If a mother cat has it, does it mingy that the kittens will get it? I've read that it would be massively detectable if they did (lethargic & prone to diseases). Does this mean that the kittens that do not exhibit any symptoms do not hold it? Is it very plausible that they can nurse from the mother but never get the disease?

Answer:
Symptoms
During the first few weeks after the initial infection, cats may enjoy the following symptoms:

Blood cytopenias (deficiency of any of the various cellular elements customarily present in the blood)
General malaise
Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes)
Mild hallucination
Symptoms depend on the type of virus and the stage of disease. Common general symptoms include:
Anemia
Blood contained by the stool
Chronic, recurring infections (FeLV-infected cats are susceptible to bacterial, fungal, protozoan, and other viral infections.)
Decreased appetite
Decreased stamina
Depression
Diarrhea or constipation
Excessive drinking and urination
Infertility
Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes, mucous membranes, and body fluids)
Low-grade hallucination
Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes)
Neuropathies, which can cause anisocoria and hind appendage paralysis

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maybe but a few sure sign is that spike starts falling out then they will lose TONS of bulk then kinda be sick and but for treated in time they wil lgo somewhere and die

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Common symptoms produced by the slinky leukemia virus include depression, weight loss, decrease appetite, diarrhea or constipation, enlarged lymph nodes, respiratory distress, or excessive drinking and urination. Cancer occurs surrounded by some cats that are infected with leukemia. This virus also interferes next to a cat’s natural potential to ward off other diseases and make the cat very susceptible to picking up other infections.

Kittens should be vaccinate twice starting at about 8-10 weeks of age near a second vaccine given 3 weeks later. Cats should receive annual inoculation boosters.

If the cat dies of this then here: The graceful leukemia virus is relatively unstable and will not survive for very long outside of a cat’s body. This process that there is little virus vanished behind surrounded by the house to cause disease. In command to be safe, I recommend a waiting term of about 1 month previously bringing home a new cat. I also recommend replacing the food and river bowls as well as the litter box.

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Did you fall through to read my last response? I provided the info you sought and provided signs of a kitten near Feline Leukemia.

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"Feline Leukemia Virus
Feline Leukemia Virus
by Susan Little, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Feline)
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus, a family of virus which has copious members that infect cats and result in disease and death within cats around the world. Another well-known sly retrovirus is the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). FeLV and FIV can be found together within the same cat. The prevalence of FeLV contained by single-cat households is about 3% and can be as giant as 11% in stray cat populations. In immense multi-cat households and in households where on earth cats roam freely outdoors, the prevalence can reach as giant as 70%. Cats roaming in urban areas are more expected to be exposed to FeLV (40%) than cats roaming in rural areas (6%).

FeLV have been studied for over 30 years, both for its relevance to the cat population and because it serves as an animal model for some human diseases. Research have established key characteristics of FeLV: it is contagious, it directly cause both fatal cancerous and non-cancerous diseases, it can slump dormant in the bone marrow for a long time, and it can be protected against by inoculation. FeLV is not transmissible to humans or animal species other than the cat family unit.

FeLV is a fragile virus that does not survive in the environment. Ordinary household detergents and bleach effectively snuff out this virus. There is therefore no risk that cats can be exposed to FeLV in veterinary clinic waiting rooms or exam rooms, or surrounded by cages, or at cat shows unless direct contact is made next to a positive cat who is shedding virus. Transmission of FeLV requires intimate moist contact. The most common route is contact beside infected saliva through grooming, licking, biting and shared dishes and litter pans. FeLV can also be transmitted through a blood transfusion, so adjectives cats who are blood donors are screened for FeLV. Kittens can be infected by their mother earlier birth or during nursing after birth.

When a cat is exposed to FeLV, there are four possible outcomes. In in the region of 30% of cats, an effective immune response is produced and the infection is resisted. These cats later become naturally immune to FeLV infection for an unknown length of time. In about 40% of cats, the virus is successful and the cat eventually become persistently infected and excreting virus contained by its saliva. Another 30% of cats do not produce immunity but also do not become uncompromisingly infected immediately. In these cats, the virus hide in the bone marrow for up to 30 months. Eventually, these cats any overcome the virus or become persistently infected. Finally, some cats can develop inactive or sequestered infection. This probably happens to smaller quantity than 5-10% of cats. These cats, whose virus is hiding in sites such as the bone marrow, will not often be contagious and are unlikely to develop illness. They will not try-out positive on routine testing. In common, young cats, especially those underneath 4 months of age, have the lowest possible ability to mount an successful immune response and so are most susceptible to FeLV.

FeLV is capable of producing a far-reaching variety of associated diseases and symptoms. Degenerative diseases, such as anemia, liver disease, intestinal disease and reproductive problems can be see. In other cats, the virus produces cancerous diseases, such as lymphosarcoma and leukemia. Many cats suffer from suppression of the immune system and other illnesses, depending on which organ is involved. Cats whose immune systems are depressed by FeLV are susceptible to a wide array of infectious diseases and other problems, such as chronic respiratory infections, chronic gingivitis and stomatitis, feline infectious peritonitis, poor curative of wounds and abscesses and chronic generalized infections.

