Quarterly newsletter
FIV-Feline AIDS.
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) doesn’t normally make big news. Unlike Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) there isn’t a vaccine for it, so it’s not something that your vet can warn you to protect your cat against with regular vaccinations. However, one of our receptionist’s (Lynn Staff) cat (Disco) recently had his FIV status confirmed, so I decided to write a few words about it for our newsletter.It is an important virus with 1-3% of healthy cats infected and up to 7-15% of sick cats. Most owners with cats who have FIV don’t even realise that they are infected with the virus, as they are often healthy, happy cats. Like humans with HIV they can remain this way for many years before going on to develop full blown cat ‘AIDs’ and some may never do so. Like human HIV there is no vaccine available at the moment and no cure. However, it only infects cats so there’s no need to worry about it being passed to humans or to other (non- feline) family pets.
FIV suppresses the immune system and due to this it causes cats to present with a very wide range of clinical signs, almost all of which are not specific to cats infected with FIV. Some cats may show an initial phase after becoming infected with the virus with fever, swollen glands, diarrhoea and changes in the levels of white blood cells in their blood. However, many cats go through this phase with no clinical signs. They may present many months/years later with signs such as gingivitis and ulcerated gums, weight loss, chronic fevers, kidney problems, diarrhoea or many other possible problems. As one of the main things the disease does is to weaken the immune system clinical signs can occur in almost any body system.
However, if your cat’s clinical signs trigger alarm bells to your vet they
may recommend a quick and simple blood test to test for FIV. If this comes back
positive it is not necessarily a death sentence for your family friend. Many
cats with FIV related diseases/or diseases which occur in conjunction with their
FIV infection, respond as well as non infected cats to treatment. In some cases
treatment may have to be for a little longer or be a little more aggressive, but
often a good clinical outcome can be reached. For cats which are diagnosed with
FIV but are not showing clinical signs (like Lynn’s cat) owners are often
worried that if they do not have them put to sleep they will spread the virus to
other cats in their household or outside. However, if the cats in a household
rarely fight the chance of them infecting each other is greatly reduced (as the
virus is mainly spread through saliva when biting). It is sensible though, to
test all cats from a household if one cat tests positive so you and your vet can
be certain of the status of all cats in a household. For cats that go outside
the main risk to other cats is if they are a fighter, as they will spread the
virus to other cats through bite wounds. So, if the FIV positive cat is fairly
peaceable, just keeping them in and out of other cats’ way at night is enough to
dramatically reduce the risk of them spreading the disease.
Therefore, as Lynn can tell you, having a cat diagnosed with FIV, whilst worrying, needn’t be a death sentence for the cat involved. Especially if the cat is showing no clinical signs at the time of diagnosis, they can often lead full and active lives with just a yearly check up and the occasional blood test to make sure all is still well. Disco can vouch for that! .
Therefore, as Lynn can tell you, having a cat diagnosed with FIV, whilst worrying, needn’t be a death sentence for the cat involved. Especially if the cat is showing no clinical signs at the time of diagnosis, they can often lead full and active lives with just a yearly check up and the occasional blood test to make sure all is still well. Disco can vouch for that! .