We're facing Panleukopenia.... :(

[kat hamlin]

Just learned that one of the local shelters we pull from had an adult diagnosed with Panleukopenia, aka Feline Distemper.  Likely explains why about half of the kittens we pulled over the past two weeks have died or been very ill, and some mysteriously so.  Sigh. I don't fault the shelter because their hygiene is usually decent, but when you've got kitten season underway and something as contagious as Panleuk, a lot of them don't stand a chance. 

Haven't heard much from the kennel manager but I feel her pain.  The best way, generally, in a shelter environment to get rid of panleukopenia is to euthanize all the kittens (since they're the main vectors as they're least likely to have immunity), clean the heck out of everything, and start afresh.  The last time I heard, they had well over 100 kittens at that shelter. 

Some shelters have quarantine spaces...this building unfortunately does not have the facilities to properly try that.  It's an old building and they're regrettably underfunded, as they're in one of our poorer neighbor counties.  That means high intake rates, low funding, and not a ton of adoptions, which is why we pull from them so heavily.

I am so glad that serendipity determined I didn't pull any kittens from the shelter the last round.  Having Harry and Henrietta along with the two C's and Paddy and Redbud on top of our three meant we were at full house status.  So our house is clean, but some of our other foster homes are not....

 

[red top rescue]

I'm asking @catwoman707 to look at this because she works with a rescue and is about the most knowledgeable about what can and cannot be done.  She may have some advice you could pass on to the shelter.

 

[catwoman707]

Thank you @Red Top Rescue  and hello Kat,

The thing about this is, if they were to euthanize all of the kittens assuming there will be an epidemic of panleuk there, they will be killing some needlessly.

The very best and first thing that they need to do is vaccinate ALL NOW, immediately.

Vaccines are cheap when bought in bulk, so it's doable really. 

Create a room for temp quarrantine, and as much as possible, group the littermates together. Allow 2 weeks and anyone who is not showing any signs should be vaccinated again, these will likely not come down with it.

Your description of your shelter there sounds very much like the one I work with here. Just an fyi so you know, when I talk about the shelter, this is the one I work with, am on the board of directors with, and am their cat advocate, as well as chairperson for the animal welfare committee.

When I say rescue, this is separate, and is my cat rescue group.

Lucky for you to not have taken in any at your house, but the fosters who have or had panleuk there, depending on how much they truly 'get' how hearty and contagious this is, can either do a complete sweep-through and dispose of any fomite type things, litter boxes, bedding, etc that can harbor the virus, and saturate all other things, cages, etc with either Excel or trifectant, which is what I personally use.

The fosters who can not be trusted to do as thorough of a job cleaning the virus out of the home should not be allowed to foster any unvaccinated kittens for 18 months.

It happens, shelters and rescues take in from all over, all types of places and in all sorts of condition. 

Last summer was my 2nd time around through the years dealing with panleuk, it was awful..........

 

[kat hamlin]

Thanks so much for the advice.  I am not, unfortunately, in a position to advise the shelter on the actions they take to curb the distemper outbreak, but I have faith that they will do whatever is possible to save innocent lives. 

We do not yet know, only suspect, that the kittens we pulled have distemper.  I will be going over to the affected fosters today and testing.  I don't know if we have trifectant currently but can certainly order some.

In the meantime, we will advance our vaccination protocols to ASAP for any pulled cats or kittens, regardless of age.

Really appreciate your input.  Thanks again.

 

[catwoman707]

Not sure if it helped any, I know it's impossible to persuade the shelter to do anything differently than what they feel is the right way.

I can tell you are already educated with panleuk, I wasn't sure what you were asking advice with, and feel free to ask me anything/anytime.

Good luck!

Oh, you likely already know this too, but just in case-if you are going to use parvo tests today, I found I get more accurate results if the q-tip is inserted deeper in their rectum and swirled, rather than just inside the sphincter area for the sample.

FYI-I have had false negatives plenty. Tested neg one day, next morning the kitten was dead, retested then and it was positive, so it's not a sure diagnosis, however false positives are rare.

 

[kat hamlin]

Well, I tested all three of the kittens we suspected and all three came up negative, but, as you say, could be a false neg.  I'm hoping it's not, though.

Happily, I got an email from the kennel manager at the shelter asking us to pull cats from adoption so they could set up a quarantine area!  Waiting to hear back from the wife as to whether we as a family can take any more, but we as a group have already pulled two 4 month old girls from the adoption floor---one less kennel that's full.  I know some of the other local rescues are wary but that's because we normally pull underweight and underage kittens that thus nearly by definition are more prone to distemper and other unfortunate deaths.  Now we can pull fully vaxed and vetted older kittens and cats--not a sure thing, but better than the risk with babies.

