Disinfectant for FPV and your experience treating your cats?

[thenguyen2812]

Hi, it's been a traumatic week for me.
I had 13 cats, 9 of which were admitted to the vet for FPV, 7 of which already passed away.
For context, I had 2 rooms where I kept them in, one with 10 cats, the other with 3 which I haven't neuter yet since we were just moving homes.
All 10 cats in the first room were infected, 1 miraculously only stop eating and had bloody diarrhea for a day so I thought he only had an upset stomach and return him to his room. Slowly the rest of them started showing symptoms and I promptly got them to the vet.
Here's where I'm at right now.
Unfortunately, in my home country there's barely any information regarding FPV, zero information on how disinfect the virus, inconsistent information regarding symptoms depends on which site i read and who I ask.
I've been going off English resources but most of the chemicals recommended to kill FPV are extremely hard or impossible to find aside from bleach.

• Some vets tell me to use alcohol while others tell me to use chloramine B. Will chloramine B be effective against FPV?
• From your experience how long until our cats recover from FPV?
  • I have 1 4-month-old kitten left on her 6th day still fighting the disease, she managed to have a bit of food yesterday but gotten tired and refusing food again afterwards. How likely is it for her to recover? At this point I'm just looking for a bit of hope.

Please tell me your experience regarding FPV, your cat symptoms, virus progression, how long until it stops, disinfectant...etc... I've spent all my savings and even took out loans for their treatment, burial, cremation. Yet there's so little information about it that I'm constantly in a state of fear.

 

[Antonio65]

Hi and welcome to TCS.
I'm so sorry to read you have lost so many cats to this terrible disease. It's a awful way to lose a kitty, and also extremely painful for cats.

The first step to take when we have cats is to cavvine them all against a series of disease, and Panleukopenia is one of them. I believe that, among all those that are included in the RCP vaccine, FPV is the one that scares me the most when I take a cat in.
Have your cats been vaccinated?

What I know is that bleach is a very active product to try and destroy the virus in the environment, and I also know that this virus can survive up to 6 months in a household. Every item that might have been potentially contaminated with the virus must be discarded. Oc course, fabric items are the most "vulnerable".
There are other available products to destroy this virus and other pathogens. They are normally used in vet clinics, but depending on where you are based, certain products might be unavailable or hard to get.

My experience with FPV is a cat becoming lethargic, not eating, puking saliva or foam (usually yellowish in color) from their mouth, and also diarrhea or liquid poop. Fever, dehydration, are other signals.
Very few cats that I saw with FPV survived. What I have seen and experienced is that if they survive longer that 5 to 6 days, then they could make it. Kittens never survive, adult cats may do it.

 

[white shadow]

Hi thenguyen2812 and a very warm welcome to the forum!

What you've described is just heartbreaking. Please make sure you're taking good care of yourself right now, it's something we often overlook and neglect.

There was a research paper published just a few years ago that outlined some new protocols for more successful treatment of FPV - including the use of novel drugs - and, I believe disinfectants/practices are discussed there as well. Make sure to share it with your Vet!

You'll find that right here.

Keep us posted too!
.

 

[Kris107]

I just had some panleuk kittens who did not survive. Here is the cleaning protocol I'm using: How to Clean and Disinfect after Panleukopenia – Fostering Cats Be aware that not all bleach is the same - you have to read the label carefully. I also purchased the Rescue cleaner. I did both the bleach and rescue, threw away whatever I could. I will do another full cleaning in a couple months and then one more before I get any more fosters. Alcohol won't kill it. It can live on surfaces for up to 1 year. It's a bad one for sure.

I'm very sorry you're going through this - it is a horrible disease. The good news is if they survive, they will have formed immunity.

 

[white shadow]

The Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University has published a comprehensive illustrated chart of disinfecting agents - it's available as a pdf file right here. (I first found it on The Cats Pyjamas Rescue site, their FPV page)
.

 

[silent meowlook]

This should have all the info you need.
Feline Panleukopenia

 

[Caspers Human]

...leach is a very active product to try and destroy the virus in the environment...

I'm with you! Good, old fashioned, chlorine bleach! One cup liquid bleach to a gallon of hot water.

Clean everything, down to the baseboards, as much as possible. After you have cleaned, thoroughly, apply your bleach solution with a sponge or mop. Allow the surface to remain wet with bleach for several minutes before drying or, better, let dry naturally.

