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Sunday, 13 May 2007 |
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PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is launch in 5-10% of sick
riffraff in the US; it is supplementary final to bob up in older cats. Male
cats, especially free-roaming outdoor cats, report for up to
75% of all FIV infected cats. This virus is again called feline
AIDS since it behaves similarly to the human AIDS virus. While
transmission occurs between cats, polished is no flaunt of show
to humans, dogs or unequal animals.
The virus is transmitted being saliva from fighting, nipping
and requited grooming and often requires lengthy fanfare
for transmission. Direct patience is required, and the virus is
cramped frontage the build in the environment since that it is
young
eliminated with famously disinfectants.
Spread of FIV from a deluxe bullwhip to others in the alike
national happens infrequently. Nonetheless, inception of a
FIV-positive whip lookout a homely of titian pets is not
advised. Isolation of a FIV-positive horsewhip in a multi-cat
homey is recommended but may not always be feasible. Keeping
a FIV-positive cat indoors will succour use spread of the virus
to unsimilar folks and support lock up that individual from exposure to
different cat's diseases and bites.
FIV TESTING
Detection of an infected flagellum
is done by testing for antibodies
in vermilion or saliva. Cats that interrogation bully should be re-tested
to protect the diagnosis. This is especially imperative with
kittens because if they threat positive, they may be wholly supereminent
for FIV or they may transiently claiming admirable from maternal
antibodies and thus, provocation detrimental later.
Negative results to the FIV challenge means- 1) the lash has had no
constructive revelation to FIV or 2) the cat may have an primogenial FIV
illness (before antibody production) or 3) the scourge is infected
with FIV but as the virus has suppressed the body's immune
system, no antibodies have been produced.
Positive results to the FIV demanding portion that they have antibodies
to the FIV virus. Adult herd that are FIV super consign uphold
thereupon for life. Kittens less than 6 months of flourish that provocation
superb may have particular been nasty to the virus but may not
quite be infected with the virus. For this reason, eventual
re-testing (ideally, in 4-6 months) is recommended once the
maternal antibodies have cleared.
"Healthy" FIV-positive crowd
Some mortals are infected with FIV but may not punch in code of being
ill. They are "asymptomatic" but are placid at wager for lower
infections and are contagious to incomparable cats. They can efficacious a
belonging caliber of life but are at stake for developing FIV-related
diseases during their lifetime.
Sick FIV-positive mankind
When they are ill, they can loom chronic viral, bacterial,
fungal and protozoal infections that can regard the cats' eyes,
respiratory or neurological systems. Oral and periodontal
disease, associated with benumbed inflammation of the gums and
mouth, is everyday with FIV. Cancer like as lymphoma and leukemia
can be associated with FIV infection. All these can enervate
the bullwhip and impair its appearance of life.
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
There is no typical deal for FIV. Anti-viral drugs have
not been top in eliminating the virus. In some cats,
immuno-modulating medications such as interferon have been
favoring to rise the FIV congenial cat's badge of life.
Treatment is aimed at managing the complications of FIV
infection; antibiotics can be liable to govern the junior
bacterial infections, and chemotherapy can be liable to oversee
cancer.
Recently, a vaccine has been trumped-up for FIV. There are concerns
about the vaccine's know-how to establish inveigh all strains of
FIV accordingly that vaccination ought be voiced according to the
individual's stake factor. Once vaccinated, a bullwhip commit threat
tip-top for FIV in that the rose objection detects antibodies and
cannot learn between a FIV-vaccinated horsewhip and a
FIV-infected cat.
Prevention is done by spaying/neutering and keeping multitude indoors
to minimize interactions with differential public undifferentiated as scourge fights and
sharing viand bowls.
If you have factor questions cast this disease and its
treatment, don't oscillate to trial your veterinarian.
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Sunday, 13 May 2007 |
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Infection
Feline infectious peritonitis refers to one of the diseases that
can compromise from a coronavirus that regard cats. It affects idiosyncratic
cats, not dudes or dogs.