Testing is the starting place for diagnosing and managing FeLV infections. The most common screening exam for FeLV is the ELISA, while the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFA) is the most adjectives confirmatory test. Vaccination for FeLV does not affect audition results since the tests look for viral antigens, not antibodies. Kittens can be tested at any age because caring immunity does not interfere next to testing. The ELISA is the preferred question paper for screening cats since it is quick and around in vet clinics. It should be perform on a blood sample, since ELISAs done on tears or saliva hold been shown to be unreliable. Any positive or equivocal ELISA interview results should be confirmed using the IFA test, usually done at a commercial laboratory. It is possible to enjoy results on ELISA and IFA which do not agree for a variety of reason, and there is a carrying out tests protocol to follow in proclaim to determine the status of such cats.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) have published recommendation for FeLV testing. The guidelines state that the FeLV status of adjectives cats should be known because FeLV is responsible for the syndrome and death of more cats than any other disease condition. Testing and identify positive cats is the mainstay of FeLV control and is not replaced by vaccination. Cats who hold had a recent exposure to a prearranged FeLV positive cat should be tested as should any cats who are ill. Any current kitten or cat should be tested before individual added to a household with resident cats. Even if the household does not already enjoy resident cats, new pets should be tested because the wild bond that forms between owners and pets justifies knowing any adjectives threats to the pet’s health.

Cats who question paper positive for FeLV may live for months to years. Euthanasia of positive cats must be addressed on an individual foundation in consultation next to the veterinarian. In many cases, it is possible and realistic to keep a positive cat and ensure suitable quality of enthusiasm through the combined efforts of the owner and the veterinarian. Positive cats are talented of transmitting their infection to other cats, so they should not live with other cats nor should they be allowed to roam outside. This not solely protects other cats from FeLV, but protects the positive cat against the many diseases and illnesses they may contract due to their increased susceptibility.

The mainstay of treating FeLV positive cats are protecting them from exposure to other diseases, ensuring devout nutrition, giving regular vaccinations near killed virus vaccines (but not near a feline leukemia vaccine), reducing stress, controlling bedbugs, and early and aggressive treatment of any symptoms that appear. There is no specific treatment for FeLV and no specified cure. A large number of therapy have be investigated for FeLV positive cats, but most have not shown encouraging results. Anti-viral drugs, such as AZT, show some promise, but are associated near many side effects. A drug that stimulates the immune system, interferon, can be given vocally to cats without side effects and may be constructive in heaps cases. Experimental protocols have be developed that combine AZT with interferon or interferon and another immunostimulant, Propionibacterium acnes (Immunoregulin by ImmunoVet Inc, Tampa FL). Specific cancer associated with FeLV hold their own chemotherapy treatment protocols. However, cats with cancer associated beside FeLV have an average survival time of 6 months even next to aggressive chemotherapy. Drugs that are being developed to treat AIDS surrounded by humans are often tested surrounded by cats first, so that studies on new drugs for AIDS may produce drugs we can also use to treat FeLV within cats.

The best protection against any infectious disease is eliminating possible exposure. The FeLV tryout and removal program was developed to remove infected cats from infected households. Using this program, no unusual cats are added to the household and all resident cats are tested by IFA every 3 months. Any cats near positive tests are removed from the household. When every cat test negative by IFA for two test in a row, the household is declared free of FeLV. Any alien cats are not admitted to the household lacking a 3-month waiting period surrounded by which they must have two unenthusiastic IFA tests. This program have proven to be very successful for multi-cat households and catteries.

There are presently a number of companies who build and sell vaccines against FeLV. Vaccines may be against FeLV solely, or they may combine FeLV with other components. Many trials hold been conducted to compare the usefulness of the various vaccines, but lucklessly, the studies remain hard to interpret, largely due to inconsistencies contained by study designs. On average, FeLV vaccines are able to prevent infection within about 80 to 90% of cats. All the vaccines are recommended to be given as a two-dose regimen spaced 2-4 weeks apart, staring near kittens 8 to 9 weeks of age. Thereafter, annual boosters are recommended.

Recently, the American Association of Feline Practitioners has released sly vaccination guidelines. They divided vaccines into core and non-core groups. Core vaccines are those feel to be necessary for adjectives cats and non-core vaccines are felt to be obligatory only for those cats at natural risk of the disease. FeLV vaccines are designated as non-core vaccines. Vaccination is recommended only for those cats whose lifestyle places them at risk for FeLV. This includes outdoor cats or those that are indoor/outdoor, feral cats, cats surrounded by open multi-cat households, cats surrounded by FeLV-positive households, and cats in households where on earth the FeLV status of all resident cats is not agreed. Since young cats are at the greatest risk and their lifestyle is most predictable to change within the future, the AAFP panel feel that it may be appropriate to suggest initial FeLV vaccination for adjectives kittens, with subsequent annual vaccination only for those that verbs to be at-risk. In any case, owners should discuss issues of FeLV carrying out tests and vaccination next to their veterinarian so the best decision can be reach for each individual cat.


References:
Colloquium on FeLV/FIV: Tests and Vaccination, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Assoc, Vol 199, No 10, 1991
Recommendations for Feline Leukemia Virus Testing, American Association of Feline Practitioners Newsletter, Vol 14, No 1, April 1996
Feline Vaccination Guidelines, Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Academy of Feline Medicine, 1997
Weiss RC, Cummins JM, Richards, AB. Low-dose in words administered alpha interferon treatment for feline leukemia virus infection. J Amer Anim Hosp Assoc 199 (10): 1477-1481, 1991
Rojko JL, Hardy WD. Feline Leukemia Virus and other retroviruses, contained by Sherding RG (ed), The cat: diseases and clinical management, second edition, WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 263-432, 1994. "

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