Smaller items may be dunked in the bleach solution for a few seconds then left to dry.

If you have concerns about residual bleach remaining on the item(s) being cleaned, rinse with clear water but not until the bleach solution has remained on the surface for several minutes. (At least five minutes but the longer, the better.)

I shouldn't have to tell you but it bears repeating: When working with bleach, wear heavy rubber gloves (heavy rubber, not those cheapo, blue things) and eye protection! Use adequate ventilation by opening windows, etc. Keep all cats out of the area until the bleach solution has dried, completely, and the smell of chlorine has dissipated. A little bit of bleach smell, like that little whiff of disinfectant you might smell in a hospital is okay.

Fabrics that can't be washed by hand can be washed in the washing machine with the hottest water available. Wash once the normal way. Wash again using nothing but hot water and chlorine bleach, according to the instructions on the label. It wouldn't hurt to use a little extra bleach in the washing machine if the items being washed are reasonably bleach resistant. Dry washed fabrics in the dryer on the hottest setting until completely dry.

Fabrics that aren't bleachable must be washed differently. You can often find laundry sanitizer that will do the job but they aren't as effective as bleach. Look on the ingredients label for words like "quaternary ammonium" or "benzalkyl--(something)" Sometimes, these substances are abbreviated as "quat." Quaternary sanitizers are almost as good as bleach. Bleach is still better, though. Again, wash twice in the hottest water available and dry well.

After you are done washing contaminated things in the washing machine, run an empty cycle with bleach and hot water just to be safe.

Upholstery, draperies, carpets and other fabrics that aren't washable should be steam cleaned. You can rent a steam cleaner from most home stores but, honestly, if you have more than just a few items, it would probably be better to call a professional cleaning service like Stanley Steemer or Service Master.

Items that can't be hand washed, machine washed or steam cleaned should be gotten rid of. Throw them into the garbage or send to the landfill. Don't donate them to a thrift store. Don't put them into a regular recycling bin. Garbage! You don't want anybody else to get contaminated and, potentially, get sick from something you threw out.

With as many cats as you have, you should go room to room and strip everything down to the bare walls and clean everything, down to the baseboards, before cleaning and replacing things back in the room. Maybe you don't have to clean every single room of the house but you should clean the major areas where cats go most often. If you have rooms were cats are excluded, those would be the lowest priority. (We don't allow cats into the basement or laundry area in our house. Those places are where we keep tools, household chemicals and other things that cats shouldn't get into.)

Sending thoughts and prayers!

 

[silent meowlook]

Unfortunately the ammonium products don’t kill Panleuk.

This is a good product to use
https://rescuedisinfectants.com/wp-...7/7917_Virox_Rescue_BucketWipes_RefSht_02.pdf

 

[silent meowlook]

Until everyone is healthy you can’t accept any in or adopt any out. Making sure the cats have good ventilation is extremely important as well as not over crowding.

 

[Caspers Human]

Unfortunately the ammonium products don’t kill Panleuk.

I looked it up again. I thought it said "Less Effective" but the chart I saw had symbols and I mixed up the symbols. It should say, "Not Effective."

The disinfectant you suggest looks really good. It uses hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide is another one that kills just about everything.
The only reason I didn't suggest peroxide before is because it needs a higher concentration than the stuff you buy at your local pharmacy. You need more like a 30% concentration which is harder to obtain and is more difficult to handle.

Liquid bleach (Clorox or similar brand) is cheap, easy to use and you can get it at your local grocery store.

Your stuff looks good! I'll have to look into it.

 

[thenguyen2812]

First of all, thank you all for the kind messages. I've been frantically joining vet groups asking questions on facebook. I either got ignored or receive very lack luster replies. I can't thank you enough for your kindness.

 

[thenguyen2812]

Hi and welcome to TCS.
I'm so sorry to read you have lost so many cats to this terrible disease. It's a awful way to lose a kitty, and also extremely painful for cats.

The first step to take when we have cats is to cavvine them all against a series of disease, and Panleukopenia is one of them. I believe that, among all those that are included in the RCP vaccine, FPV is the one that scares me the most when I take a cat in.
Have your cats been vaccinated?

What I know is that bleach is a very active product to try and destroy the virus in the environment, and I also know that this virus can survive up to 6 months in a household. Every item that might have been potentially contaminated with the virus must be discarded. Oc course, fabric items are the most "vulnerable".
There are other available products to destroy this virus and other pathogens. They are normally used in vet clinics, but depending on where you are based, certain products might be unavailable or hard to get.

