Introduction
Feline distemper, more accurately called feline panleukopenia, is a severe, highly contagious gastrointestinal parvoviral infection of cats characterized by the acute onset of vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, depression and commonly death. While a vaccination is available for feline distemper, kittens and unvaccinated adults that live in crowded and unsanitary conditions are especially at risk of becoming infected with this contagious and frequently fatal disease. There is no cure for feline panleukopenia. However, treatments are available to increase affected cats’ chances of survival. Unfortunately, young kittens with feline parvoviral infections have a guarded to grave prognosis.
Treating Feline Distemper
The primary effects of feline panleukopenia - vomiting, diarrhea and dangerous secondary bacterial gastrointestinal infections - will quickly become life-threatening if not treated swiftly and aggressively. Treatment for cats is similar to that for dogs with parvoviral infections and must be done on an inpatient basis. Because this disease is highly contagious, affected cats should be isolated from other animals in the hospital if at all possible. Intensive supportive care, including intravenous fluid therapy with balanced electrolytes, is necessary to rehydrate affected cats and address shock and electrolyte abnormalities. There are no specific antiviral drugs currently available to treat feline distemper. Therapy centers on managing the clinical signs of the disease and making the cat as comfortable as possible. The virus is particularly lethal in unvaccinated kittens; older cats with stronger immune systems have a better prognosis, but even their chances of survival are low.
Broad spectrum antibiotics are often given intravenously once hydration status is normalized, until the cat is able to handle oral medications. Expectorants or other cough suppressants can be used to treat secondary bronchitis or even pneumonia that frequently accompanies this illness. Antiemetics such as metoclopramide and other medications can be given intravenously or orally to help soothe the adverse effects of vomiting and nausea. If the cat has become dangerously anemic, whole blood transfusions may be given. Additional nutritional support or appetite stimulants can be administered intravenously or orally if the cat is unable or unwilling to eat for an extended period of time. Anti-seizure medications may be administered if necessary, and of course appropriate pain management is essential.
Successful treatment of feline distemper generally takes at least one week, but it can take many more weeks or even months for the cat to regain its health. If a cat survives feline parvoviral infection, it normally will have no permanent adverse side effects and will acquire life-long immunity to the disease.