Each season, changing weather conditions prompt a sharp rise in illness amongst the cat and dog populations of India. Characterised by a sudden onset, these viruses appear to materialise out of nowhere, before rippling through packs of strays and pets alike. At the veterinary clinic where I assist, entire mornings are often spent shuffling between infected dogs and cats, administering fluids, antibiotics, and medications to manage the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. While there are often cases of success, as a puppy’s strength returns or a kitten regains her appetite, these are against a backdrop of devastating loss due to these viral illnesses, indicative of the greater need in India for awareness on preventative measures.
A century ago, feline panleukopenia, also known as feline distemper or feline parvo, was one of the most prevalent causes of mortality for cats and kittens in the West. The disease is highly contagious and often fatal, especially for kittens, attacking cells in the bone marrow, lymphoid tissues, intestinal epithelium, and even the cerebellum. As a result of the infection, cats and kittens will demonstrate symptoms of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, loss of appetite, and a high fever. Kittens are often so weakened by the virus that they lose control of their limbs and cannot stand. In shelters, where numerous litters of stray kittens too young to be vaccinated share a space, the virus is rampant and an outbreak can be decimating.
In 1976, a strain of feline panleukopenia mutated and was transferred to dogs, becoming the illness we now know as canine parvovirus. Although FPV and CPV are closely related, they are not transmissible between species and have slightly disparate presentations. Once inside a dog, CPV targets the lymph nodes, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and, in some puppies, the heart. The emblematic symptom for canine parvovirus is bloody diarrhoea, often coupled with lethargy, fever, vomiting, and loss of appetite. As with feline panleukopenia, the youngest animals are the most severely affected, with weaker immune systems that leave them susceptible to a host of secondary infections.
In most of the Western world, feline panleukopenia and canine parvovirus are seen as almost eradicated, as the widespread availability of vaccines continues to reduce the number of cases. However, in India, these viruses persist undeterred, provoking the question of why FPV and CPV continue to endure. The answer, unsurprisingly, lies with strays.
Both viruses can be transferred between animals either through excretions or fomites - which are the secret to the viruses’ prolificacy. Fomites are non-living objects, such as clothes, furniture, or food bowls, with the capacity to transmit a virus or bacteria. What distinguishes the two parvoviruses from similar diseases is that they are incredibly hardy, capable of surviving on fomites for months after contact with an infected animal. India’s high population of strays, the majority of whom are unvaccinated and will go untreated if infected, provide a vehicle for the virus to propagate further and spread to new fomites.
Additionally, while both viruses are easily preventable with a vaccine, the knowledge and availability of vaccinations remains lacking. In countries that have minimised the spread of FPV and CPV, protection against these viruses are part of the core vaccine courses. Many pet owners in India, on the other hand, are not informed of the high incidence or severity of the two parvoviruses. As someone who handles cases of feline panleukopenia and canine parvovirus on an almost daily basis, the most disheartening aspect of these diseases is how prevalent they are despite being so easily avoidable. The adage that “prevention is the best cure” rings especially true when it comes to CPV and FPV, where no effective treatment exists except preventative vaccines.
The situation regarding canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia can seem bleak, yet the future for India’s dog and cat population is one of hope, considering the tangible solutions with the potential to be implemented. Widespread vaccination campaigns, of strays and pets, are key to successful management of viral illnesses in India, due to the phenomenon of herd immunity. While the young puppies and kittens most susceptible to viruses do not possess immune systems resilient enough to be vaccinated yet, vaccinating other animals in the area reduces their risk of contracting disease. Therefore, the effort of vaccinating adult cats and dogs is a necessary effort that must be undertaken to ensure the health and wellbeing of animals across the nation.
To anticipate the potential of such an initiative, we only have to look to the triumph of Mission Rabies, an NGO that began vaccinating dogs in Goa against rabies in 2013. As a result of the mass vaccination events, Goa has not had a single case of human rabies in four years, and cases of canine rabies have continuously been on the decline. The eradication of canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia requires a similar allocation of resources and commitment to the protection of strays from viral illnesses. These efforts must be coupled with the spaying and neutering of stray dogs and cats, in order to minimise stray populations in a humane manner. As with many issues of animal health and welfare, the impact and solutions of this problem are far more extensive than we may initially realise. While it does call for a multifaceted and thorough approach, working to limit the spread of canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia will undeniably shape the trajectory of animals in India towards a healthy and abiding future
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