Can Kittens Get Parvo From Dogs

However other questions about this disease often leave confusion in cat and dog parents which require clarification.

Can kittens get parvo from dogs. Parvovirus is highly contagious and a mutated strain of canine parvovirus has been suspected of infecting felines. Although it has be proven that humans can pass the parvo virus on to cats if they handled feces bedding or food dishes of an infected cat without washing their hands before handling healthy cats. So while it is uncommon yes cats can get parvovirus from dogs. In the same regard dogs and cats are affected by species specific parvovirus canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia respectively.

The virus has been widely assumed to have originated from feline panleukopenia virus fpv a virus that has been known since the 1920s to infect cats. The cat strain called feline panleukopenia virus fpv is a significant disease threat amongst the feline community but it cannot be transferred to canines. Cats and dogs have their own separate species specific parvovirus strains. Cats can get parvo directly from contact with another cat who has it.

They can also get it from contact with an infected cat s urine feces and nose secretions. The same cannot be said for the reverse situation as studies have shown that a mutated strain of the canine parvovirus can infect cats. Can cats get parvo from dogs. People who handle an infected cat or an infected cat s bedding food or water dish can carry the virus to the next cat they handle.

The spread of canine parvovirus during the late 1970s revealed how viruses were capable of crossing species and creating the potential for a pandemic in the new host. While dogs can get parvo in a similar way to cats the two diseases are different. Here are a few helpful answers about parvo and why cats cannot get it from dogs. The herpes virus which leads to distemper in cats.

Your furry friend s shield against infection endures because bone marrow is where blood cells have been produced. Both viruses stem cells. That is mouse parvovirus is limited to mice hamsters and other rodents of its order porcine parvovirus is limited to pigs chicken parvovirus is limited to chickens etc. It can be transmitted by any person animal or object that comes in contact with an infected dog s feces.

The parvovirus in dogs is also very closely associated with the herpes virus panleukopenia. For example if a parvo outbreak in an animal shelter takes place there is the possibility of cross contamination. There is some debate over whether cats can get parvo from dogs but the majority opinion seems to be no. Can dogs get parvo from cats.

However there are some studies that have shown that a mutated strain of the canine parvovirus cpv can in fact infect cats.