The cost can also vary depending on the size and age of your cat, veterinary bills, and the stage of FIV. With the soaring cost of veterinary care, you can expect high veterinarian bills if your cat contracts feline HIV.
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is one of the most common and consequential infectious diseases of cats around the world. In infected cats, FIV attacks the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to many other infections.
You should inform your pet insurance company if your cat is infected with FIV - just as with any other pre-existing condition. Each insurer offers different terms and conditions, but many don't provide payouts for pre-existing conditions or illnesses.
Infected cats should be confined indoors to prevent the spread of FIV infection to other cats and to reduce exposure to disease-producing organisms. Isolate. The best method of preventing spread to other cats in the household is to isolate the infected cat from interacting with housemates.
Is your family at risk if you adopt an FIV-positive cat? The answer is no. Just as HIV affects only people, FIV is contractible by cats alone.
With love and good care however, many FIV+ cats can live normal lifespans. These days, it's not unusual to find FIV+ cats reaching 15 years or more. Knowing what we now do of the prolonged nature of the condition, euthanasia is totally inappropriate and inhumane.
FIV typically does NOT spread through cats grooming each other, sharing food and water bowls, or sharing a litter box. A cat who tests positive for FIV can live with a cat who tests negative as long as they get along and aren't aggressive toward one another to the extent of serious (not play) biting.
Symptoms & Signs
The signs of FIV infection and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection are very similar. Chronic oral infections occur in approximately 50% of cats with FIV-related disease. Cats may show pain when touched on the face, have difficulty eating or refuse to eat, and may have a bad odor around the mouth.
Since FIV can cause immunosuppression and, in theory, can increase the risk of a cat succumbing to certain infectious diseases, it is important to have the cat receive twice yearly veterinary care. Some infectious diseases that an FIV-infected cat might develop or carry could be transmitted to humans.
Street Paws opposes euthanizing any feral/street cat simply because he or she tests positive for FIV (feline immuno-deficiency virus) or FeLV (feline leukemia virus). If the cat shows no active signs of ill health, we believe he/she should be released back into his colony regardless of the test results.
According to estimates, the cost range from $150 to $2,000 per treatment. This cost varies depending on the medications your veterinarian prescribes, whether or not you have pet insurance, whether or not your cat needs surgery, and the time in which your cat undergoes treatment.
In some cats, these changes ultimately lead to the terminal phase, which is characterized by clinical signs of opportunistic infections, neoplastic disease, myelosuppression, and neurologic disease. This is the phase most commonly recognized in naturally infected cats (Table 21-3 ).
Yes, as long as the cats get along and do not fight. The risk that a FIV-positive cat could spread the virus to a FIV-negative cat can be minimized by having them live in separate rooms until you are confident that they will not fight with each other.
Studies have shown between 7% and 32% of Aussie cats are FIV positive. Two other comparative studies between the USA and Australia found the prevalence of FIV in pet cats in Australia with outdoor access is 16% compared with only 4.3% in the USA.
FIV-infected cats spent 50% more time awake than the sham-inoculated controls and exhibited many more sleep/waking stage shifts--i.e., 40% more than controls. In addition, FIV-infected cats showed approximately 30% of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep reduction compared to controls.
Compared to all other feline health threats, FIV infection is "quite common," according to Dr. Levy. "We estimate that about four percent of all feral cats in the U.S. are infected," she says.
Cats Protection recommends that FIV-positive cats are kept indoors and only allowed outside in an impenetrable garden or safe run. They should not be allowed direct contact with FIV-negative cats.
Keep them indoors to avoid potential contact with infected cats. Put a leash on your cat when you walk them outside. Verify that any cats that will be around your pet for prolonged periods have tested negative for FIV.
If your cat has never been tested, you should have it tested. If you bring a new cat home, test your new pet for FIV before entering your household. Retest a new cat in 60 days. If your cat is exposed to another cat with FIV, a test should be given 60 days after contact.
Although the ability of FIV or HIV to establish a latent infection in the CNS is controversial, several studies have reported a sustained proviral burden in FIV-infected cats in the brain [72,89] even in the absence of significant viral RNA.
Another viral disease which can be a culprit is FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. Closely related to human immunodeficiency virus, FIV is a chronic, not necessarily terminal, condition where a cat's immune system doesn't work like it should and can result in not gaining weight, despite eating as per usual.
Question: Can FIV be spread through casual contact, such as cats sharing the same food or water bowls, or cats grooming each other? NO! FIV is transmitted to other felines primarily through deep, penetrating bite wounds.
Sharing a litter box, sleeping area, toys, water bowl or other items will NOT transmit FIV between cats. Can humans or other pets get FIV? No, FIV is a feline-specific disease.
FIV infection was significantly linked to extreme aggressive tendencies and the extremely aggressive FIV‑infected cats were more likely to have an unhealthy status compared to the non‑aggressive individuals (p = 0.022).
It is a good idea to boost its immune system with vitamins. You can give your cat vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, selenium, and zinc. Talk to your vet about the proper dose for your specific cat. Your vet will most likely recommend something along the lines of 3 to 5 ml of LC-vit daily or 5 ml of Nutri-Plus Gel daily.