Indoor Cats Werent Usually At Risk
The FIV vaccine for cats was considered a noncore vaccine, which means it was administered on a case-by-case basisdepending on an individual cats risk of infection.
FIV is transmitted through saliva therefore, cats that are in close contact with each other have the highest risk of getting infected. The most at-risk cats include outdoor or stray cats, especially intact adult males, who are more likely to roam and fight for territory and food.
Indoor cats generally have a very low risk of getting FIV and rarely received the FIV vaccine. So even when it was available, not many cats actually received the vaccine.
What Is Fiv In Cats
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, also known as cat FIV, is a retrovirus infection first detected in the United States. Cats suffering from FIV dont show any illness signs for the initial years, and the virus remains in the immune system of cats for an extended period. This virus is a slow killer and begins its work by destroying immune system cells. The problem arises when it starts targeting and killing white blood cells. Such actions result in the weakening of the potential to fight illnesses. Due to these reasons, FIV is considered cat HIV because it shows identical consequences on felines, like humans, when they have HIV.
After the destruction of the immune system, FIV positive cats become highly prone to catching secondary infections. It is essential to understand that the feline leukaemia virus and FIV are not similar illnesses both lead to distinct effects in cats. Another thing about FIV in cats is that the virus remains present in the cats saliva therefore, the possibility of virus transmission to other cats is enormous.
How Is Fiv Diagnosed
FIV is diagnosed through blood tests that detect antibodies to the virus. The most common screening test is called an ELISA test . A positive test result means that the cat has produced antibodies to the virus, and it is likely that it has been and still is infected by the virus. False positive results may occur if a cat has been vaccinated against FIV, since the antibody test does not differentiate between antibodies produced by the disease and vaccine-induced antibodies. Kittens born to an infected mother may receive maternal antibodies, or antibodies to the virus that pass through the milk, causing a false positive test result. Kittens under four months of age that test positive should be re-tested when they are six months old, by which time any maternal antibodies will have disappeared.
It can take up to eight weeks for a cat to develop antibodies to FIV, so a cat that has been recently infected with this virus may falsely test negative.
If a cat is diagnosed positive on the ELISA test, the results should be confirmed by retesting in eight weeks or by submitting blood samples for a more definitive Western blot test or PCR test.
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How Long Will It Take My Cat To Show Symptoms
After infection there is a period of variable length during which the virus lives in the cats body but may not cause the cat to become unwell. The average length of time between becoming infected, and the start of symptoms related to the virus, is 7 years but may be as long as 10 years, or as little as less than a year.
Cat Stress: Is It Connected To Immune Support For Cats
One of the best ways you can set your cat up for success is through extra immune support, including giving your cat everything they need to thrive. As a cat owner, youve probably seen products marketed towards you for cat supplements or special treats and diets that promise to improve your cats immune system. The best resource for ensuring your cats immune system is supported is always going to be by talking with your PetWellClinic veterinarian. However, here are some other easy things you can do at home for immune support for cats!
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What Type Of Disease Does Fiv Cause
FIV causes disease because it reduces the ability of the cat’s immune system to respond to other infections. Infections that the cat would normally be able to recover from become prolonged or chronic. This means that many of the clinical signs associated with FIV are due to other non-healing infections.
“Many of the clinical signs associated with FIV are due to other non-healing infections.”
Collectively, the signs seen as consequences of FIV are sometimes called feline AIDS. Common clinical signs of FIV infection include:
⢠Gingivitis/stomatitis
⢠Weight loss
Cats With Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
FIV infection leads to progressive disruption of normal immune function . Early and persistent immunologic abnormalities that occur after experimental and natural infection include decreases in both the number and relative proportions of CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood as well as in lymphoid tissues. Ultimately, loss of CD4+ T cells impairs immune responses because CD4+ T cells play critical roles in promoting and maintaining both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Over time, lymphocytes lose the ability to proliferate in response to stimulation with lymphocyte mitogens or recall antigens, and have impaired priming by immunogens in vitro . Lymphocyte function can also be impaired by reduced or altered expression of cell surface molecules, such as CD4+, major histocompatibility complex antigens or other co-stimulatory molecules, cytokines and cytokine receptors , or even the expression of abnormal molecules . Many of these molecules have a critical role in antigen presentation or amplification and control of immune responses.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Fiv
Some of the symptoms of FIV include:
- Swollen lymph nodes
These signs of the initial signs of infection, often go unnoticed and in most circumstances the cat will recover and appear to be healthy for some time.
Eventually however, an infected cat will succumb to other diseases as a result of their depleted immune system.
