Recently we had two cats brought in called Walrus and Runty. When they first arrived nothing obvious was wrong with them. They went to the vets for blood testing, neutering a micro-chipping. It wasn't until after they were neutered that we began to notice that Walrus wasn't eating, his gums looked pale and his breathing was laboured.
Walrus was sent to the vets straight away for testing and the results came back that he had FIA. A few days later Walrus looked worse and Runty was starting to look ill as well. They were both sent to the vets and stayed their overnight for a few days. They were monitoring, given medication and were put on a drip.
Both cats turned out to have the disease. Walrus and Runty are now back with us at the centre and are on medication. We are so pleased to say that the boys are looking so much better. They are eating well, have more energy and are so much happier.
Feline infectious anaemia, also known as FIA, is an anaemia in cats that is caused by a parasite that lives in the blood. If your cat is unwell and pale, it may be that it is anaemic, but there are many different causes of anaemia in cats and FIA is just one of these. Early recognition and treatment of FIA is important to maximise the chances of full recovery.
FIA typically refers to anaemia caused by the parasites called 'haemoplasmas'. Haemoplasmas are bacteria that live on the surface of red blood cells. Several different haemoplasma species infect cats. Mycoplasma haemofelis (also called the large strain) is the most important haemoplasma as it causes the most severe anaemia in cats. Other haemoplasma species tend to cause less disease in cats: 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (also called the small strain) and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis'. When the red blood cell is infected with the haemoplasma parasite it does not survive long in the circulation. The parasite can cause damage to the membrane surrounding the red cell causing the cell to rupture. Affected blood cells may also be destroyed by the body and, as numbers of circulating red blood cells drop, anaemia develops.
The natural method of haemoplasma transmission has not yet been proven. Fleas are thought to be able to spread infection, so flea bites may transmit infection. Infected blood transfusions have also been found to spread infection.It is known that male cats are more likely to be affected than females which may be the result of their lifestyle and increased risk of fighting. Very young kittens can be infected from contact with their infected mother.
Cats may be more at risk of getting anaemia due to haemoplasma infection if their immune response is reduced. This can occur in cats that are ill with other diseases or cancer. Some drugs (eg treatments for cancer) and infections like FeLV (Feline Leukaemia Virus) and FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) also suppress the immune response and can put cats more at risk from infectious anaemia.
Cats are very good at hiding signs of illness, especially anaemia, so it is possible that you won't recognise signs of anaemia in your cat until the anaemia is very severe. Cats with anaemia are generally depressed, lethargic and their appetite may be reduced. The membranes inside their mouth and eyes may appear paler than normal, or sometimes these membranes and the eyes take on a yellowish tinge due to jaundice (as a result of excessive red cell breakdown). Severely affected cats may have breathing problems and become breathless even after minimal exercise. Cats with infectious anaemia often have a high temperature too, and they often become quite markedly dehydrated as they stop eating and drinking.
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