Too late on the tip for the parvo swabs but I'll keep it in mind for the next time!

 

[catwoman707]

This good news, that the shelter is working out a quarrantine area rather than simply euthanizing them all.

What are the symptoms of the ones you tested?

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
Thank you @Red Top Rescue  and hello Kat,

The thing about this is, if they were to euthanize all of the kittens assuming there will be an epidemic of panleuk there, they will be killing some needlessly.

The very best and first thing that they need to do is vaccinate ALL NOW, immediately.

Vaccines are cheap when bought in bulk, so it's doable really. 

Create a room for temp quarrantine, and as much as possible, group the littermates together. Allow 2 weeks and anyone who is not showing any signs should be vaccinated again, these will likely not come down with it.

Your description of your shelter there sounds very much like the one I work with here. Just an fyi so you know, when I talk about the shelter, this is the one I work with, am on the board of directors with, and am their cat advocate, as well as chairperson for the animal welfare committee.

When I say rescue, this is separate, and is my cat rescue group.

Lucky for you to not have taken in any at your house, but the fosters who have or had panleuk there, depending on how much they truly 'get' how hearty and contagious this is, can either do a complete sweep-through and dispose of any fomite type things, litter boxes, bedding, etc that can harbor the virus, and saturate all other things, cages, etc with either Excel or trifectant, which is what I personally use.

The fosters who can not be trusted to do as thorough of a job cleaning the virus out of the home should not be allowed to foster any unvaccinated kittens for 18 months.

It happens, shelters and rescues take in from all over, all types of places and in all sorts of condition. 

Last summer was my 2nd time around through the years dealing with panleuk, it was awful..........

Hi I am trying to gather as much knowledge on this subject. I took in a stray cat who was pregnant and having difficulties passing her babies. So I took her in and helped her best I could. After 4 days of trying to push them out  3 of which was outdoor and then i swayed her to come inside so i could help her in anyway I could.  and after finally passing them she suffered some even worse issues. Her rectum was pushed out and had a large mass of bowel backed up bad and could not pass it , probably due to days of pushing i am sure.and lack of water consumption..  within the first week I bottle feed and ended up loosing 2 babies. we planned on sending babies to a kitten rescue from the start and was going to keep mom cat as part of the family but.... She worsened and so found a way to get her to vet and cleaned her out and put on antibiotics. Keeping in mind she wont drink any water at all without it being put in dry food and thats all the water intake she will drink. ODD I know never seen this before and not knowing why.  this was three weeks ago. Had a rescue take her after first vet visit didn't work cause she needed more extensive care and treatment that I couldn't give her.  Sent the remainder of kittens to kitten rescue and Momma cat to another rescue that were able n willing to help her. Now this is tree weeks later and I get an update this morning from kittens that they lost 2 more kittens , one left. they brought to vet and the vet said was Panleukopenia that was the cause! Yes i am just finding out how serious this just is.. So Mom cat update comes in she is still not improving on laxatives all day and just many problems poor baby. NOW IMPORTANT  QUESTION:  I have cats, my own personal cats. How does this effect my furbabies here that was exposed to this? I am so heart broke that I may have brought such danger to my babies. I do not regret helping Mom cat its not that, I have always helped when I see an animal needs help. Not her fault she was sick. I,m worried about my other cats also.. what do I need to expect of this? I am just finding all this out today so and still shell shock.. Any feed back please. Are my other cats doomed over this? My apologies on the scatter brain message.  It has truly been an exhausting few weeks and I am terrified for all of them, Mom cat , kitten and my own cats..  

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
Hi I am trying to gather as much knowledge on this subject. I took in a stray cat who was pregnant and having difficulties passing her babies. So I took her in and helped her best I could. After 4 days of trying to push them out  3 of which was outdoor and then i swayed her to come inside so i could help her in anyway I could.  and after finally passing them she suffered some even worse issues. Her rectum was pushed out and had a large mass of bowel backed up bad and could not pass it , probably due to days of pushing i am sure.and lack of water consumption..  within the first week I bottle feed and ended up loosing 2 babies. we planned on sending babies to a kitten rescue from the start and was going to keep mom cat as part of the family but.... She worsened and so found a way to get her to vet and cleaned her out and put on antibiotics. Keeping in mind she wont drink any water at all without it being put in dry food and thats all the water intake she will drink. ODD I know never seen this before and not knowing why.  this was three weeks ago. Had a rescue take her after first vet visit didn't work cause she needed more extensive care and treatment that I couldn't give her.  Sent the remainder of kittens to kitten rescue and Momma cat to another rescue that were able n willing to help her. Now this is tree weeks later and I get an update this morning from kittens that they lost 2 more kittens , one left. they brought to vet and the vet said was Panleukopenia that was the cause! Yes i am just finding out how serious this just is.. So Mom cat update comes in she is still not improving on laxatives all day and just many problems poor baby. NOW IMPORTANT  QUESTION:  I have cats, my own personal cats. How does this effect my furbabies here that was exposed to this? I am so heart broke that I may have brought such danger to my babies. I do not regret helping Mom cat its not that, I have always helped when I see an animal needs help. Not her fault she was sick. I,m worried about my other cats also.. what do I need to expect of this? I am just finding all this out today so and still shell shock.. Any feed back please. Are my other cats doomed over this? My apologies on the scatter brain message.  It has truly been an exhausting few weeks and I am terrified for all of them, Mom cat , kitten and my own cats..  

