Please be aware that it has come to my attention that PKDef has been spread among the bengal genes. PKDef has nothing to do with PKD, Polycystic Kidney Disease.
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is an inherited disease occasionally encountered in Abyssinian and Somali cats, and also reported in the domestic shorthair cat. Pyruvate kinase is an enzyme found within red blood cells which enables them to produce energy to survive. If this enzyme is lacking, the lifespan of the red blood cells is significantly reduced, resulting in a reduction in the number of red blood cells in the circulation (anaemia).
http://www.fabcats.org/owners/pk_deficiency/info.html
The symptoms in affected kittens can be very easily mistaken for FIP. If you had FIP kittens and it was not confirmed by autopsy, it can be useful to get your cats tested for PKDef. There is a new simple one-time swap test available at UC Davis.
https://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/
Mind you, I know what I am talking about. One of my queens turned out to be a carrier (one ill gene).
Edit April 30th: and our stud turned out to be an affected cat (two ill genes) which means the poor guy will certainly die of this horrible disease. Nobody can predict when, but it is inevitable
Here in the Netherlands and in Germany, more and more bengals turn out to be carriers. We only found out because we started testing them. We got the heads up from a German breeder we thank her for that! If it is spread in our bengals, chances are it is spread in your bengals as well.
There is no reason to panic not to breed a carrier (one ill gene) just as long as the partner is not a carrier as well. Kittens from those matings should be tested if they will be used for breeding again.
Affected cats, with 2 ill genes, officially should be neutered for their own health sakes but I recently learned most PKDef affected cats die on the operation table or shortly after. We are still uncertain if we might try chemical castration for our stud. One thing will be sure: we'll get him a pampered rest of his life.
Get your bengals tested. It can save you and your kitten buyers a lot of grieve.
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Ilona
Cattery Ifness, The Netherlands
http://www.ifness.com/bengaal/