GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Cat adoptions at the Guilford County Animal Services are paused due to one of its cats experiencing a case of the panleukopenia virus, the shelter posted on Facebook.
The shelter is temporarily closing the cat adoptions while they evaluate the cat population that has been exposed to the virus.
Cat intakes will be limited to prevent further exposure to the cat population. The shelter is still accepting towel donations during this time.
What is panleukopenia?
Panleukopenia virus, or feline distemper, is a very contagious, life-threatening infectious disease of cats. The virus can cause vomiting, and diarrhea and can result in death.
It commonly swoops through a group of cats, especially kittens, leaving a trail of death behind it. The 'feline distemper vaccine' is highly effective and considered to be the core immunization for all cats, regardless of their lifestyle.
Treatment
An infected cat can recover if the cat can be kept alive until the immune system recovers from the panleukopenia and can throw off the infection. This means that invading intestinal bacteria must be kept at bay with antibiotics and aggressive fluid therapy must control dehydration.
Recovery
If a cat is lucky enough to recover from this infection, no permanent damage is retained, and the cat goes on with lifetime immunity. Any new cats being introduced should be vaccinated right away.
Prevention
Vaccination after 12 weeks is generally effective in generating immunity against this infection, though immunity gained from mother's milk may inactivate the vaccine through 14-16 weeks.
Most vaccine protocols call for at least two doses of vaccine to be given 2-4 weeks apart with the last dose received at or after 14 weeks.
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