Felv Feline Viral Leukemia Small Animal Medicine I

Front 1

What is the agent that causes feline viral leukemia?

Back 1

A retrovirus

Front 2

What is the distribution of FeLV?

Back 2

Worldwide

Front 3

What animals have the highest seroprevalence of FeLV?

Back 3

Higher prevalence in Sick cats and cats w/ outdoor access
*Sick feral cats

Front 4

What is the signalment of cats at the highest risk of being infected with FeLV?

Back 4

Outdoor male cats 1-6 years of age

Front 5

What are the 2 routes of FeLV transmission?

Back 5

1) *vertical
2) saliva & nasal secretions

Front 6

How do cats get infected with FeLV from saliva and nasal secretions?

Back 6

Have to have prolonged contact with secretions:
-grooming (*dz of nice cats)
-same water source
-Fight

Front 7

True or false. The virus that causes FeLV does not survive in the environment.

Back 7

True

Front 8

After exposure to the FeLV virus, 30% of cats will develop _______, 30% will develop _______, and 40% will develop ________.

Back 8

30%= persistent viremia
30%=transient viremia
40%=latent or sequestered infection

Front 9

What is the usual fate of a cat that gets persistent viremia from FeLV?

Back 9

Usually die of FeLV-related diseases in 2-3 years

Front 10

What is the usual fate of a cat that gets transient viremia from FeLV?

Back 10

develop neutralizing antibodies--> clear infection in 4-6 weeks

Front 11

Why is it important to retest seropositive cats in 4-6 weeks?

Back 11

Because if they have a good immune system they will just get transient viremia and the virus will be eliminated in 4-6 weeks and be negative on the retest

Front 12

How does a latent or sequestered FeLV infection develop?

Back 12

The provirus is inserted into the cat's genome, but no viremia develops-very few will develop problems

Front 13

Where can the FeLV virus be found in cats with the latent or sequestered infection?

Back 13

Bone marrow, spleen, liver

Front 14

What are the 3 non-specific signs that develop in a cat with FeLV?

Back 14

1) Anorexia
2) Lethargy
3) Weight loss

Front 15

What are the abnormalities that develop from FeLV being associated with specific organ systems? (6)

Back 15

1) Vomiting & diarrhea
2) Icterus
-IMHA or liver failure
3) Rhinitis & pneumonia
4) Glomerulonephritis
5) Ocular signs
6) Neurologic abnormalities

Front 16

What lab abnormalities will you see in a cat with FeLV?

Back 16

Hematologic changes:
-nonregenerative anemia (increased MCV w/o reticulocytes)
-Thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, lymphopenia (bone marrow suppression, immune mediated destruction)
-Myelodysplasia or leukemia
-proteinuria

Front 17

What are 4 examples of secondary infections that can develop in FeLV positive cats?

Back 17

1) Calicivirus
2) Haemoplasma
3) Toxoplasmosis
4) Bacterial infections

Front 18

What are 2 types of neoplasia commonly seen in FeLV positive cats?

Back 18

1) **Lymphoma
-alimentary, multicentric, mediastinal, renal
-Lymphoma in young cats= very suggestive of FeLV
2) Leukemia

Front 19

**What hematologic change is very suggestive of FeLV?

Back 19

***If have macrocytosis and don't have anemia bc FeLV causes change in maturation of RBCs (causes maturation arrest of erythroid line in the bone marrow)
-other differential= hyperthyroidism

Front 20

When do you get a positive ELISA in FeLV positive cats?

Back 20

Prior to bone marrow infection
-earlier stages
-retest 4-6 weeks to confirm not transient viremia

Front 21

What does a positive IFA for FeLV mean?

Back 21

Get positive after bone marrow infection so if IFA positive: then >90% are viremic for life and are contagious
-+=viremic, -=transient

Front 22

What does it mean if an animal has a positive ELISA and negative IFA in an FeLV infected cat?

Back 22

Early in the disease or self-limiting infection
-probably not contagious
-may progress to persistent viremia
OR false + ELISA or false - IFA

Front 23

What is your next step if a cat has a positive FeLV ELISA and negative IFA?

Back 23

Isolate and retest in 4-6 weeks

Front 24

Is a cat that is FeLV positive then becomes negative contagious? Do you ever have to worry about becoming viremic?

Back 24

-Latent or localized infection so not likely to be contagious, but infected queens may transmit to kittens (placenta, parturition, or milk)
-May become viremic with steroids or extreme stress

Front 25

What are the components/options to treating FeLV?

Back 25

1) Always treat the secondary disease!!!
-antibiotics for bacterial infections
-high doses for longer periods
2) AZT
3) Alpha-interpheron
-takes 4-6 weeks for immunotherapy to start working
4) Chemotherapy for FeLV-associated neoplasms

Front 26

How can you diagnose a sequestered (latent) FeLV infection?

Back 26

Bone marrow biopsy

Front 27

How do you treat IMHA related to FeLV?

Back 27

immunosuppression

Front 28

How do you treat haemoplasmosis that develops secondary to FeLV?

Back 28

Doxycycline usually effective

Front 29

What are 6 ways to prevent FeLV infection?

Back 29

1) House cats indoor
-keep FeLV positive isolated
2) Avoid sharing of litter boxes and water bowls
3) Test new cats before introducing in an FeLV- negative cattery
4) Test and separate seropositive cats
5) Flea control
-prevent transmission of mycoplasma haemofelis and bartonella henselae
6) Vaccines

Front 30

When is the Non-core FeLV vaccine recommended?

Back 30

-Kittens
-cats w/ sustained risk (give annual boosters)

Front 31

A cat is diagnosed FeLV positive, what can you do to help maintain the health of this cat? (4)

Back 31

1) PE every 6 mo (CBC)
2) Intensive diagnosis if sick
3) Aggressive therapy if infected
4) Routine vaccination (core vaccine-attenuated FPV)