Feline Leukemia · Feline Leukemia signs & symptoms · Feline Leukemia diagnosis · Feline Leukemia treatment · Feline Leukemia related articles
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Cats with FeLV can become listless, lose their appetites, vomit and have diarrhea. They are anemic and their gums will be pale rather than healthy pink. Gums are pale because the bone marrow, which makes red blood cells (RBCs), does not function well in cats with FeLV. Because anemic cats aren’t transporting oxygen as they should, their heart beats more rapidly than normal, and they have less energy than normal.
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In addition to not producing RBCs, the unhealthy bone marrow is not producing healthy white blood cells (WBCs) either. Because WBCs protect pets from bacteria and viruses that are constantly present in the environment, cats with the leukemia virus develop other infections easily—even infections caused by bacteria and viruses that do not normally make cats ill. These cats become septic as bacteria that cause infections multiply and travel through their blood. Death quickly follows.
The bone marrow also makes platelets, which are essential for normal blood clotting, and when the marrow is infected by the leukemia virus, platelets are not made. Thus, cats with platelet deficiency (thrombocytopenia) bruise easily and may lose blood in the stool (melena).
Some cats with FeLV develop Immune-mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) because their white blood cells attack their own clotting cells (thrombocytes). These cats bleed easily and are anemic.
Tumors
Many cats with FeLV develop tumors because their WBCs congregate and create masses in the intestines, the chest, spleen, or kidneys. This form of leukemia is called lymphoma for “lymph” meaning white blood cells, and “oma” meaning tumor. Symptoms depend upon where tumors are located and how they affect normal function. In some cats, the blood will be full of immature white blood cells called lymphoblasts. When the lymphoblasts develop suddenly, the condition is called acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). When lymphoblasts develop slowly, the condition is called chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Cats with ALL usually die very quickly but those with CLL may go into remission when treated with chlorambucil or prednisone.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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