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ShelbyGirl - I'm so sorry, that must have been .... well, just awful.
I, for one, am not trying to dispute what happened to you. That would be unfair to you and very wrong of me (in my book).
My heart and mind go out to the OP - having a cat that is part of an existing multi-cat household diagnosed with FIV is not a pleasant situation and puts any cat-owner between a rock and a hard place.
What will follow, what the OP decides to do or not do, is an intensely personal decision and I feel that the best way to be at all helpful in this sad situation is just to try to ensure that the OP's armed with all the facts, all the various and sometimes downright conflicting facts and information that's out there so that she/he can go away and decide what is best and what will work in his/her own particular circumstance.
ShelbyGirl - I'm so sorry, that must have been .... well, just awful.
I, for one, am not trying to dispute what happened to you. That would be unfair to you and very wrong of me (in my book).
My heart and mind go out to the OP - having a cat that is part of an existing multi-cat household diagnosed with FIV is not a pleasant situation and puts any cat-owner between a rock and a hard place.
Thank you...I totally understand. My point to the OP was to take all precautions....I just don't want anyone to have to go through what my family did
What will follow, what the OP decides to do or not do, is an intensely personal decision and I feel that the best way to be at all helpful in this sad situation is just to try to ensure that the OP's armed with all the facts, all the various and sometimes downright conflicting facts and information that's out there so that she/he can go away and decide what is best and what will work in his/her own particular circumstance.
Thankyou....I totally understand. My point to the OP was to take all possible precautions. I just don't want anyone to have to go through what my family did.
My cat, Smokey, died of FIV. Even though he was neutered, he was very territorial and loved to fight. If nobody came to his yard, he would go to theirs just to get into a fight. This was how he contracted it.
When he tested positive, I had my other two tested and they were negative so I got them the FIV shots. These shots were, and still are, controversial as to their efficiency. Many vets won't even give them.
One big negative factor is that once they have had the shots, unless special testing procedures are used, they will always test positive for the virus. The only time this would be a problem would be if they were picked up and taken to the pound. If they were tested and came up positive they would be killed.
But, I have them micro-chipped and they also wear ID tags, so I'm not too worried about that happening.
They had the FIV shots several years ago and also got a couple of annual boosters, but then I moved and my new vet doesn't believe in the shots so they don't get them anymore, but I think they will test FIV positive the rest of their lives.
Hello, it's been a while since I've posted or read on City-Data. My vet called this morning and said my beloved Dominique has Feline Aids. I'm looking for anyone's thoughts or experiences on this. What sent me to the vet was her loss of weight and she "just wasn't herself". They took blood at six last night and had the results by 9:15 this morning. (I was much longer getting results back on a cat last summer. I was in such shock that I forgot to ask if the lab is on the premises). I'm not certain about the vet -- they seem fine for routine exams, etc. I'm considering a second opinion from her old vet in another city (about an hour away). They did have close ties with the vet school in our state (Georgia) and did wonders with a dog several years ago. The vet said I had to bring the other cat in "right that minute" and I told her I needed to swap some money from one account to another first. I haven't called them back yet. Thanks for any help.
So sorry to hear about your kitty. Hope you have gotten your other kitty to the vet by now. Ask the vet if giving them Viralys will help boost their immune systems. I give it to mine who has herpes, and it keeps tremendously. Good luck !
I have never heard of cats getting herpes? how does this happen? How does animals get human dieases?? Ive heard of feline aids but herpes?? What are ppl doing sleeping with their animals??? That is so awfull
I have never heard of cats getting herpes? how does this happen?
I am going to answer this giving you the benefit of the doubt....
Herpes is a family of viruses. Depending on the species it affects, it will present itself with different symptoms. In humans, it can be a STD obviously, but also cold sores are caused by a member of the herpes family. (And why am I thinking shingles too?... )
In felines, the most common symptoms would be those associated with an upper respiratory tract infection - i.e. not dissimilar from a viral "cold". Less common would be it affecting pregnant cats and causing complications.
A cat can contract a viral herpes infection by simply being exposed to the virus - i.e. it's no different to a human catching a cold or the flu.
I'm pretty sure that what the previous poster was referring to was an immune system boost for a cat with a respiratory tract infection caused by the feline herpes virus.
Hello and thanks to everyone who responded. I am sorry I haven't been on the forum in awhile. The book with the password disappeared and it seemed like everytime I would try to reset the password something was wrong with our IP. Anyway -- we are doing pretty well. One cat (the original) tests positive and one doesn't. I have changed vets. My neighbor sent me to a vet that specializes in cats only. They are so kind and I cannot tell you much easier this is making life. Right now we are battling a kidney infection, but we're getting there. I'll keep you updated. Thanks!
...Ask the vet if giving them Viralys will help boost their immune systems...
I give Viralys (Lysine) to my herd.
It gets expensive if you buy it in small jars from the vet.
I buy it on-line from EntirelyPets.
I pay $50 for a 600 gram jar.
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