Can Kittens Have Parvo

Cats who receive veterinary care for their parvo have a better chance of surviving than those who do not.

Can kittens have parvo. However generally kittens are easily more susceptible to the viral infection as they do not have have the development of active immunity and they do not have a strong enough immune system to battle all the clinical signs that occur. Kittens are more susceptible to parvo especially if exposed to an infected animal such as their mother. While not the same as canine parvovirus it is referred to as parvo due to the similar symptoms. Cats are most susceptible as kittens from 4 to 12 weeks of age or even as unvaccinated adults.

You should keep young sick or unvaccinated cats away from other cats or those who have had the disease a few months earlier. Cat vaccine for parvo and distemper all cats should be vaccinated starting at age 4 6 weeks including injured and mildly ill kittens. Check with your veterinarian if your cat has already been diagnosed with panleukopenia. Kittens under 16 weeks should receive boosters every two weeks if in a high risk environment such as a shelter.

Like many viruses parvo in cats has different strains varying in deadliness. Both cat s and kittens can get parvovirus. It is one of the deadliest viruses to cats. Parvovirus can even affect unborn kittens while they are still in the womb.

The viruses do not infect people. Fip is spread through contact between cats. Once your cat has contracted fpv and lived to tell the tale it is unlikely that they will catch it again. Overall up to 90 percent of cats who get parvo and are not treated will die.

Kittens will appear to have fat stomachs when in fact they re building up fluid which will eventually kill them. Kittens are most severely affected by the virus. The names feline distemper and feline parvo should not be confused with canine distemper or canine parvo although their names are similar they are caused by different viruses. Adult cats who get parvo have a better chance of surviving than kittens.

But parvo can also be transmitted by fleas that have fed off of an infected cat which is why it s very difficult to prevent your kitten from being exposed to this deadly disease. The best way to avoid infection is prevention.