Also the babies didn't start to die till a week after mom come back from vet. Could she have contracted this there? She spent friday-monday there being treated/observed for her rectum. She has always been a stray around my home and I never seen her look sick before. Just her severe constipation that cause a horrible birthing .. Not trying to place blame or anything just trying to figure out how when n where cause the source def needs to be found and handled the right way. this is terrible..

 

[catwoman707]

If your resident cats are vaccinated then they are fine.

However, you are now unable to bring any unvaccinated cats to your home for at least 18 months.

Any kittens brought need to have had 2 consecutive vaccines and at least 5 days after the second one was given to give their systems a chance to build the immunity to this ugly, deadly virus.

Most common exposure is from grass outdoors in homeless/stray cats.

If mom had got it during her pregnancy and any survived they would be born with cerebellar hypoplasia. So this was caught during or after the birthing. 

It takes about 7 days to surface symptoms.

They will likely lose all kittens.

Just hoping mom can get well and okay, poor thing

Sad all around.

Yes mom may have picked it up at the vet, she was already sick though correct? If she picked it up on her fur she would have passed it to her kids that way.

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
If your resident cats are vaccinated then they are fine.

However, you are now unable to bring any unvaccinated cats to your home for at least 18 months.

Any kittens brought need to have had 2 consecutive vaccines and at least 5 days after the second one was given to give their systems a chance to build the immunity to this ugly, deadly virus.

Most common exposure is from grass outdoors in homeless/stray cats.

If mom had got it during her pregnancy and any survived they would be born with cerebellar hypoplasia. So this was caught during or after the birthing. 

It takes about 7 days to surface symptoms.

They will likely lose all kittens.

Just hoping mom can get well and okay, poor thing

Sad all around.

Yes mom may have picked it up at the vet, she was already sick though correct? If she picked it up on her fur she would have passed it to her kids that way.

Our youngest which is about several months old just had her vacs two weeks ago and was exposed as she is a house cat and has NEVER even seen the outside  except to bring get her vacs and get fixed. now we have another cat which is the only one we have left that is next to get vacs/fixed.  she is about a year old.  I dont know when that will be  cause no funds for it. we save up to vacs n fix our animals. the other two we have or fixed n vacs and are  outdoor cats. How does this effect the cat that was exposed but vacs  two weeks ago.?

 

[catwoman707]

If you are saying that the cat was given a vaccine 2 weeks ago, then afterwards was exposed, as long as it's not a kitten it should be fine.

Kittens have immature immune systems, so one vaccine isn't enough, if would have to be at least 2.

So you have an unvaccinated cat there?

If so he must be vaccinated immediately. 

 

[red top rescue]

If you have any unvaccinated cats or kittens, you CAN afford to vaccinate them right away.  I just checked and there is a Tractor Supply Company store in New Iberia, Louisiana.  This year  Tractor Supply is again carrying the nasal vaccine again, Feline Focus 3, which vaccinates against the usual upper respiratory viruses AND the Panleukopenia (Distemper) virus.  It costs only $6.99 per dose (cheaper on line but faster to get them at Tractor Supply).  Each package comes with a vial of liquid Panleukopenia vaccine and a vial or dried Rhinotracheitis-Calici vaccine, and a squeeze dropper to administer them.  You remove the tops of the vials, draw the liquid vaccine into the dropper and then squeeze it into the dry vaccine, put on the rubber cap again and mix them together until the mixture is clear.  Then you put one or two drops into each eye and the rest is divided between the two nostrils. There are directions on each individual package.  A single dose works for cats and kittens 12 weeks and older.  If they are younger than 12 weeks when they get the first dose, the vaccine needs to be repeated in two to three weeks to protect them fully from the panleukopenia virus if it is in your home, and again at 12 weeks to get full immunity.  This vaccine is safe for kittens 6 weeks or less.  The injectable one by the same company is not.

http://www.durvet.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=155:feline-focus-3-vaccine-drops

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• red top rescue
• May 3, 2016

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
If you are saying that the cat was given a vaccine 2 weeks ago, then afterwards was exposed, as long as it's not a kitten it should be fine.

