OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Curiosity may create its own set of challenges, but so does Panleuk, when it comes to cat populations.
An increase in Feline Panleukopenia or Panleuk, a contagious virus, has led to Marion County Animal Services (MCAS) suspending their cat intake and adoptions. The virus is also known as feline distemper or feline parvovirus (FPV).
Also affected by the outbreak are the shelter-neuter-release services.
MCAS says they hope to lift the suspension in about a week. In the meantime, the shelter asks the community for patience and support.
Dog operations and adoptions have not been impacted and continue to be business as usual.
The cat virus is similar to parvo in dogs, and the contagion, which is endemic to shelters can remain in those facilities for extended periods of time
Panleuk is indiscriminate, infecting cats of any age, compromising their immune and gastrointestinal systems, with vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. However, the most common symptom is sudden death.
“Panleukopenia is a very common virus especially in shelters, it can be in rescue environments, potentially in vet clinics. It’s not specific to shelters alone, but the reason that it’s most prevalent in shelters is that the virus attacks the most fragile and compromised population,” said Kyra Lynch, Marion County Animal Serivices director.
Lynch says the shelter has seen an increase in the number of cases, with seemingly healthy foster kittens, behaving normally one day and being found dead or rapidly declining or near-death the following day.
“If you think about a happy, healthy cat living in a home, that doesn’t have too much stress in life, they’re a lot more capable of fighting off that virus and may not even show those signs or symptoms of it,” said Lynch. “Where you get into a shelter environment, where the cats and kittens haven’t been doing so great in life, maybe they’ve missed a few meals, they’ve been struggling a little bit, they’ve been brought to a brand-new place, they’ve been put through a lot of stressors, their immune system takes a hit, and the virus really takes advantage of that, which is the reason that we see it as such a crippling virus in the shelter environment.”
Lynch says it can be difficult to determine whether a kitten is infected, as they may be incubating or shedding the virus, failing to exhibit symptoms.
“There’s no cure for the virus itself, so all you do is end up treating the symptoms,” said Lynch. “So, you end up treating with anti-diarrhea and antiemetics, appetite stimulants, fluids, all the things to treat the symptoms of it. The problem that we’re seeing at the moment, and the reason that we’re treating this so aggressively right now is that we’re really not seeing those symptoms, and we’re just experiencing sudden death, which does happen, which is considered a symptom of Panleuk, but it’s typically not quite this prevalent.”
The Animal Services team will evaluate the situation closely during the suspension of intakes, adoptions and services, so they can observe and monitor individual populations for signs of exposure to the virus, infection and illness, while providing support to their foster homes.
“We’ve seen it in more than one foster home, we need to address it aggressively now,” said Lynch. “That’s our biggest hope, so we can kind of break this chain. The biggest focus we have right now is to stop exposure.”
Kittens are the most at-risk group in shelter populations, and initiatives like Don’t Kitnap and Wait til 8, emphasize the best place for kittens is to be with their mother. MCAS says kittens should stay with their moms until 8 weeks old because a shelter significantly increases their risk to disease or death.
Currently, there are 79 cats and kittens at the shelter and there are 339 that are currently in foster homes.
The shelter says emergencies will be accommodated in the safest way possible, but MCAS advises calling them first at 352-671-8700 before bringing kittens or cats to the facility.