Secondary bacterial infections from endogenous microflora may result due to the compromised integrity of the gastrointestinal tract. The animal may recover in 5-7 days but the disease usually results in death for young unvaccinated kittens. If a cat recovers, they may still shed the virus in their secretions and excretions for 6 weeks following their recovery. Infection of a pregnant queen may result in fetal death, mummification, abortion, or stillbirth of the fetuses. If the queen is infected late in gestation kittens may be born with varying degrees of neural damage such as cerebellar hypoplasia.
Cerebellar hypoplasia causes incoordination and tremors in the kittens.
Kittens are protected for 3 months after birth with maternal antibodies transferred to the kitten in the colostrum. The disease is diagnosed based on the symptoms, the presence of panleukopenia virus, viral antigen in the feces, and other blood changes such as neutopenia and lymphopenia. Treatment of panleukopenia involves aggressive fluid therapy to replace fluids lost from the vomiting and diarrhea. Drugs to prevent vomiting may be given. Finally, broad spectrum antibiotics may be used to treat any secondary bacterial infections.