Jeanne Prins never would have suspected her cats could be at risk for a deadly virus. As a longtime cat owner, Prins took precautions to keep her feline friends safe from infectious disease. Unfortunately, Prins learned about an emerging and deadly threat to cats when she lost three of her own unexpectedly.

The disease is virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV), a highly contagious and potentially fatal mutation of traditional calicivirus. While traditional feline calicivirus is a common cold-like viral disease that rarely causes serious complications and is rarely fatal, VS-FCV has a significantly higher mortality rate.

"Cats affected by this disease can die, and those that do not die may take several weeks to return to normal," says Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM, DABPV, owner of Alamo Feline Health Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Prins took measures to keep her cats away from infectious diseases by never letting them outdoors, keeping up with their vaccinations and being cautious about letting new animals into the house. VS-FCV, however, still made its way into her home, and once the disease was there, it spread rapidly, affecting five cats from six months to 20 years of age. Within days of showing clinical signs of infection, three of Prins' cats died.

In addition to the mortality rate, VS-FCV is a danger because it can be transmitted easily from cat to cat through hair, dander, saliva, blood, feces, urine, and eye and nose secretions. It also can be transmitted without any direct exposure to an infected cat because the virus spreads easily via objects, such as clothing, tables, doorknobs, shoes and hands.

"A person could touch an infected cat and then touch a doorknob. The next person who touches the doorknob can pass the disease on to a different cat," says Dr. Norsworthy.

Prins believes it was she, and not another animal, who brought the disease into her home. "One of the scariest things about this disease is how rapidly and easily it can spread," says Prins, an employee at Midwest Veterinary Supply in Owings Mills, Md. "Unfortunately, I probably brought this disease home to my cats by simply shaking the wrong hand somewhere."

Now, however, pet owners and veterinarians can take preventive action with a new vaccine that protects against VS-FCV. CaliciVax(TM), from Fort Dodge Animal Health, is the only vaccine licensed and proved effective against VS- FCV. It also protects against the traditional calicivirus, providing broader protection.

"I've started putting VS-FCV into my core vaccination protocol," says Dr. Norsworthy. "During the next year, all the cats I immunize will be vaccinated to help protect them against this devastating disease."

Signs of VS-FCV infection can include high fever, swelling of the limbs and face, sores and hair loss - especially on the face, muzzle and feet - discharge from the nose and eyes, anorexia and depression. A pet owner always should consult with his or her veterinarian about the health of a cat and the most appropriate preventive health care program, based on a pet's individual disease risk factors.

As for Prins, she's using her experience to help build awareness about VS-FCV. She wants to ensure that other pet owners don't suffer the same tragic outcome.

"My mission is to spread the word about VS-FCV and the vaccine that can prevent it - because I won't allow my cats to have died in vain," says Prins. "Cat owners and their veterinarians need to take this disease seriously and get their cats vaccinated now."

Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of Wyeth, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of animal health products for the companion animal, livestock, equine, swine and poultry industries in North America and international markets. Key feline products include ProMeris(TM) for cats and the Fel-O-Vax(R) and Fel-O-Guard(TM) vaccine lines.

SOURCE Fort Dodge Animal Health