🐾 Animal Welfare Hub

Key Facts

• Caused by haemotropic Mycoplasma species transmitted by fleas and possibly other vectors
• Destroys red blood cells on the surface, causing progressive haemolytic anaemia
• Cats may be subclinical carriers for years before stress triggers clinical disease
• Treatment with doxycycline achieves clinical remission but does not eliminate infection
• Flea control is the primary prevention strategy in vector-endemic areas

Welfare Considerations

FIA welfare emergencies arise when haemolysis progresses to severe anaemia causing extreme weakness, pallor, and respiratory distress from reduced oxygen carrying capacity. Affected cats in crisis require emergency supportive care including blood transfusions in severe cases. Doxycycline treatment controls active disease within days in most cases, providing rapid welfare improvement. Cats carry residual infection lifelong and may relapse during stress or immunosuppression. Flea control eliminates the primary transmission vector and reduces FIA risk. Co-infection with FeLV or FIV dramatically worsens prognosis and welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

• Implement year-round flea prevention for all cats as the primary prevention strategy
• Seek emergency veterinary care for any pale, weak, or rapidly breathing cat
• Begin doxycycline treatment promptly when FIA is confirmed
• Test for FeLV and FIV as concurrent infections worsen prognosis
• Monitor for relapse signs during illness or stressful events