June 2022
TEXT-ONLY VERSION (scroll to bottom to download Newsletter in PDF)
Feline Panleukopenia
Recently alarm has been raised in the Cape Flats and Southern Suburbs due to an increase in laboratory-confirmed cases of feline panleukopenia. Feline panleukopenia is a parvoviral diseases of kittens/cats and is typically characterised by the following symptoms:
- Depression
- Anorexia
- High fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Severe dehydration
This viral and often fatal disease is extremely infectious. The virus itself is very hardy and resistant, persisting for up to a year at room temperature in the environment if protected in organic material. Virus particles are abundant in all secretions and excretions during the acute phase of illness and can be shed in faeces of survivors for as long as 6 weeks after recovery. The virus can also be transported over long distances via fomites (e.g., shoes and clothing).
Cats are infected oronasally by exposure to infected animals, their faeces, secretions, or contaminated fomites. Pet owners with cats need to make sure that their cats are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated animals have a mortality rate of up to 90%. Excellent and effective vaccines have been developed for this disease and help prevent the spread of the disease. Vaccination can also limit the negative impact of the disease.
Since this is an extremely infectious disease, animals that are euthanised may not be disposed of on any landfill site. Infectious carcasses need to be handled by authorized service providers who may dispose of and handle infectious carcasses. This is especially important with a viral disease such feline panleukopenia. The virus can persist and remain dormant in the environment for long periods of time. Landfill disposal of these carcasses is unsafe and hazardous to the environment and further promotes the spread of the disease. It is also illegal to dispose of infectious animal carcasses on any landfill site.
Veterinary practices, non-profit organisations, and the public need to make sure the service providers they are using are disposing of carcasses in a safe and bio-secure manner and are authorized to handle infectious carcasses.
We are registered!
For the past few months EarthPet has been engaged in a process with the national government to receive a new waste management license under the new legislation. We are proud to say that we have received it and the EarthPet closed composting system is authorised to handle infectious, hazardous organic waste. We are one of the only companies in South Africa licensed to do so.
EarthPet’s Infographic
- >5-7 days: Duration of the disease in infected cats/kittens is seldom more than 5-7days.
Symptoms:
- Depression
- Anorexia
- High Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Severe dehydration
- Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious, often fatal, viral disease of cats that is seen worldwide. Kittens are affected most severely.
- Vaccinate your pets: Pet-owners are urged to have the cats & kittens vaccinated. Infection rates remain high in some unvaccinated cat populations and the disease can occasionally also be seen in vaccinated, pedigreed kittens that have been exposed to a high virus challenge.
Transmission:
- Cats are infected through indirect or direct exposure to infected animals, their faeces, secretions or contaminated fomites.
- Virus is abundant in all secretions and excretions during the acute phase of illness and can be shed in faeces of survivors for as long as 6 weeks after recovery.
- The virus is highly resistant to inactivation, parvoviruses can be transported long distances via fomites (e.g. shoes and clothing). Animal remains must be disposed of in a bio-secure manner.
Prevention:
- Effective vaccines are available. Pet owners must make sure their pets are fully vaccinated.
- Infectious animal remains must be handled and disposed of in a bio-secure and authorised manner. No landfill dumping of infectious animal remains must be occur.
References
Mkoko, S. and Mkoko, S., 2022. Deadly feline virus in Cape Town – cat owners urged to vaccinate their pets. [online] CapeTown ETC. Available at: <https://www.capetownetc.com/pets/spike-in-deadly-feline-virus-cape-town-cat-owners-urged-to-vaccinate-their-pets/> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
MSD Veterinary Manual. 2022. Feline Panleukopenia – Generalized Conditions – MSD Veterinary Manual. [online] Available at: <https://www.msdvetmanual.com/generalized-conditions/feline-panleukopenia/feline-panleukopenia#:~:text=Feline%20panleukopenia%20is%20a%20parvoviral,are%20much%20less%20often%20affected.> [Accessed 28 June 2022].