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YOU CAN VACCINATE AGAINST FELINE AIDS.
FELINE IMMUNEDEFICIENCY VIRUS (FIV) or Feline Aids is a virus that interferes with the immune system of a cat. It lives in the blood of an infected cat & is carried in its system throughout its life.
It is spread from cat to cat primarily through bite wounds, the virus being shed in high levels through saliva. After infection some cats show no signs of disease, while others display initial symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea & lethargy.
They can then remain healthy for up to 10 years, but as the disease progresses symptoms of immune suppression develop, such as:
Eventually the immune system becomes too weak to fight off other infections or diseases. As a result, the cat will die from one of these subsequent infections.
(The feline virus is related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but humans cannot become infected with the feline virus.)
It is estimated that around 14% of New Zealand cats are infected with FIV and outdoor cats are at the highest risk of contracting the disease.
There is no treatment or cure for an FIV infected cat. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the disease.
There is a common misconception that this vaccine is included in our regular “core” vaccination programmes for cats. IT’S NOT! So please, if you would like your cat protected against FIV, ask us about it.
The initial course requires 3 doses 2-4 weeks apart, then an annual vaccination is recommended. For cats older than 6 months old, we blood test them first, to ensure they have not already become infected.
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