How long can a persian cat live with leukemia?
I just found out my 5 month old persian has leukemia. How long can he live, and will he get very sick and suffer a lot?
- kittycat
i am so so sorry to hear about your beautiful kitten :( give him lots of cuddles !
- SJ
one or two days or if it's strong enough it can survive through a week
- Janlyn T
Hi, I have a cat that has leukemia for the past 11yrs.. The vet said to put him down so he won't suffer. We refused to do it. He's still kicking good.. other than a few eye infections, runny eyes and bad teeth, he's doing well. Keep him inside so he won't infect other cats, and keep an eye on any infections that need to be taken care of. I give him garlic capsules and raw liver to keep his blood count up. Smokie will probably live as long as any other cat, as long as you make sure his infections are taken care of.
- t-bone
leukaemia isn't the end, some cats live for a very long time with proper treatment, but as you stated the pets quality of life may enter into the equation, i get the feeling you are a responsible pet owner and would be prepared to pay the vet bills required to fight this condition. but in the event the cure causes pain with no good result then you as a pet owner should have them put down, it is very humane to help them out of their misery I had to do it years ago and don't regret it for a minute, Good luck.
- Ally
*What kind of leukemia does he have?*
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection is responsible for more deaths among cats than any other infectious disease. The virus affects domestic cats and occurs in some wild felines as well.
Types of FeLV
There are three main types of feline leukemia virus: FeLV-A, FeLV-B, and FeLV-C. FeLV-positive cats can be infected with one, two, or all three types:
FeLV-A occurs in all FeLV-infected cats and causes severe immunosuppression (weakened immune system).
FeLV-B occurs in about 50% of all FeLV-infected cats and causes more neoplastic disease (i.e., tumors and other abnormal tissue growths) than cats infected only with FeLV-A.
FeLV-C occurs in about 1% of FeLV-infected cats and causes severe anemia.
After the initial infection, the virus replicates in the tonsils and pharyngeal lymph nodes (the pharynx is the muscular tube in the neck). Then it spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, especially the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and intestinal tissue, where it continues to replicate. Viremia, the presence of virus in the blood, usually shows up 2 to 4 weeks after the initial infection.
Males are 1.7 times more likely to be infected than females, and younger cats are more susceptible to infection than older cats. FeLV is found mostly in cats from 1 to 6 years old; the average age is 3 years.
*He will be sick and most likely uncomfortable as the disease progresses, I am so sorry for this, but there are measures that you can take to relieve pain*
There is no cure for FeLV. All treatments, including the following, are aimed at relieving pain and discomfort:
Antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections
Blood transfusions
Chemotherapy to treat tumors
Dietary supplements
Immunomodulatory drugs (e.g., drugs that target the immune system), such as interferon, immunoregulin, and acemannan
Keep a FeLV-infected cat indoors and away from other cats. If the cat dies from FeLV, the Cornell Feline Health Center recommends a waiting period of at least 30 days before getting another cat. The house and cat supplies should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before bringing a new cat home.
An FeLV-positive cat that is not sick is probably still shedding the virus. FeLV-positive cats should not be housed with other cats. Deciding what to do with an FeLV-positive cat in a multicat household can be very difficult. There are several options, including:
Euthanasia
Finding a home for the FeLV-positive cat where it will be the sole cat
Isolating the FeLV-positive cat within the home, by keeping it in a separate room and providing a separate litter tray and feeding bowl
*I do not know how long he can live, but I wish you both the best of luck. It's a painful time when a pet is sick.*
Leukemia — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, risk factors, treatment of this blood-related cancer.
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