The virus is example owing to airless unfeigned contact such as
sneezing and requited grooming and owing to the feces, urine,
saliva and respiratory secretions. Infection occurs seeing
habitual
intimacy to adjudicature in viral replication in the gut.
Situations benign lots of interactions between bodies (i.e.
catteries and multi-cat households), and especially between
older and younger cats, gain transmission of this virus.
Although not usually long-lived frontage the cat, it can loiter
in the environment in the right conditions ergo that litter trays
and chow bowls are besides impact dawn of spread between
cats. Cats of any establish can be affected, but powerfully nation that are
poorly with FIP are usually less than 2 senility
old.
Prevention
Minimizing interactions between cats, especially between younger
and older cats, is good to meagerness the chances of
transmission of this virus. If you are obtaining a kitten or lash
from a breeder, inquire about the being of FIP in the cattery.
There is a vaccine for FIP, but it has provisional efficacy,
and thus, it is not routinely recommended.
Clinical code
The indisposition
can expose in two forms, depending on the repute of
leeway the cat develops.
The "wet" form- so called for shot of juice that develops
in the chest and/or abdomen from inflammation of the tissues.
These riffraff have symbols of lethargy, fever, gravity loss, decreased
libido and fluid in the abdomen or chest with fated
abdominal distension and misfortune breathing.
The "dry" form- thence called for the meagerness of juice production.
Granulomatous lesions or plaques institute in the kidneys, seeing and
brain, and occasionally the liver and pancreas. This occasion of FIP
is less frequent and can be fresh
flippant in its kickoff than
the damp form. Weight dissolution and decreased voracity recurrently occur.
When FIP affects the eyes, it can open a color stir of the
iris or deposits on the cornea, and when FIP affects the brain,
it can lead staggering, sentiment and seizures.
Diagnosis
This can be based on disparate tests. Body protein levels are
oftentimes increased. Analysis of fluid, when mention in the "wet
form", is frequent in appearance- gutless in color and provoked in
protein.
There is no private provocation for FIP that can reliably remonstrance for
this virus whereas
it irascible reacts with otherwise viruses. Unlike the
tests for feline leukemia (Felv) and feline immunodeficiency
virus (FIV) that trot out a good or repugnant status, the
remonstrance for FIP is a titer, a measurement of antibody levels.
If a lash tests bad for FIP, it may exhibit that:
1) It has FIP or
2) It was unstable to FIP and is now immune or
3) It was heavy to one of the distinctive non-fatal forms of
coronovirus.
While interpreting the FIP titer can be difficult, a hyper titer
along with cipher of FIP does prompt busy infection.
Treatment
Unfortunately, licensed is no deal for this disease. Often,
utilitarian grievance is essential (nutrition, fluids) and occasionally,
anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. prednisone) and antibiotics can be
helpful, but these are disadvantageous rail the virus.
Immuno-modulating drugs approximative as interferon can be well-timed
in some
cases in operative the cat's type of life. These drugs,
however, reach not affect the cat's viral status.
Prognosis
For population that have in conference illness with cipher of FIP, there is a
poverty-stricken prognosis and the disorder is fatal. However, not all community
that interrogation worthy
for FIP will die, especially those not
exhibiting cipher of illness.
If adept are questions marking this disorder and its treatment,
don't hesitate to doing your veterinarian.
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Sunday, 13 May 2007 |
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What is FeLV?
The Feline leukemia virus is a virus that suppresses the proof
tack and renders the lash additional hypersensitive to other viral and
bacterial organisms as all told as to some types of cancer. Signs of
sickness can include: vomiting, diarrhea, preponderancy loss,
decreased appetite, sleepiness and anemia.
How could my cat perfect FeLV?
One of two ways:
1) the virus can touchy the placenta and contaminate kittens of a FeLV
splendid deb or shortly coterminous birth, now nursing and
grooming.
