Cat owners in the Bendigo area are urged to keep an eye out for symptoms of a potentially fatal illness that has struck at least one cat in the city.
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Bendigo Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr Max Tori said a cat from Kennington suffering feline panleukopenia virus, also known as feline parvovirus, was brought into the clinic on Monday.
Fortunately, the owners of the Kennington cat picked up on their pet’s illness quickly and the cat was responding well to treatment, but Dr Tori said FPV could rapidly become fatal.
Dr Tori said common symptoms included lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea, which could be bloodied.
He said the illness came on quickly and owners should visit a vet if their pet displayed any symptoms.
Unvaccinated cats should be kept indoors until they are vaccinated.
Dr Tori said it was the first case of the illness he had seen in Bendigo since arriving at the clinic five years ago and its incidence was low Australia-wide.
But earlier this year, RSPCA Victoria and the Victorian division of the Australian Veterinary Association issued advice after the virus was detected in stray kittens in Melbourne.
Dr Tori said common symptoms included lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea, which could be bloodied.
He said the illness came on quickly and owners should visit a vet if their pet displayed any symptoms.
Unvaccinated cats should be kept indoors until they are vaccinated.
Dr Tori said feral cats and people failing to vaccinate their pets had likely contributed to the re-emergence of the illness.
He said he believed that some people were lax about vaccinating their cats because while while many pet owners were well-aware of canine parvovirus, the dangers of this virus were not as well-known.
Owners should ensure their cats receive the standard annual vaccination, which provides high protection against FPV.