08/12/2025
PANLEUKOPAENIA OUTBREAK IN TZANEEN AND SURROUNDS
We have seen a steep increase in cases of this devastating disease recently. Vaccination is highly effective in prevention - please make sure your adult cat is up to date with its vaccinations and get kittens vaccinated as soon as possible!!
Key Information
Cause: Feline parvovirus (FPV), which is extremely durable and can survive in the environment for months or even years unless a strong disinfectant like a bleach solution is used.
Transmission: Spread through direct contact with infected cats or indirect contact with contaminated items like food bowls, bedding, clothing, and shoes. The virus is shed in high concentrations in f***s and other bodily fluids.
Symptoms: Signs often include profound depression, loss of appetite (anorexia), high fever, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhoea (which may contain blood). In utero or early neonatal infection can cause neurological signs, such as incoordination and tremors, in kittens.
Diagnosis: Veterinarians diagnose FP based on clinical signs, history (especially vaccination status), and laboratory tests such as blood work (which typically shows a low white blood cell count, or panleukopenia) and f***l antigen tests (ELISA or PCR).
Treatment: There is no specific cure for FPV. Treatment is supportive and focuses on managing symptoms and preventing secondary infections. This includes intensive fluid therapy to combat dehydration, antiemetics for vomiting, and antimicrobials to treat secondary bacterial infections. Hospitalization is usually required, and even with intensive care, the mortality rate can be high, especially in young kittens.
Prevention: Vaccination is highly effective and considered a core vaccine for all cats. Unvaccinated cats and kittens are most susceptible to the disease.
