Need a pet answer in connection with possible parvo?
Our kids have brought lots of animals home over the last few years. Until a few days ago we have 2 ferets, 2 rats, and some cats. A couple days ago our female feret died and the next day both rats died as all right. I suspect that whatever killed the rodents was rodent parvo which is airborn but I'm not certain because I cannot afford to take all of my remaining animals to the vet. If it was rodent parvo does anyone know whether I need to worry about our cats catching it? The fully developed ones have had shots for feline parvo but our kittens enjoy not been immunized yet.
Answers: Ok, I've done some research for you - but you should really telephone call your vet and discuss it with them. I am also very sorry to hear about your ferret and rats. It's truly heartbreaking.
Usually here are different strains for different species. It makes sense for rodents to pass it to other rodents, but I don't think your kittens will seize it. Here is why:
Parvoviruses tend to be specific about the taxon of animal they will infect, but this is a somewhat flexible characteristic. Thus, all strains of canine parvovirus will affect dogs, wolves, and foxes, but solitary some of them will infect cats.
Feline panleukopenia virus is the feline parvovirus that is closely related to canine parvovirus. The disease caused by this virus surrounded by cats is called panleukopenia or feline distemper (not related to canine distemper).
Infection/Prevention - Panleukopenia is primarily spread through contact with an infected cat's bodily fluids, feces, or fleas. The virus may also sometimes spread through contact beside bedding, food dishes, or even by handlers of infected cats. The virus primarily attacks the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, causing internal ulceration and, ultimately, total sloughing of the intestinal epithelium. This results surrounded by profuse, usually bloody diarrhea, causing severe dehydration, malnutrition, anemia, and regularly death; mortality rate 60-90%. The virus causes a decrease within the cat's white blood cells, thus compromising its immune system. Typically, infection causes a decrease within WBC, hematocrit and platelet counts on a CBC. This is often key in diagnosing panleukopenia. Symptoms include depression, apathy, loss of appetite, a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of skin elasticity.
If a pregnant cat is exposed during pregnancy, the virus can cause cerebellar hypoplasia contained by her offspring. This is why administering modified live feline panleukopenia vaccine during pregnancy is discouraged. The Panleukopenia vaccination guidelines hold changed over the years but current prevention guide lines are to vaccinate kittens and then booster at 3 year intervals. More frequent boosters have be associated with increased renal disease.
I hope this information helped, good luck, and again I'm sorry for your loss.
