Management of the immunosuppressed cat

摘要

As a species, cats are frequently afflicted with immunosuppressive states that put them at risk for serious infections. The retroviruses feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are the most common causes of immunosuppression in the cat. In addition, there are a variety of causes of neutropenia, including primary diseases such as panleukopenia virus and complications of disease treatment, such as that caused by chemotherapy. Immunodeficiency states of newborn kittens arebelieved to contribute to neonatal sepsis, a leading cause of death in kittens. Inherited and congenital defects in the immune system occur in cats, but these appear to be much less common than in the dog.