This is the third in a series of articles to explain the nature of the disease viruses that are contained within the routine vaccines typically administered at nine and 12 weeks of age. The purpose is to help the reader understand each virus that is included, what it does, how cats get infected, what is done to treat it and how to avoid or manage it. This article deals with the virus called Panleukopenia, a parvovirus which causes severe infections virulent enough to warrant inclusion of the vaccine in a regular vaccination schedule. In addition, upper respiratory viruses can occur at the same time as a panleukopenia infection. Panleukopenia is known and referred to by a multitude of names and symbols in literature.
Authors assume the reader knows that they mean the same thing.
In this article the virus will be referred to as Panleukopenia. This parvovirus is very small and hardy, with several strains that affect not only domestic cats and kittens, but any felid - such as lions, bobcats and tigers. Active Disease Panleukopenia virus affects three major body systems in the cat. The system it chooses is dependent on the age of the cat at time of infection. This happens in all cases and is unique to this virus.