Cats of any age, breed or sex can be affected.
Lymphosarcoma is typically seen in younger cats that are infected with the
feline leukemia virus, and in older cats that are not infected with the virus.
In some cats the FeLV virus may remain dormant
for variable periods of time. A fluorescent antibody test, developed in the 1970s,
produced evidence that the virus is present in many apparently healthy
cats. In these cats, FeLV
may break out and cause disease at any time. Stress or drugs that
suppress the immune system may play a role in the outbreak of the disease.
There is no known cure for
feline leukemia (FeLV),
and the outcome is usually fatal. Even
when the disease is caught in the earlier stages, chemotherapy is the mainstay
of treatment. Chemotherapy
treatments may prolong life for up to a year.
Warning
signs of Feline Leukemia can include:
Many
cats with cancer are positive for retroviruses (e.g. Feline Leukemia Virus and
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). However, a cat need not be FELV or FIV positive
to have cancers such as Lymphosarcoma.
FIV
Cornell University of Veterinarian medicine
does
a thorough job at explaining the causes, effects, spread, and treatment of this
tragic feline version of AIDS. There is currently no cure.
(FeLV)
explained by the
Cornell
University of Veterinarian medicine.
Symptoms, causes, understanding lab tests, long term health effects, and the
latest treatments. There is currently no cure.
Feline
Leukemia Treatments:
Veterinarian
and public information.
Living
with FIV and/or FeLV Felines: A
positive approach to living with the infected feline. How to resolve issues
involving multiple cat households along with cat and human stress valuable
support links.
