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feline distemper
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feline distemper

viral disease
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Also known as: infectious enteritis, panleucopenia, panleukopenia
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Also called:
panleukopenia or infectious enteritis

feline distemper, viral disease of cats, kittens two to six months old being most susceptible. Highly contagious, it is caused by a parvovirus that is closely related to canine parvovirus type 2. About 3 to 10 days after exposure to the disease, infected kittens cough and sneeze, have running eyes and nose, are feverish, lose their appetites, vomit, and have diarrhea. The number of white cells in the blood drops severely. The disease rarely lasts more than a week, but the mortality rate is high. An antigen test is available, as are vaccines that offer effective immunity.