Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
Also known as Feline AIDS, this is a contagious viral disease of cats that is caused by a lentivirus (the same type of virus that causes AIDS in humans). Please note that I said "type" of virus. The Feline AIDS virus is NOT contagious to humans or dogs. It does cause a disease in cats that mimics human AIDS. Testing is very important in controlling this disease. Always get your new kitten or new adult cat tested before taking it home!
While many Veterinarians will tell you that FIV cannot be treated, this is not necessarily true. Many cats will die from this terrible disease, but there have been new treatment protocols developed that many times can put your cat's illness into dormancy. I'm not saying that we can cure FIV, only that many cats can live long, happy, and productive lives after being diagnosed with FIV. But while FIV is not necessarily a death sentence for your pet, it is important to remember that he/she will remain contagious.
The incidence of FIV in the United States ranges from 2 to 20%, depending on location, and whether cats are indoors, or free and roaming. Infection is usually spread through bite wounds. Casual contact and petting a sick cat will usually not cause spreading.
FIV eventually depresses the cat's immune system, and germs that normally surround us and cause no problems, will begin to cause diseasea. This immune suppression can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, as all organ systems can be targeted.
Early symptoms can be a loss of appetite, lethargy, poor hair coat, and just acting "off". This is when a kitty needs to be tested by your Veterinarian. At this stage we have a better chance of suppressing the disease. Later symptoms include extreme weight loss, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, and many other signs depending on the systems affected. These advanced stages are much more difficult to deal with.
Early treatments that have the most success involve stimulating the bodys immune system through medication and nutrition. Although not always successful, we can help quite a few cats, making the attempts very worthwhile!
Prevention is obviously our goal. Keeping your kitties tested and indoors is the method of choice! Never bring a new cat into the household without having it tested first by your Veterinarian! While a vaccine exists, the results are not predictable. So while vaccinating an outdoor cat is better than no vaccination, keeping it indoors is MUCH better! Because vaccination is so controversial, please be sure to thoroughly discuss it with your Veterinarian.
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