured.

Depending on the state of the animal’s immune system, there are several forms of the disease:

1. Transient or temporary. It is typical at the very beginning of the disease, until the virus reaches the bone marrow. A strong immune system produces an effective immune response that destroys infection. This variant of the development of the disease is relatively rare. Usually no more than two months pass from the onset of the disease.
2. Latent or form of hidden carriage. This is also possible if you have a strong immune system. The virus is contained in tissues, but does not have the opportunity to multiply and become active. A cat can be a virus carrier for quite a long time - several years. She feels well, but is a source of infection for other animals.
3. Persistent or replication form of the virus. Low immunity cannot prevent the virus from entering the bone marrow. Leukocytes carry the virus throughout the body. Its content in the blood is quite high, so the signs of leukemia gradually increase. The gastrointestinal tract, bladder, skin and respiratory system are primarily affected.
4. The body's atypical response may represent a partially effective immune response. This situation occurs when, against the background of a good immune response of the body, the virus develops in a specific organ.

In addition, there are several types of leukemia depending on the location of the lesions:

1. Leukemia of the chest cavity. It is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the chest area. The main symptom is breathing problems.
2. Abdominal leukemia has symptoms similar to those of food poisoning or intestinal infection: lack of appetite, weight loss, constipation or diarrhea, vomiting.
3. Multifocal leukemia. It has several localization sites, so diagnosing it causes particular difficulties.

Is there a danger to humans?

Detailed studies reliably confirm that infection of human leukemia from a cat is impossible. The virus cannot attach to human DNA, since the structure of this molecule is different in humans and cats. Virion will not be able to find fragments suitable for attachment. Leukemia in humans is of a non-viral nature. Dogs are not susceptible to VLK for a similar reason. Therefore, an infected cat does not pose a danger to people or dogs.

Secondary diseases caused by the virus

Persistent feline leukemia is the most dangerous, as it is characterized by active progression of the disease. Against the background of this stage, the animal’s condition quickly deteriorates. There are a number of secondary diseases that arise as a result of the action of the virus in the body. Each is caused by one of four strains of the virus (A, B, C or T).

1. Immune suppression is a consequence of all diseases leading to damage to the immune system. The animal becomes susceptible to a variety of viral, bacterial and fungal infections. This condition occurs in almost all infected cats.
2. Anemia or a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood. By affecting the bone marrow, the virus damages the precursor cells that produce red blood cells. This disrupts the normal process of hematopoiesis in the body.
3. Neoplasia is a pathological process leading to the development of tumors. The cause of these disorders is the integration of the leukemia virus into the genetic code of bone marrow cells. Sick animals become very susceptible to cancer. Their probability increases 50 times. But this does not always happen, but only in 15 percent of cases.
4. Other diseases. The animal's reproductive system and skin are most susceptible to the consequences of a viral attack.

Symptoms of the disease

Leukemia always causes a sharp decrease in immunity in cats. An infected animal is susceptible to frequent illnesses that are severe and have complications that tend to recur.

The remaining symptoms are associated with secondary infection and depend on its type. The following violations are almost always observed:

• frequent rises in temperature;
• loss of interest in outdoor games;
• increased drowsiness;
• poor appetite and refusal to eat;
• frequent colds, gastrointestinal problems;
• very often drooling can be observed, since the virus localized in the salivary glands causes disruption of their functioning;
• swollen lymph nodes;
• pallor of the mucous membranes.

How does it manifest?

Viral leukemia can be asymptomatic for months or even years. The disease can become active due to stress, decreased immunity, and other diseases. Symptoms are varied and nonspecific, depending on the subgroup of the virus. The most common are the following:

• frequent infections of the respiratory tract, nose, eyes, ears, skin, often difficult to treat
• viral infections in animals vaccinated against them
• lethargy
• gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
• stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth)
• loss of appetite
• progressive weight loss
• abortions and stillbirths in cats
• enlarged lymph nodes
• frequent persistent diarrhea
• anemia (low red blood cell count)
• leukemia, often progressing to leukemia
• “fading kitten syndrome”: newborn kittens die within a few weeks
• lymphoma (benign tumor of lymphoid tissue)
• lymphosarcoma (malignant tumor of lymphoid tissue)

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of the disease is impossible without a detailed blood test.

1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a rapid test for the presence of the virus in the bone marrow with a high percentage of accuracy.
2. No less useful is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test (ELISA). This is a rapid test that allows you to determine the presence of virus waste products in the blood.
3. If the diagnosis is questionable, these methods are used again after a certain period of time.
4. A general blood test will reveal disorders of the blood composition and the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.
5. An instrumental examination of organs and systems, including X-rays, ultrasound or MRI, allows us to determine deviations in their functioning, as well as the presence of tumor processes in the body.

Treatment and prevention

To date, there is no medicine that destroys the virus, so the most effective protection against the virus is animal vaccination. The vaccination is given to kittens once. Adult animals should be vaccinated once a year. In this case, a test for leukemia is first done. If the disease already exists, but occurs in a latent form, then the introduction of a weakened vaccine can lead to activation of the virus.

Treatment of viral leukemia in cats consists of providing them with symptomatic care. But, it must be said that it can also be effective and allows you to postpone the tragic outcome for several years, by maintaining immunity at a high level. Its main points are:

1. Treatment begins with the prescription of immunostimulating drugs. Their list is compiled by the doctor taking into account the patient’s condition. To maintain immunity, the same drugs are usually used as in the treatment of HIV infection. This could be Interferon, Azidotimidine (AZT), Raltegravir.
2. High-quality, nutritious nutrition is of no small importance in maintaining a good immune status of the animal. All products must be subjected to heat treatment to eliminate the risk of various pathogens entering a weakened body along with food.

Leukemia in cats has symptoms of secondary diseases, and treatment should be aimed specifically at eliminating them.

1. Blood transfusions and antianemic therapy have a good effect.
2. If cancer has already developed due to viral leukemia, chemotherapy is used. In many cases, it is possible to stop the pathological process.
3. When a stable condition is achieved, regular visits to the attending physician are necessary. He adjusts the immunostimulating therapy and does a test to assess the animal’s health.
4. A sick cat must be kept in quarantine for life so that it cannot infect other animals. In turn, she has a risk of receiving third-party infections from surrounding animals. It is also necessary to keep her place clean, wash her bowl, tray, and toys.

Studies have shown that viral leukemia in cats is not transmitted to humans. Human leukemia is non-viral in nature. These are most likely genetic disorders of the chromosomal apparatus, living in areas with high levels of radiation.

With the active development of the virus, the prognosis of the disease is unfavorable or cautious. It all depends on how long the animal’s immunity can be maintained in good condition. But even with the most optimistic forecasts, maximum survival does not exceed four years.

Currently, we can do much more to prevent the disease than to successfully treat it. Don't forget this. Vaccinate your pets on time and do a rapid test for leukemia every year.

What can you do to prevent your cat from getting leukemia?

Prevention of this disease is timely vaccination against leukemia, limiting access to the street and contact with other animals.

Vaccination can begin at 8–9 weeks of age, with the second dose (which is required for all FeLV vaccines) given 2–4 weeks later. Booster vaccination against FeLV should be repeated at the age of 1 year and then no more than once every 2-3 years for cats at risk.

Before vaccination against feline leukemia, it is necessary to do a blood test for carrier status, since vaccination of an infected animal is not effective!