Leukoencephalomalaria and Panleukopenia and ???
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 Subject: FEL-L: Re: Leukoencephalomalaria
Time for more clarification I see:
The recent death of 10 captive cheetah in four separate locations (White Oak, National Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Fossil Rim) is generating considerable concern. The cause of death appears to be a newly emerging degenerative neurological disease, which has been labled Necrotizing Leukoencephalomalacia (sp). The progression of symptoms described start with fix gaze (star gazing), progress to gradual loss of motor coordination, and finally death over the course of months to years. Necropsies revel large lesions in the white matter of the brain. All the cats were mature adults. The cause is unknown.
It was observed that all the cats were being fed Nebraska Feline Diet but that nothing uncovered thus far implicates diet as a cause or contributor to the disease. As a very large percentage of zoo felines are fed Nebraska Feline Diet this correlation is almost inevitable. Kind of like observing that most people have eaten a meal within eight hours of when they die. Cordially, George
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 17:44:11 PDT Subject: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I am in touch with a cat owner who's 12 week old kitten has been diagnosed with feline panleukopenia. (Contracted most likely, at the veterinarian's office 10 days prior) This is day 5 since the initial symptom of green vomit. She is providing fluid therapy, antibiotics, vitamins, constant supervision. So far it has not reached a state of hypothermia. The next 48 hours will determine her fate.
Has anyone out there ever saved a kitten from dying of this disease? What special treatments do you feel were particularly helpful in keeping your feline alive?
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 04:07:33 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
Did a vet make the diagnosis? I have lost cats to FP & have never seen green vomit with it. The vomitus is usually a clear, frothy fluid. FP, also known as feline distemper will cause bloody diarrhea. Then you'll need transfusions. Good luck, I've never saved one, but 5 days is a good sign if it really is FP.
The green vomit rings bells, but i'm not sure, I'm thinking coccidiosis. If that's it, use ALBON.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 05:18:14 PDT Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
>The green vomit rings bells, but i'm not sure, I'm thinking coccidiosis.
Maybe I condensed it to much. Vomit was flecks of greenish on her bedspred and I suppose was most likely stomach bile - Friday am. It also ran a fever and some diarrhea. She took it to the vet Saturday am, and was given anti-vomit meds, antibiotics, fluid therapy, and sent home. I got the call Monday afternoon. When she described the hunched over position, and cries of stomach pain, inability to hold down water, lack of vaccinations and a visit to the vet 9 days prior - I made the guess of FP. Told her to get it back to the vet immediately. She called back to report later that night - more fluid therapy, blood tests, antibiotics.
The next day the kitten stayed at the vet - more tests & treatments - positive diagnosis of FP and then sent home for the night. The kitten was more alert Tuesday pm, and she was hopeful. She is sleeping with it - holding it and giving it love in the hopes it will hold on and not give up so that the natural rebound effect can occur.
Has anyone ever saved a kitten for FP? Merk says death rate runs 60 - 90% that implys some cats survive. Anybody done that?
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 07:31:41 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia -Reply
My experience with distemper was a winter litter. Kittens were 3 weeks old, 48 hours after separation from mom, the symptoms began. I used oral kaopectate and mushed up cottage cheese to try to control the diahrea and subcutaneous lactated ringers to deal with dehydration. I saved one and lost one. From then on, I've been giving vaccination immediately on separation from the mother.
I didn't see the green vomiting, either. It sounds like some other sort of bug or problem. I did see nasty vomiting on a kitten born with a hiatal (sp?) hernia at the bottom of the esophagus that caused reflux into the esophagus. You might want to get an ultrasound or fluoroscope check to see what the digestive track looks like.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 08:36:56 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I thought of Albon to from the color of the vomit mentioned. We did save a Siamese cat that had feline distemper. Rather my husband did. The kitten was on antibiotics. That was the easy part. My husband took the kitten to the vets office every six hours for subcu. fluid. That went of for four days. My husband also gave it Pediolite(sp) with a syringe at home. The kitten's mouth completely peeled off. It was a mess. At the end of five days the vet said the kitten was ready for food, but since it's mouth hurt so bad, it couldn't eat. We mixed baby food chicken with Pediolite until it was totally liquid then fed that to the kitten with the syringe. We started at 1 c.c. every 2 hours. It took a long time for the kitten to look like a kitten again. From the time we took him to the vet until he was eating on his own was 2 weeks. Hope this helps. I know we were lucky that he lived. Without my husband spending so much time with the little guy, he never would have made it. Also had an exceptional vet that had a reputation for saving these little guys. Karla
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 09:04:25 -0700 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I use the same thing on sick kittens except I put in a little Nutri-cal.... works really well.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 98 13:56:15 -0000 Subject: FEL-L: Re: Feline panleukopenia
When I worked for a vet, we cared for, and pulled through, a kitten with feline distemper. It's important to catch it early, which it sounds like you did. Is the kitten holding down food? That's a good sign, if it is. We never fed them real food, just added vitamins and stuff to the Lactated Ringers. What we did right away was keep the kitten warm, check the temp every few hours, fluids with B vitamins in, and the standard antibiotics. It's like a feline version of Parvo, and is treated much the same way. In fact, the same test is used to diagnose panleukopenia. Hope your guy pulls through. Debbie
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 21:37:00 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
Get that baby on Lactated Ringers ASAP. The loss of fluid, through diarrhea & vomiting is dangerous. We had it run through a tiger barn & turned around a few close calls.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 00:11:47 -0500 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I forgot to add that I put some nutra cal too. Really don't want to go through that too many times. For a few days, it was like the kitten was sending fluid out faster than we could get it in. Big old lazy ex-tom now.
Had a really nasty thing happent to my bobcat this summer. On one of her "walks on the wild side" when she managed to get outside, she came back in with tick fever. She had been out for four days. The first 24 hours, I was concerned about her suriving. Thank goodness I have a vet that is used to exotic cats. She made it fine. In some part of her, I think she knew how sick she was. When we open the door now, she is long gone to the other end of the house. Do any of you have cats that really bug you at meal time? Mine begs just like a dog. If we let her stay in the dining room, in only a few minutes there will be a bobcat head sticking up over the edge of the table. She always does the "listen to me purr, I'm so nice routine" when she is begging.
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 23:23:10 -0700 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I think one of the most important things that is over looked in some of these cases is the amount of time you spend just comforting and nursing the animal along. Treating the animal emotionally as well as the technical medical treatment that is needed can make all the difference in the world. If this animal has any attachments to certain humans Make sure they are available round the clock for the emotional support the animal needs. We all know how sensitive cats can be when it comes to such things. I am hoping that your baby makes it through; it sounds like you are doing everything you can possibly do. Lets us all know what happens. Kitty kisses! Glenda
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 10:12:43 EDT Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
I have saved kittens with this disease. I also believe the key is feeding by syringe every two hours. I use the baby food and electrolite slurry . The kitten must also be willing to cooperate for this to work.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 07:35:53 -0700 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Feline Panleukopenia
Well depending on how much the animal likes or hates nurti-cal drives whether I put in a little or none or a lot. I use a syringe like Karla so it goes down ( mostly ) instead of out. Scruff 'em or rub the top of their heads to keep 'em from shaking it all over the Room, if they are really bad about decorating the walls with the sticky stuff I put them in a carrier, smaller the better and feed them through a syringe with an AI cath. on it through the carrier I got them from Jorgenson and they seem to be sturdy enough that they don't get bit in half. I have small cats 18-25 #'s so you might have to upscale this for yours. I think dried cat poop and nutri-cal is what they make super glue out of ;-).