What is FIV and what does it mean for FIV positive patients?
Abstract
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) causes immunodeficiency in cats. A good time to consider testing cats for FIV would be after they have been bitten in a fight however the test needs to be done 2 months or longer after the fight otherwise the results may be inaccurate due to the cat's immune system not generating enough antibodies to be fully detectable. The disease is more dominant in intact adult male cats — this could be due to them roaming more and being generally more aggressive. Following the primary phase of infection most cats are thought to undergo a prolonged period when they are free of clinical signs attributed to FIV infection. The asymptomatic phase may last for years. There are currently no specific anti-viral agents effective against FIV that can be recommended for use in cats.
Often when a client's pet cat is diagnosed with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) it can mean a complete lifestyle change for both pet and owner. It is the role of the veterinary professional to help the owner and their feline companion make the transition and to give their cat the best quality of life they can for as long as possible. This article provides some insight into what the disease is, how it works and what veterinary professionals, can do to help their FIV-positive patients and their owners.
FIV is a retrovirus that causes immunodeficiency in cats. It is in the same subfamily (lentiviruses) as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Irwin, 2011). It was initially named the Feline T-Lymphotropic Lentivirus (FTLV) because it belonged to the lentivirus subfamily (Hopper et al. 1994). FIV can also be known as feline immunodeficiency syndrome, feline acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and FIV infection. It was discovered in 1986 by the University of California (Davis) Veterinary School when they investigated an outbreak of disease in a previously healthy colony of rescue cats (Hopper et al. 1994).
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