FIV - A Growing Concern
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) - Immunodeficiency is the medical term used to describe the body’s inability to develop a normal immune response. As a result of immunodeficiency, most infected cats do not show clinical signs and have a normal life expectancy; however they are prone to developing other infections and certain types of cancer.
What is Feline AIDS?
Feline AIDS is an infectious immunodeficiency disease that kills domestic cats. Recent reports reveal that as many as 14% of domestic cats are infected with the virus FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. The virus is an infection that decimates a cat’s immune system. This triggers feline AIDS.
There are three stages of the illness: infection, sub-clinical, and terminal.
In the infection stage, the virus attacks the body and causes infections. Cats will experience frequent fevers and swollen lymph nodes, just like humans experience when infected with a virus. Once an infection hits the lymph system, it spreads through the body. The fever is the body trying to fight the fever, but it cannot.
In the sub-clinical phase, the cat appears to be happy and healthy because the virus is dormant in the body. This stage can last for years. In fact, cats infected with feline AIDS can live as long as 10 years.
In the terminal phase, the cat becomes seriously ill and will not recover. The terminal phase will kill the cat in as little as a year.
How Do Cats Get Feline AIDS?
Cats get feline AIDS from other cats. It is highly infectious. Outdoor and male cats are at an increased risk because of the exposure to other cats and because of fighting. Feline AIDS spread via saliva and blood. When a feral cat bites or scratches your cat, contaminated blood can transmit the virus. The virus can be passed on during mating and, a nursing mother cat can also pass feline AIDS to her kittens.
What vaccines do we give and how often?
Vaccination for FIV can be started at any time and is the best way to prevent the disease. 3 vaccines, 3 weeks apart are needed initially, after that time annual vaccination is recommended.
Kittens are vaccinated ideally at 8, 12 and 16 weeks old, then again at 1 year old.
Adult cats are vaccinated with Felocell 3 every 3 years.
If a cat is older than 6 months, a blood test needs to be done before the FIV vaccination course can be commenced (this is separate from the Felocell 3 vaccination which covers the other diseases listed above). We need to be sure that the cat isn’t infected before being given the vaccination. The cat also needs to be micro-chipped and their FIV vaccination status recorded. This is because once they have been vaccinated, the FIV snap blood test will then produce a positive result due to the antibodies produced in order to make the vaccination effective. Because of this positive blood result, a microchip ensures there is no confusion if the cat ends up at a shelter or another vet clinic.
Come in to see us, or call us for an appointment today- prevention is key!
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) - Immunodeficiency is the medical term used to describe the body’s inability to develop a normal immune response. As a result of immunodeficiency, most infected cats do not show clinical signs and have a normal life expectancy; however they are prone to developing other infections and certain types of cancer.
What is Feline AIDS?
Feline AIDS is an infectious immunodeficiency disease that kills domestic cats. Recent reports reveal that as many as 14% of domestic cats are infected with the virus FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. The virus is an infection that decimates a cat’s immune system. This triggers feline AIDS.
There are three stages of the illness: infection, sub-clinical, and terminal.
In the infection stage, the virus attacks the body and causes infections. Cats will experience frequent fevers and swollen lymph nodes, just like humans experience when infected with a virus. Once an infection hits the lymph system, it spreads through the body. The fever is the body trying to fight the fever, but it cannot.
In the sub-clinical phase, the cat appears to be happy and healthy because the virus is dormant in the body. This stage can last for years. In fact, cats infected with feline AIDS can live as long as 10 years.
In the terminal phase, the cat becomes seriously ill and will not recover. The terminal phase will kill the cat in as little as a year.
How Do Cats Get Feline AIDS?
Cats get feline AIDS from other cats. It is highly infectious. Outdoor and male cats are at an increased risk because of the exposure to other cats and because of fighting. Feline AIDS spread via saliva and blood. When a feral cat bites or scratches your cat, contaminated blood can transmit the virus. The virus can be passed on during mating and, a nursing mother cat can also pass feline AIDS to her kittens.
What vaccines do we give and how often?
Vaccination for FIV can be started at any time and is the best way to prevent the disease. 3 vaccines, 3 weeks apart are needed initially, after that time annual vaccination is recommended.
Kittens are vaccinated ideally at 8, 12 and 16 weeks old, then again at 1 year old.
Adult cats are vaccinated with Felocell 3 every 3 years.
If a cat is older than 6 months, a blood test needs to be done before the FIV vaccination course can be commenced (this is separate from the Felocell 3 vaccination which covers the other diseases listed above). We need to be sure that the cat isn’t infected before being given the vaccination. The cat also needs to be micro-chipped and their FIV vaccination status recorded. This is because once they have been vaccinated, the FIV snap blood test will then produce a positive result due to the antibodies produced in order to make the vaccination effective. Because of this positive blood result, a microchip ensures there is no confusion if the cat ends up at a shelter or another vet clinic.
Come in to see us, or call us for an appointment today- prevention is key!