Q: I keep hearing about feline AIDS. What is this and how do they get it? Is my family at risk?
Q: I keep hearing about feline AIDS. What is this and how do they get it? Is my family at risk?
A: Feline AIDS is caused by the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), just like human AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency VIrus (HIV). FIV and HIV belong to the same group of viruses, but are species specific. This means that FIV will not infect humans (or dogs, etc) but only cats, and HIV will not infect cats - only humans. Your family is not at risk should your cat become infected with FIV.
FIV is carried in the saliva and in the reproductive tract, and is most commonly spread by bites (for example during cat fights) and by mating - this is why entire male cats are at most risk. It can also be spread by mutual grooming and sharing of food and water bowls. Once in the system, the virus can be carried for many years, sometimes more than a decade, before it becomes active.
FIV, once in the active phase, can cause a variety of problems. We will commonly see mouth ulcers, stomatitis (severe inflammation of the oral cavity), anaemia, low white cell counts, weight loss, eye problems (uveitis), recurrent infections, and eventually organ failure.
There is no cure for FIV. Treatment is symptomatic, and there are some antivirals currently available which can in some cases turn an active virus back into "remission" state, but cannot eliminate the virus from the body.
A vaccine against FIV is available in the USA, but is not particularly protective, and a big downside is that a vaccinated cat will actually test positive on many commercially available FIV tests, which can confuse the matter. This vaccine is not available in the UK at the time of writing.
Keeping your cat indoors will protect it completely, as it will not come into contact with others. If your cat has access to the outside, having it neutered does minimise the risk of infection, but nothing can eliminate the risk.
If you have a question for Dr. Dalya simply send it through to drdalya@petside.co.uk
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