Understanding FIV in Cats: Vet’s Guide to Causes, Symptoms & Care

Much like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, assaults the immune system to a degree that it can’t battle off widespread infections. As soon as a cat turns into contaminated with FIV, their immune system steadily weakens, lowering its energy in opposition to secondary and opportunistic infections. This leads to the speedy proliferation of the organism and indicators of illness. Over time, the immune system turns into powerless in opposition to invaders, resulting in extreme sickness that will have been minimal if the cat’s defenses had been functioning usually.

What Is FIV?

FIV was found in america in 1986 after the virus was remoted from samples collected from ailing cats.¹ It’s labeled as a retrovirus, belonging to the identical household of viruses as HIV in people.² FIV is usually known as the “feline AIDS” of cats as a result of they’ll exhibit comparable indicators as folks with AIDS. Though FIV and HIV are carefully associated, they’re species-specific viruses, that means a cat can’t transmit FIV to an individual or one other animal, and an individual can’t transmit HIV to a cat.³ Based on the Cornell Feline Well being Heart, there may be presently no proof {that a} human can change into contaminated with FIV.⁴

From African lions to domesticated home cats, felines all world wide could be affected by FIV. As soon as contaminated, the cat carries the virus for the rest of their life. FIV assaults the immune system, mostly white blood cells often called lymphocytes and macrophages, however it could actually additionally infect the cat’s salivary glands and central nervous system. The virus replicates itself within the white blood cells, destroying them over time. The ensuing immunosuppression causes the cat to change into prone to often innocent and generally encountered organisms within the surroundings, together with micro organism, viruses, parasites, protozoa, and fungi. As soon as a cat is immune poor, they might be prone to extreme sickness. FIV alone doesn’t trigger the demise of cats, nonetheless, and cats identified with FIV might dwell for a few years in good well being.⁵ The ensuing infections and diseases on account of a suppressed immune system are what put a cat’s life in danger.

What Are the Indicators of FIV?

Indicators of FIV are often inapparent till the cat develops a secondary or opportunistic an infection. The cat might have a transient fever, lethargy, and enlarged lymph nodes shortly after turning into contaminated with FIV. These preliminary indicators resolve, and the cat might seem wholesome for months or years. The latency interval, or the time that the cat is with out indicators of scientific illness, might final a median of 5 years. Finally, the suppressed perform of the immune system results in elevated alternatives for secondary infections to happen, impacting the cat’s high quality of life and survival.

According to PetMD, there are three phases of FIV:

When a cat reaches the feline AIDS stage of FIV, scientific indicators of sickness might develop. Frequent indicators embody:

Continual or recurrent an infection of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary tracts, pores and skin, and eyes might happen. Cats with FIV are extra prone to most cancers and immune-mediate blood problems in comparison with wholesome cats with out FIV. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a blood dysfunction in cats that will develop as an consequence of FIV.

What Are the Causes of FIV?

FIV is principally transmitted from one cat to a different via chunk wounds. You may consider a cat’s canine tooth as hypodermic needles. The tooth puncture deeply into tissues, which seeds the FIV virus far into the flesh. Very similar to a needle injects a vaccine into the physique, the tooth “inoculate” the opposite cat with FIV-infected saliva. The newly contaminated cat might have delicate indicators, together with fever, inappetence, and enlarged lymph nodes, that resolve 1–3 months after the preliminary an infection. In the course of the latent or asymptomatic section, the cat sheds the virus of their saliva and may infect different cats with FIV. Based on the American Affiliation of Feline Practitioners, newly uncovered cats might unfold FIV inside 2 weeks after an infection. Free-roaming intact male cats have the best danger of contracting FIV on account of their propensity for combating. About 2.5–5% of wholesome cats in North America have FIV. This share is greater for cats already in danger, resembling these battling an sickness or illness.

Though FIV spreads via chunk wounds, it could actually additionally unfold via contaminated blood (white blood cells). Examples embody FIV-infected blood contaminating an open wound on one other cat or transfusing blood from an FIV-positive cat to at least one that’s FIV-negative. FIV can’t survive for extended intervals outdoors the residing host, so pleasant behaviors between cats, resembling mutual grooming or sharing meals containers, are unlikely to unfold the virus. Family cats that co-exist peacefully with out combating are at little danger of turning into contaminated with FIV.