Other diseases, illnesses or symptoms include:
- Dental problems and inflamed gums
- Weight loss and a decline in body condition
- Cancers such as lymphoma, carcinomas and sarcomas
- Infections of organ systems related to immune suppression
- Low numbers of other cells including white blood cells and platelets
- Behavioural abnormalities
- Inflammation of the eye
As the disease progresses a cats immune system becomes too weak to fight off other infections or disease and as a result, they will usually die from one of these subsequent infections.
Questions To Ask Your Vet
False positive results on FIV tests are real problem. A positive result in an apparently healthy cat should always be confirmed by at least one other type of test. Cats who have been vaccinated against FIV will test positive on screening tests and Western Blot tests. Cats under the age of six months will sometimes erroneously test positive on FIV screening tests because they have maternal antibodies against the disease in their bloodstream. If you have any doubts as to your cats diagnosis, ask your veterinarian to show you the results of at least two different types of FIV tests and explain why he or she has reached the conclusion that your cat does indeed have FIV.
FIV is not a highly contagious disease, but it can be passed from cat to cat, primarily through bite wounds. There is also a small risk of disease transmission associated with sharing food bowls, mutual grooming, and other activities that could expose an uninfected cat to an infected cats saliva. If you live in a multiple-cat household, have all your cats tested for FIV and ask your veterinarian whether you should vaccinate your FIV-negative cats against the disease.
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What Are The Treatments For Cat Fiv
There is no antiviral remedy available specifically for the treatment of FIV in cats. Most vets put their focus on trying to keep a cat asymptomatic for an extended period. One study found that FIV-positive cats live for an average of 5 years after their diagnosis, but their prognosis can vary greatly.
If FIV symptoms start to show up, they treat any secondary illnesses that result from the virus. Treatments often recommended to help cats with FIV include:
- Medications to help with any secondary infections
- Fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy
- Parasite control
- Drugs to boost the immune system
- Drugs that help with inflammation
- A nutritional diet that is easy on the catâs system
Your vet may also recommend the following tips for caring for FIV positive cats:
- Keep the cat indoors to protect their immune system and prevent them from infecting other cats.
- Neuter male cats to prevent territorial behavior.
- Spay female cats to prevent FIV being passed to future offspring.
- Watch for any changes in the catâs behavior or health.
- Take the cat in at least two times per year for a vet checkup that includes a urine analysis and blood count.
- Eliminate raw foods and eggs from their diet.
Antiviral therapies like interferons or antiviral drugs like AZT can help extend the periods when your cat does not have symptoms. Early treatment of FIV can extend an FIV-infected catâs life expectancy and allow them to have a fairly good quality of life.
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What Is Fiv And Why Is The Fiv Vaccine No Longer Available
If you have cats, you may have heard of feline immunodeficiency virus . FIV is a retrovirus that is transmitted directly from cat to cat through close contactusually through bite wounds and scratches.
FIV is most commonly diagnosed in outdoor cats, and once a cat is diagnosed as FIV-positive, they remain infected for life. It seems logical that you would just need to get an FIV vaccine to protect your cat, but the vaccine is no longer used. Why is that?
Heres what you need to know about FIV, the FIV vaccine, why the vaccine was discontinued, and how you can safeguard your feline family members against infection.
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Frequent Boosters Increased The Risk Of Sarcoma
In addition to offering limited protection, the vaccine also needed to be readministered on a yearly basis. But the FIV vaccine was an adjuvanted vaccine, which means that it contained additives that stimulate the immune system.
This raised concerns of vaccine-site sarcoma, a type of cancer that can develop at the injection site when a vaccine contains adjuvant.
What Should I Do If My Cat Is Diagnosed With Fiv
With the correct care many infected cats continue to live fulfilling lives. To give your cat the best chance for a healthy future we recommend the following:
Dietary recommendations
Avoid giving your cat raw meat, raw eggs and unpasteurised milk. Instead make sure they receive a well balanced, good quality diet. Feel free to ask us for more information on a nutritional plan for your cat.
Routine parasite control
Ensure your cat has a strict parasite control regime protecting them from intestinal worms, fleas, ticks and heartworm. They should receive three monthly protection from worms, and monthly protection from fleas and heartworm.
Yearly vaccination
Your cat should be vaccinated every year to protect him/her from the most common cat diseases.
Wellness visits at least every six months
Your veterinarian needs to see your cat at least every six months for a full physical examination. They will also conduct blood and urine tests regularly to pick up early changes associated with disease or illness. If any changes are detected your veterinarian will adopt an aggressive approach for diagnosis and treatment.
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Alternatives To The Fiv Vaccination
Prevention is the key to avoiding FIV infection. So, even though the FIV vaccine is no longer on the market, there are several steps that you can take to safeguard your cat against the disease.
Spaying and neutering is recommended for all cats. This will help reduce fighting behavior and, therefore, the risk of infection. Also, keeping your cats indoors will minimize their risk of encountering FIV-positive cats, who tend to live outdoors and are often strays.
