Does My Kitten Have Parvo

However young 3 5 months old unvaccinated cats can become seriously ill.

Does my kitten have parvo. After that the disease will get progressively worse over the course of 5 7 days. Parvovirus can even affect unborn kittens while they are still in the womb. It is actually a virus called panleukopenia but is sometimes called feline parvo because the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of canine parvo virus. The amount of red blood cells also decreases.

Cats get a similar disease called feline panleukopenia or cat distemper. Cats don t get parvo it s species specific to dogs. Most cats catch the virus through infected areas rather than from other infected cats as the virus can survive up to a year in the environment. Once your cat has contracted fpv and lived to tell the tale it is unlikely that they will catch it again.

It is one of the deadliest viruses to cats. Many older cats who are exposed to feline panleukopenia virus do not show symptoms. Cats can get parvo directly from contact with another cat who has it. It weakens the immune system causing a decrease in the number of white blood cells which are essential in combating the disease.

You might have heard of feline parvovirus parvo referred to as panleukopenia or feline distemper fpv. While not the same as canine parvovirus it is referred to as parvo due to the similar symptoms. It is highly contagious and cats should be vaccinated as kittens and have booster shots every year. People who handle an infected cat or an infected cat s bedding food or water dish can carry the virus to the next cat they handle.

They can also get it from contact with an infected cat s urine feces and nose secretions. It is essential to diagnose it as early as possible in order to fight against it. Cats are most susceptible as kittens from 4 to 12 weeks of age or even as unvaccinated adults. The parvovirus incubation period in cats is 3 6 days.

Parvovirus affects normal cell division and causes damage to the cat s bone marrow and intestines.