Though unusual, kittens might purchase FIV from their moms. In experimental research, as much as 70% of kittens contracted FIV after their moms turned contaminated with the virus throughout being pregnant. The virus could also be transmitted by the placenta, in the course of the birthing course of, or via the milk to nursing kittens. The VCA states that “round a 1/4 to 1/3 of kittens born to contaminated moms are more likely to be contaminated themselves.” Sexual transmission of FIV can be unusual however can happen throughout mating.

How Do I Look after a Cat With FIV?

All new cats introduced right into a family, cats exhibiting indicators of sickness, or these with a danger of publicity to FIV, resembling out of doors cats, must be examined for FIV antibodies. Your veterinarian might accumulate a blood pattern out of your cat for an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or speedy immunomigration check, typically often called an FIV/FeLV SNAP combo test. Cats with a detrimental FIV check must be retested in 60 days, as newly contaminated cats might not begin producing sufficient detectable antibodies in opposition to FIV for two–6 months after preliminary publicity. Constructive assessments must be confirmed by re-running a pattern with one other producer’s SNAP check or by sending blood samples to laboratories for polymerase chain response, western blot, or immunofluorescence testing. As soon as a cat is confirmed to have FIV antibodies, the antibodies will persist for all times.

It is very important word that cats vaccinated in opposition to FIV might have a constructive antibody check, as they might produce FIV antibodies for 7 years or extra after being vaccinated. In case your cat has had an FIV vaccination, inform your veterinarian earlier than testing. Since 2015, FIV vaccines haven’t been out there in North America however are nonetheless out there in different international locations, resembling Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

All FIV-positive cats ought to have a wellness go to not less than each 6 months. Your veterinarian will carry out a whole bodily examination, listening to the mouth, eyes, pores and skin, and lymph nodes for any signs of disease. Shut monitoring of your cat’s well being and weight is essential, as weight reduction is commonly the primary signal of an issue. Shortly handle any indicators of sickness, since a cat with immunosuppression on account of FIV may have extra intensive care than a cat with out FIV. Keep away from feeding your cat uncooked or unpasteurized meals to reduce the dangers of food-borne diseases and infections.

Sadly, there aren’t any therapies or cures for FIV. An antiviral remedy referred to as Zidovudine might assist cats with stomatitis or neurological indicators secondary to FIV. Nonetheless, research have proven that it doesn’t extend the life expectancy of cats with FIV. Analysis with completely different antiviral therapies focusing on FIV is ongoing.

How Do I Stop FIV?

Efforts to forestall FIV ought to deal with routine healthcare, FIV testing, well timed therapy of diseases, and taking measures to reduce the unfold of the virus to different cats. Cats must be stored indoors or have entry to an out of doors enclosure resembling a catio as a substitute of being allowed to roam freely outdoors. Indoor cats want day by day enrichment actions to reduce stress and combating amongst housemates. Spaying and neutering cats forestall FIV from being handed on to kittens or via breeding. It may possibly additionally lower a male cat’s urge to roam and battle. Separating FIV-positive felines from these with out the virus can forestall the unfold of the illness.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQs)

Can my different pets get FIV?

No. The virus is barely transmitted from cat to cat. Different pets and persons are not vulnerable to an infection.

My cat was just lately identified with FIV. Do I’ve to euthanize them?

So long as your cat stays blissful and wholesome, you don’t have to euthanize them. Cats might dwell for a few years with out indicators of sickness. Euthanasia could also be affordable when their high quality of life deteriorates.

Conclusion

FIV results in a dysfunctional immune system that’s unable to battle infections. Not all cats with FIV will develop extreme illness, nonetheless, and plenty of can have high quality of life for years. FIV-positive cats want shut monitoring, and any indicators sickness want immediate evaluation and therapy. Cats must be stored indoors, spayed or neutered, and discouraged from combating to forestall the unfold of the virus. There aren’t any cures for FIV, although analysis is ongoing.

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