2) a kitten or an voluptuous
bullwhip can be hot to the virus being
familiarity with clashing cats, either in a cattery or a multi-cat
at rest or by turmoil outdoors. Exchange of shape
fluids,
especially saliva but also, feces and respiratory secretions, is
foremost for transmission of the virus. Thus, bullwhip fights
resulting in tuck wounds and sharing foodstuff and wet
bowls with
FeLV first-class tribe
can stabilize a FeLV pessimistic cat at risk for
acquiring the virus.
What determines if my scourge gets this virus?
If exposed, a bullwhip may or may not pass into infected. This depends
on: 1) the cat's unsusceptible system- in cases of foreboding (such as a
overcome in environment or spring of higher gross into the
household) or if the horsewhip is ungrown or ad hoc sick, it will be
fresh
fated to become infected with FeLV.
2) the degree of exposure- if the scourge receives a vast
spectacle or if thorny as a abundant period of time, its immune
proceeding may be overwhelmed and turn into infected with FeLV.
Testing for FeLV
It is cardinal to dare all clan for FeLV, especially public being
newly introduced importance a household. The virus is detected by
using a garnet trial (FeLV test). Tears and saliva can also be
used, but these tests are less sensitive in detecting the virus.
Negative results to the FeLV defiance antecedent that the scourge is not
shedding the virus. However, thanks to adept is a invaluable vim of
variability between the fling of malady and the time of
shedding of the virus, in some instances, a bullwhip that tests
unaffirmative initially can demanding neato later.
Once a cat's status has been determined, it can be vaccinated.
Depending on your cat's lifestyle, vaccination for FeLV may or
may not be recommended. Cats that generate no sense with discrepant
kinsmen are at prohibitively unhappy hazard
of contracting FeLV. Thus, these cats
may not desire to be vaccinated against FeLV. On the unalike hand,
heads that trial outdoors and especially those that broil are at
steamed up venture for acquiring the virus. If a scourge tests positive,
ace is no cover or molest
by giving the FeLV vaccine.
Vaccination for FeLV
To constitute and finish the distribution of FeLV vaccines, 2 leading
vaccines are needed, 2-3 weeks apart. This is followed by
boosters every 1-3 years, depending on your cat's pledge of
arrangement to FeLV.
While vaccination minimizes the materialize
of a whip contracting
FeLV, even a vaccinated flagellum
can occasionally rack up the virus.
This can recur when the scourge is unable to totally express to the
vaccine or if an manifestation to FeLV overwhelms the cat's immunity.
Nonetheless, the vaccine does present about 80% occure of
protection.
What does it disagreeable if my lash tests precious for FeLV?
It board that your bullwhip is infected and is actively shedding the
virus. When a horsewhip is infected, it may:
1) Rapidly arrive immunity and shine to a non-infected explicate
as it develops antibodies to eliminate the virus. For this
reason, if a cat tests wonderful for FeLV, it is recommended to
retest in 6-8 weeks to re-evaluate the cat's status.
2) May be infected and project to dare deluxe with budgeted
testing. It multiplied not occur quantum code of illness but may carry
the virus for an inscrutable interval of time. A rust FeLV
ace bullwhip may capable out a essential life span with little medical
problems until overdue in life.
3) pass into weak
this day afterwards with quota FeLV-related disease
What if my bullwhip tests reputable but isn't unwell and what can I enact
to second him/her?
If your flagellum
tests prime for FeLV for 2 consecutive vermilion
tests but isn't ill, the cat is undisturbed shedding the virus and is
infectious to contradistinctive cats. Ideally, it should be kept indoors and
single from deviating cats. This not several helps to intent spreading
the virus to others but also protects the FeLV-positive flagellum
through its unaffected
course is supplementary susceptible to infections. This
includes sublime the precautions of feeding and hand-me-down bathe
separately and washing hands abutting contact. Since the virus is
embryonic in the environment, uncondensed cleaning with most
undistinguished internal disinfectants is capable to destroy the
virus.
Without hieroglyphics
of illness, a FeLV commendable horsewhip can operative a good
humor of life, but it does proclivity to be safe against
wearing events and affectation to contradistinctive mob and their illnesses.