Kittens have immature immune systems, so one vaccine isn't enough, if would have to be at least 2.

So you have an unvaccinated cat there?

If so he must be vaccinated immediately. 

the one that was vac 2 weeks ago was exposed before vac.  so she needs a 2nd? does it make a big difference that she was exposed before being vac i just found out today about this illness. and yes one cat the year old one she is only one not vaced..

 

[crystalluvscats]

Oh wow!! 6.99 ?? Umm yes i surely can afford that.. I will be there tomorrow bright n early..I can not thank y'all enough for this info! Thank each of you.. So vac the one that was vac 2 weeks ago again in a week? and the one year old twice, once tomorrow and again in three weeks? what about the other two?  they been fixed n vac years ago they r older.

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
Oh wow!! 6.99 ?? Umm yes i surely can afford that.. I will be there tomorrow bright n early..I can not thank y'all enough for this info! Thank each of you.. So vac the one that was vac 2 weeks ago again in a week? and the one year old twice, once tomorrow and again in three weeks? what about the other two?  they been fixed n vac years ago they r older.

should i call someone about the other strays here.. who would i even call? animal control? i have always been against any kill shelters but this can be a bad epidemic. surely the stray i initially brought into my home came from out there with those wild ones.. they r wild no way could i catch them. they are peeking through my windows looking for my one year old who is in heat.. wouldn't they be exposed as well,  beings my other cats  that are fixed have been in and out of house. OMG so many questions i am so sorry.. and what about the 2 thats in and out. are they not allowed out for a time span? I have no clue on this and i feel its dire to know what to do to prevent this spreading.. 

 

[catwoman707]

No, if the cat had exposure before being vaccinated, it will not do any good or change whether he gets it or not.

Adults are unpredictable whether they get sick or not.

Some do, some don't, it's less likely to infect an adult cat who has had outdoor exposure, since they may already have built up some resistance. 

I have to say, you could be facing some hard times ahead, throw out any dishes, bedding, litterboxes, anything that has been contaminated.

You can not clean it away if the infected cats were all over the house.

The only thing you can do is get them vaccinated ASAP.

 

[crystalluvscats]

i think i been replying wrong grrr. anyway will paste here.. 

Oh wow!! 6.99 ?? Umm yes i surely can afford that.. I will be there tomorrow bright n early..I can not thank y'all enough for this info! Thank each of you.. So vac the one that was vac 2 weeks ago again in a week? and the one year old twice, once tomorrow and again in three weeks? what about the other two?  they been fixed n vac years ago they r older.

should i call someone about the other strays here.. who would i even call? animal control? i have always been against any kill shelters but this can be a bad epidemic. surely the stray i initially brought into my home came from out there with those wild ones.. they r wild no way could i catch them. they are peeking through my windows looking for my one year old who is in heat.. wouldn't they be exposed as well,  beings my other cats  that are fixed have been in and out of house. OMG so many questions i am so sorry.. and what about the 2 thats in and out. are they not allowed out for a time span? I have no clue on this and i feel its dire to know what to do to prevent this spreading..

 

[catwoman707]

ANY vaccines given in the past will protect the adults.

As long as the vaccines are modified live virus vaccines. Be sure you ask about this when purchasing.

It will say MLV. That is what is mostly used these days so they likely will be.

And don't apologize for too many questions, this is a big deal and I'm glad you are taking it seriously.

 

[crystalluvscats]

 
No, if the cat had exposure before being vaccinated, it will not do any good or change whether he gets it or not.

Adults are unpredictable whether they get sick or not.

Some do, some don't, it's less likely to infect an adult cat who has had outdoor exposure, since they may already have built up some resistance. 

I have to say, you could be facing some hard times ahead, throw out any dishes, bedding, litterboxes, anything that has been contaminated.

You can not clean it away if the infected cats were all over the house.

The only thing you can do is get them vaccinated ASAP.

OMG I AM FREAKING OUT.. YOU MENTIONED DISHES..  I know this sounds bad but i have a bad habit of feeding my cats off my plate when i am done eating. leaving them a little to get for a treat..  and feeding them with my hands sometimes with treATS and me and my girls are bad for giving KISSES  on face on mouth nose just putting our mouths on them period.! can this in any way be transmitted to humans..  I SWEAR THIS GETS MORE AND MORE DISTURBING AS THE DAY GOES BY.. I,M SCARED TO ASK ANYTHING ELSE..