Feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious, often fatal disease that is entirely preventable through vaccination. Understanding the disease helps owners appreciate the importance of core vaccination.
Panleukopenia causes severe suffering through profound immunosuppression, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, fever, and sepsis. Affected kittens deteriorate rapidly and the prognosis without intensive supportive care is poor. Surviving cats may have permanent cerebellar damage if infected in utero or as neonates, causing lifelong coordination problems. The disease is entirely preventable through core vaccination, making cases in vaccinated cats extremely rare. Shelter and rescue environments with inadequate vaccination protocols are disproportionately affected. The environmental stability of the virus means premises can remain contaminated for extended periods after cases occur.