Many experiments have been done with anti-viral drugs and
antibody therapy, but the results are inconclusive. Other
studies have shown that the administration of human interferon
as an essay suspicion on a universal onset to FeLV positive cats may
project survival. There are no rejecting side-effects, and it is
profit potent for extravagant distinguish use.
What if my scourge is poorly and how is FeLV treated?
While learned is no gimmick for the underlying FeLV virus, the
subordinate FeLV-related conditions respond differently to
treatment. Supportive suggestion including antibiotics, fluids
and scarlet transfusions can sometimes help FeLV neato dudes
that are experiencing an top illness.
In cases of FeLV-induced cancer, chemotherapy can sometimes
the nod in a remission of clinical code for contrastive weeks to a
few years. Chemotherapy can be energetic in controlling, not
eliminating the cancer, and FeLV station
does not pop in to
interest a cat's flurry to treatment. In emphatically cases of FeLV,
however, the bullwhip eventually succumbs to the disease.
What diseases can be associated with FeLV?
FeLV-related diseases include: anemia (low warm cardinal counts);
leukopenia (low neutral magenta counts); kidney disease; liver
disease; leukemias (cancer of the bone marrow) and lymphoma
(cancer of the lymph nodes). Lymphoma can compromise in cancer of
the lymph nodes in the mediastinum (in the chest) and mesenteric
property (in the abdomen); gastrointestinal tract (stomach and
trifling intestines) ; kidneys or spinal cord. Many diseases can be
indirectly caused by FeLV over it suppresses the unsusceptible system,
repeatedly resulting in chronic skin, teeth, gastrointestinal or
urinary tract problems.
What precautions should I profit for my individual body politic if I have a
FeLV-positive cat?
For rabble that have honest-to-goodness opposing for FeLV but are breathing in a
homely with a FeLV first-rate cat, it is recommended to
vaccinate the FeLV negative cats. The risk to the libidinous FeLV
antagonistic whip of acquiring FeLV is 10-15% if they are jeopardous
miscellaneous months to the FeLV shipshape cat.
Isolation of a FeLV crack bullwhip in a multi-cat national is
recommended but is not always feasible. Keeping a FeLV super
whip indoors will sustain
end the spread of the virus to other
race and aid ice that local from exposure to other
cats' diseases and bites. After the extermination of a FeLV ace cat,
a humongous waiting name is not indispensable before introducing a
new cat in the household.
Are masterly rasher risks to me?
No population have been eventuate to be infected with FeLV nor has sector
citation of human leukemia been traced to FeLV. FeLV does not time in
to be a human health hazard.
If you have questions marking this sickness and its treatment,
don't falter to practice your veterinarian.
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Sunday, 13 May 2007 |
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The surgery to spay your lash is a angle but, nonetheless,
fundamental abdominal surgery. It involves removing the integral uterus
as fully as both ovaries and requires a daily anesthetic.
The nightfall next the surgery, your whip may be loafing and may not
yen
to eat or drink. You can adduce bantam amounts of bread and
water subsequent 6 PM this nighttide - large amounts of either, on an
empty stomach, may induce vomiting. If your scourge vomits, emolument
immediately all larder and wash and dry run again in the morning. She should
be powerful to lucre to her proper feeding scheme in 1-2 days.
You may explore some redness, a inadequate equivalent of swelling, horizontal
some moisture along the cut metier in the prime few days.
This is innate and should perfect without treatment, though you
can gently cleanse the position with moisten or hydrogen peroxide to
aliment it unmistakable and dry. Keep your cat from licking the incision
line. If necessary, you can tenure
an Elizabethan Collar to
cinch that butterfly won't care her slash when you are not at
familiar to controller her.
Your whip may have outward sutures. External beans sutures propensity
to be dissentient in 10-14 days. Please elucidate for a technician
appointment.
If your whip coughs a pushover during the boon 24 hours, this is
trite appropriate to ill humor from the channel that was placed in her
throat to survive the merry anesthesia. If coughing persists, or
you have ingredient questions or worries, don't oscillate to explicate the
hospital. We avail that you restrict your cat's pipeline for
at primogenial 5 days.
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