Feline leukemia virus can produce external, internal, and behavioral symptoms. Watch for yellowing of the eyes or mouth, pale or ulcerated gums, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, and poor coat quality. Breathing problems, diarrhea, fever, and lethargy also characterize FeLV.
Clinical signs
FeLV primarily causes ocular disease through the induction of lymphosarcoma. Possible sites of ocular lymphosarcoma include the uveal tract, conjunctiva (including the nictitating membrane) and orbit.
Diarrhea and Vomiting
One of the earliest signs of feline leukemia in most cats is severe diarrhea. Cats may suffer from diarrhea every day, even to the point of having diarrhea each time they go to the litter box. The diarrhea may be soft or may be completely liquid, depending on the situation.
What happens when a cat gets FeLV? FeLV can best be understood as an infection that leads to other problems. Thus, after initial exposure, it can be difficult to determine if your cat is sick. Some cats will not show any signs of the disease, while others may show symptoms 2-4 weeks after exposure.
Cats with progressive infection have a higher risk of developing life-threatening illness, which can appear as soon as 2-3 years after infection. Median survival time of progressive FeLV-infected cats is 2.4 years (compared to 6.3 years for FeLV-negative cats), but they may live up to 8 years.
Most cats with FeLV live normal lives, but their life span tends to be significantly shorter. Around 80 percent of FeLV kittens do not live past three years and most die within a year.
Cats may have no signs during early stages, and then over weeks, months or even years, health may progressively deteriorate. Or, an FeLV-positive cat may have recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health. Symptoms include: weight loss.
Cats infected with FeLV may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: Pale gums. Yellow color in the mouth and whites of eyes. Enlarged lymph nodes.
Weakness and Lethargy
Cats who are very sick with feline leukemia are likely to be weak and lethargic most of the time. Your cat may be unwilling or unable to get up out of bed very often, and he may engage in very little activity other than walking to and from his food, water, and litter every day.
The symptoms of feline leukemia can vary greatly between cats and is dependent upon the body system affected. Generally, the symptoms of feline leukemia are nonspecific such as lack of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness, fever and gastrointestinal problems like vomiting and diarrhea.
In fact, studies show that affected cats live as long as cats without FeLV. They also are not necessarily going to suffer from symptoms. Cats with FeLV are more susceptible to illness, and any illness should be treated as quickly as possible. FeLV Myth #4 – Cats with FeLV can't live with other cats.
Feline Leukemia is Painful
To prevent your cat from having to deal with such a painful and challenging experience, you can have her vaccinated against feline leukemia. Although it is always possible that she could become sick with another condition, you'll be able to protect her from one of the most severe.
What are the eye symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia? Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can cause eye symptoms, such as swelling, bleeding, and eye infections. These can occur because of the spread of the cancer itself or indirect causes, such as side effects of chemotherapy and steroid medication.
Certain diseases, including trouble in a cat's nervous system, can cause the pupils to be noticeably different sizes. A cloudy, milky or filmy look to the pupils might be a sign of cataracts, viral ulcers or other vision problems. The iris is the colored part of the eye.
Secondary viremia, a later stage characterized by persistent infection of the bone marrow and other tissue. If FeLV infection progresses to this stage it has passed a point of no return: the overwhelming majority of cats with secondary viremia will be infected for the remainder of their lives.
FeLV infection progresses very rapidly, so most cats that contract the virus die of the disease. If the disease is caught early enough some cats can fight it off with vet support therapy. The key is to catch it before the disease reaches the bone marrow.
FeLV Vaccine Adverse Events
Post-vaccination adverse events are rare in cats. The most common adverse events are lethargy, fever, decreased appetite, and inflammation at the vaccination site.
Cats may not start to show signs of the disease for months or even years after being infected. FeLV positive cats and kittens can live for years with proper care and there is evidence young FeLV positive cats may outgrow the disease.
How should FeLV-positive cats be managed? Any cat that has tested positive for FeLV should be kept indoors at all times and provided with good nutrition, a low-stress environment, and regular veterinary care.
Veterinary Cost
Confirmation tests at an outside laboratory may range from $150-300. Yearly veterinary costs for FeLV-positive cats will likely be increased compared to non-infected cats because of an increased risk for other infections.
For socialized, owned cats, it is generally recommended that FeLV-positive cats only live in homes with other FeLV-positive cats. (FIV-positive cats can live with other cats who don't have FIV as long as they get along and don't fight, causing bite wounds.)
Adult cats are more likely to be infected with FeLV than cats aged less than 6 months,13., 17. but the median age of cats infected with FeLV is 3 years,15 which is lower than that for FIV.
What happens when a cat is exposed to FeLV? Not all cats exposed to FeLV will develop persistent infections. The immune system of many infected cats responds to the virus, and about 20-30% of these cats successfully eliminate the virus before it can spread throughout the body. This is called Abortive Infection.
The average cost to treat feline leukemia virus is about $650-$700. And the average prevention cost is approximately $75.00. However, it can vary depending on the size of your cat, veterinary bills, and the stage of feline leukemia.