What does FIV positive mean for a cat?
‘FIV-positive’ means that your cat has been infected by the virus, but if it is not showing signs it may be years, if ever, before the cat develops the clinical signs referred to as Feline AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome of cats). Just being diagnosed with the FIV virus does not mean your cat has feline AIDS. Is my family at risk?
Can a cat get FIV from another cat?
No test is 100-percent accurate all of the time, and your veterinarian will interpret the test result and determine whether further testing is needed to confirm either a positive or negative test result. Once a cat is determined to be FIV-positive, that cat is capable of transmitting the disease to other cats.
When do you get a blood test for FIV?
The only way to diagnose FIV is through a blood test that looks for specific antibodies to the virus. They show up anywhere between two to weeks after exposure to FIV. If there’s the suspicion that a mother cat transmitted FIV to her kittens, a test won’t be accurate until around 6 months of age.
What can you learn from a cat blood test?
What Can Be Learned from Feline Blood Tests The results of feline blood tests are essential to helping veterinarians diagnose and treat medical conditions both within the blood itself, as well as in organs such as the kidney and liver. During a blood test for cats, various chemicals in the blood stream are analyzed.
‘FIV-positive’ means that your cat has been infected by the virus, but if it is not showing signs it may be years, if ever, before the cat develops the clinical signs referred to as Feline AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome of cats). Just being diagnosed with the FIV virus does not mean your cat has feline AIDS. Is my family at risk?
No test is 100-percent accurate all of the time, and your veterinarian will interpret the test result and determine whether further testing is needed to confirm either a positive or negative test result. Once a cat is determined to be FIV-positive, that cat is capable of transmitting the disease to other cats.
When to re-test a kitten for FIV?
Tests can result in a false negative or positive, which may occur for a variety of reasons. Due to the false results that occur it is important to re-test a kitten within six months after the first test, as it can take up to eight weeks or longer for a cat to develop FIV antibodies.
Can You euthanize a cat with a FIV test?
That is why many veterinarians, including the feline medicine experts at the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), suggest shelters and owners never opt for euthanasia based on a positive test alone.