Is there a feline AIDS vaccine?

Is there a feline AIDS vaccine?

There is currently no vaccine commercially available in North America to protect against FIV, so the best way to reduce risk is to limit contact with cats who may be infected with the disease by keeping cats indoors and testing all cats within the household.

Should FeLV positive cats be vaccinated?

This vaccine is only recommended in certain cats; the recommendation to vaccinate for FeLV is based on individual risk factors and an assessment by a veterinarian, including a negative FeLV test prior to vaccinating. No vaccine is 100% effective at preventing infection and disease.

How long is feline leukemia vaccine good for?

The duration of immunity—or the length of time that the vaccine protects your cat—is proven at 1 year in most vaccines. Studies have shown that several vaccines can provide 2 years of protection, but not all cats will experience full protection at 2 years.

Is FeLV feline AIDS?

FeLV stands for feline leukemia virus, and FIV is feline immunodeficiency virus. Although caused by distinct viruses, these diseases have similarities: both are contagious and incurable; both are more likely to be acquired by a cat that is allowed outside.

What happens if a cat with FIV bites you?

With few exceptions, the bite of an infected cat is required; that is, virus present in the saliva of an infected cat must be violently passed through the skin of another cat. (On rare occasions, the offspring of an infected mother cat may become infected, but obviously this doesn’t apply to your specific concerns.)

What happens if a cat is FIV positive?

The virus works by killing or damaging cells in a cat’s immune system, often targeting white blood cells. The ongoing damage of FIV in cats eventually leads to a weakening of the immune system. Once that happens, cats with FIV can become vulnerable to secondary infections.

Can FeLV go away?

Unfortunately, there is currently no definitive cure for FeLV. Veterinarians treating and managing FeLV-positive cats showing signs of disease usually treat specific problems (like prescribing antibiotics for bacterial infections, or performing blood transfusions for severe anemia).

How contagious is FeLV?

A cat with FeLV sheds a large quantity of the virus in its saliva, as well as in other bodily fluids such as nasal secretions, urine and feces. However, FeLV is not a highly contagious virus, and transmission generally requires a prolonged period of close contact between infected and susceptible cats.

What is worse FeLV or FIV?

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is much more devastating than FIV. This is because FeLV typically results in cancer (e.g., lymphoma), leukemia (e.g., cancer of the bone marrow or circulating white and red blood cells), and severe bone marrow suppression (e.g. anemia) in young cats.