Also, any new cats in your household should be tested for FIV so that you can determine the risk of disease transmission to other cats in the home.
You might think that cats living with FIV-positive cats would definitely become infected, but recent studies have shown that FIV transmission in multi-cat households is actually rare.
FIV is not likely to spread through normal contact or by sharing food and water bowls.
Key Ingredients In Nhv Felimm For Cats
Powerful ingredients in NHV Felimm for Cats aids in combatting viruses and may help to rebalance your kittys immune system naturally.
- Aloe Vera This herb contains Acemannan, has been used as an adjunctive therapy for cats with FIV.
- Johns Wort This herb helps suppress viral infections and may add immune system support.
- Turmeric This root herb is a powerful antioxidant that may help strengthen your cats liver and help ward off the negative effects of free-radicals.
- Dandelion This herb may stimulate the appetite, encourage healthy digestion, and is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
- Cats Claw This herb may help support your cats immune system and aid in building their defences against feline leukaemia and FIV with effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
You may add NHVs Felimm for Cats as an additional support to the treatment prescribed by your vet for the treatment of Feline Leukemia. Even with FeLV and FIV, your cat can lead a healthy life if offered the right care.
Before using NHV products, consult your vet. If your cats condition does not improve or deteriorates after consistent use, we recommend booking a visit with your vet. All information provided by NHV Natural Pet Products is for educational purposes only.
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What To Expect At Home
Many cats who test positive for FIV but are not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease can live happily for years after their diagnosis. These individuals should eat a highly nutritious diet to promote good immune function and be kept indoors to limit their exposure to infectious diseases and reduce the chances that they could spread FIV to other cats. FIV positive cats should have a physical examination, complete blood cell count, blood chemistry panel, and urinalysis performed by a veterinarian once or twice a year so any problems that do develop can be caught and addressed early.
How Do Cats Get Fiv
Infected cats shed the virus mainly in their saliva. Naturally occurring transmission of an infection occurs when an infected cat that is actively shedding virus into the saliva bites another cat, directly inoculating its saliva through the bite wound. A susceptible cat can also become infected when other bodily fluids, particularly infected blood, enter its body. Infected blood may enter the cat’s body through a bite wound, or the cat may become infected by means of a blood transfusion. The virus may also be sexually transmitted.
It is not surprising that many FIV-positive cats are known fighters, particularly those with a history of cat bite abscesses. Any cat bitten by another with an unknown medical history should be tested for FIV approximately two months after the bite.
“A cat bitten by another with an unknown medical history should be tested for FIV approximately two months after the bite.”
The FIV organism is not able to survive for very long outside of living cells. This is another reason why casual infection is uncommon. Kittens may become infected before, at, or soon after birth. In these cases, it is believed that the virus is transmitted across the uterus during pregnancy or through the mother cat’s milk during nursing. Around a quarter to a third of kittens born to an infected mother are likely to be infected themselves.
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How To Treat Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
If your veterinarian has tentatively diagnosed your cat with FIV based on a screening test, this is what you can expect to happen next.
- Medications: Anti-viral drugs can help some cats with FIV, but treatment is usually limited to supportive care and dealing with secondary health concerns as they arise.
- Diet: Good nutrition is essential to maintaining optimal immune function in FIV positive cats.
Rehoming A Cat With Fiv
FIV cats can enjoy a happy life and can make wonderful companions. However, we’ll only rehome FIV cats we believe can be happy as indoor-only cats. To prevent the disease from spreading, the FIV cat must be the only cat in the household, so if you’d like to have a one-cat home, an FIV cat might suit you.
Adopting an FIV positive cat can be really rewarding. Although nobody can predict the future, many FIV cats can potentially live long, healthy and full lives, just like a non-infected cat. They also have all the usual needs of any cat, such as a nutritious diet, mental stimulation and plenty of love!
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The Vaccine Led To False
Another issue with the FIV vaccine was that vaccinated cats could test positive for FIV for up to four years after vaccination. These false-positive results occurred because tests could not distinguish antibodies produced by the vaccine from natural infection.
Therefore, vaccinated cats were at risk of being incorrectly diagnosed with FIV. This wasnt a big deal if a cats vaccine record was known, but if the cat ended up in a shelter, it could lead to euthanasia.
In response to this, it was widely recommended that vaccinated cats be permanently identified and wear a collar at all times to avoid being mistaken as FIV-positive in a shelter.
Why Was The Fiv Vaccine Discontinued
From 2002 until 2017, the FIV vaccination was available in the United States and Canada. It was generally considered safe, with rare and usually minor side effects.
But the vaccine has since been discontinued, and many pet parents want to know why it was taken off the market.
Here are the four main reasons why cats no longer get the FIV vaccine.
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