My experience with FPV is a cat becoming lethargic, not eating, puking saliva or foam (usually yellowish in color) from their mouth, and also diarrhea or liquid poop. Fever, dehydration, are other signals.
Very few cats that I saw with FPV survived. What I have seen and experienced is that if they survive longer that 5 to 6 days, then they could make it. Kittens never survive, adult cats may do it.

Unfortunately, none of them were vaccinated. I never knew they needed to get vaccine until May, when one of my cat escaped from the house and caught it from the neighbor's cat after a fight, he didn't make it either. Miraculously, the rest of them didn't catch the virus from him back then. And I disinfected the room like 10 times before letting them move back in.

Since then, we moved into an apartment with no way of my cats to meet other cat, and with me cleaning daily. So when the first few cats started showing symptoms, my heart sank and I have no idea where it could have possibly came from.

There's only 1 product marketed to kill FPV in my country and I never seen any vet uses it, or even know of it when I ask them, it's x10 times more expensive than using alcohol or chloramine B. I've never seen any of them use Bleach either and our vets are pretty notorious for spreading diseases after visits.
It's Potassium monopersulfate, which I'm just praying works, it's the closest thing to Potassium peroxymonosulfate that I could find.

I'm refraining from using bleach because my wife is pregnant but it seems like I don't have any other good options.

 

[Antonio65]

Unfortunately, none of them were vaccinated. I never knew they needed to get vaccine until May, when one of my cat escaped from the house and caught it from the neighbor's cat after a fight, he didn't make it either. Miraculously, the rest of them didn't catch the virus from him back then. And I disinfected the room like 10 times before letting them move back in.

Since then, we moved into an apartment with no way of my cats to meet other cat, and with me cleaning daily. So when the first few cats started showing symptoms, my heart sank and I have no idea where it could have possibly came from.

Some viruses can be ariborne or can come home with you when you go outside and either you walk onto contaminated surfaces, roads, sidewalks, or you involuntarily touch something that has been contaminated.
Or, a guest to your home may have brought it from their cats or because they visited places where the virus can be present, like a cat shelter.
That's why it is advisable to vaccine all cats, despite their habits (indoor/outdoor), at least the primary cycle, that is vaccine, one booster the next month and another booster the next year.
For instance, FeLV vaccine is advisable to cats who go outside, but generally vets do not recommend it to cats who live indoors only. RCP vaccine are always recommended in the first years.

There's only 1 product marketed to kill FPV in my country and I never seen any vet uses it, or even know of it when I ask them, it's x10 times more expensive than using alcohol or chloramine B. I've never seen any of them use Bleach either and our vets are pretty notorious for spreading diseases after visits.
It's Potassium monopersulfate, which I'm just praying works, it's the closest thing to Potassium peroxymonosulfate that I could find.

I'm refraining from using bleach because my wife is pregnant but it seems like I don't have any other good options.

I don't know the product.
What others have said and that I know that several vets do use is the Virkon S, a wide range disinfectant and virus-killer, and it seems it is safe enough to be used even in environments where animals live and cannot be moved away from.

 

[thenguyen2812]

Hi thenguyen2812 and a very warm welcome to the forum!

What you've described is just heartbreaking. Please make sure you're taking good care of yourself right now, it's something we often overlook and neglect.

There was a research paper published just a few years ago that outlined some new protocols for more successful treatment of FPV - including the use of novel drugs - and, I believe disinfectants/practices are discussed there as well. Make sure to share it with your Vet!

You'll find that right here.

Keep us posted too!
.

Thank you so much. The resources you posted are golden. I'm a wreck right now, I feel like I lost my best friends, and I'm ultimately to blame for failing to protect them. It's hard to keep myself together but I'm trying.

As for updates on my 2 remaining cats getting treated at the vet.

1. the 5 yo - she's doing well, unvaccinated but she only had diarrhea and vomit once before I took her to the vet, no other symptoms showed up during treatment, only the occasional fever.
2. the 4 month old kitten is on her 7th day of treatment, moving to the 8th, still have bloody stool, tired, have a hard time walking like a new born deer, but she likes to hop onto my lap to sleep whenever I visit. She had more energy and ate on the 6th day but then stopped, I really hope she makes it.