they definitely do not have it? I thought I read somewhere that sometimes it will show up negative but then later on change?- This confused me because I thought once it shows negative it means they don't have it at all. Also, do the feline vaccines for this prevent a cat from getting it (especially from other cats)? Thanks! And Thank you to everyone who answered my similar question, which I forgot to include this question into!
2007-07-30 04:49:36 · 7 answers · asked by vmp009 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
DEFINITELY get your cat retested. I learned the hard way. I adopted a kitten a couple of years ago that I was told tested negative for FeLv. Ten days later her eye started looking strange and I made an appointment for the vet. Same day the shelter called and told me one of the kittens had gotten really sick from her litter and she and the littermate had tested positive for FeLv. I had Miranda tested at the vet, and sure enough, she was positive. She ended up dying a couple of months after that. Thankfully I'd kept her isolated from my other cat - otherwise she might be dead now, too.
My vet said it's not often to have a false negative - but it is possible. He thinks they hadn't tested her at all. I agree as their records were a bit sketchy. They had her birthday marked that would have made her about four months old - when she definitely wasn't more than 9 or 10 weeks old.
When I adopted an adult cat last Feb from a different shelter (a much more reputable one than the first) I was told he was negative. I took him to my vet the day after I adopted him and had him restested, and thankfully, he was indeed negative. I also had him get the FeLv vaccine.
The vaccine is not foolproof - I've heard it's "reasonably effective" but no vaccine is 100 percent effective. Your best defense is protecting your cat from exposure. Keeping it indoors is the best protection as FeLv is VERY prevalent in feral cats. And do not allow your cat to interact with any cats that have not been tested, retested and vaccinated.
FYI responders - Feline Leukemia (FeLv) is not the same thing as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FIV is the cat equivalent of HIV - cat AIDS.
2007-08-01 14:02:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once it tests negative and then has its shots it is very, very unlikely that it will change to a positive later on. What you could do is have it tested again in another 3-6 six months to be sure. If a cat has the virus but the virus has not yet reached a level that is testable within the bloodstream then you might get a negative read that will show up positive later on.
By the way, once your cat is vaccinated you have to wait several months to test again. The reason is that inside the vaccine is a weakened version of the virus that will cause a test to read false positive. After several months however, the reading will again be correct. My veterinarian told me this because I had the same question.
The vaccine is extremely helpful in the prevention of this disease although it is not 100% - its still very important.
I had two cats die of feline leukemia last year. They contracted it from their mother as we always kept them indoors. Its an awful disease and one that I did a lot of research on when my cats had it. Before I knew nothing about it.
2007-07-30 11:59:15 · answer #2 · answered by ineeddonothing 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with first answer, have a re-test in 3-6 months. Make sure it is a blood test. As far as the vaccine, I understand it will actually cause the cat to test positive no matter what. So, the result is that you will never know if it is the vaccine or the cat actually contracted FIV.
2007-07-30 11:59:14 · answer #3 · answered by angpharo16 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be totally sure a cat that test neg. should be retested in 3 to 6 months. Cats that have just got the disease will test neg. as they haven't built up enough antibodies to test positive. The vaccine for Leukemia is only about 70% eaffective. Most vets around here don't bother to give them unless your cat is let out side. Cats kept only inside do not need to be vaccinated for it as they will not come into contact with other cats,
2007-07-30 11:56:08 · answer #4 · answered by Marlou 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once they are tested for FIV, that is all they need. It isn't quite like HIV where you should be tested more than once since the Humane Society more than likely had the cat for a while before testing. There is no vaccine for FIV. But you should know this: Older cats are more likely to be infected. The average age of cats with FIV is 5 years at the time of diagnosis.
Aggressive male cats that roam and fight with other cats are more likely to be infected than females and nonaggressive males.
Sick cats are much more likely to have FIV. In the United States, about 15% of all cats that show clinical signs of another disease are also infected with FIV.
Free-roaming cats are more likely to be infected than indoor cats.
2007-07-30 11:58:35 · answer #5 · answered by krazycatlady420 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They can be vaccinated for it, yes, and it works pretty well to protect them.
They can test for it, but if the cat was just newly infected it wouldn't show up right immediately. there's an incubation time where the body has to have enough replicate before it does show up on a test--which I suspect is the cause of it showing up in some cats later.
2007-07-31 00:10:59 · answer #6 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here, I found this site while my own cat was being tested for FIV.
It's very detailed in what FIV is, how FIV spreads, how it's diagnosed, treated, etc.
I hope you will find your answers here.
http://cats.suite101.com/article.cfm/fiv_feline_aids
2007-07-30 11:56:53 · answer #7 · answered by apinkfreak 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