The virus is similar to HIV in humans, so it works by attacking and even killing the white blood cells in the cat. This is dangerous because the white blood cells are responsible for fighting off infection. The virus means, therefore, that those with the infection are much more susceptible than others to developing infections and the complications that go with them.
All cat owners should be as vigilant as possible about their pet’s health care, so it is wise to look out for the symptoms of FIV. Common symptoms include sneezing, the presence of discharge around the eyes or nose, raised temperature, diarrhoea, anaemia, infections of the skin, reduced appetite, swelling of the lymph glands and gum disease known as gingivitis. Owners often fail to realise the scale of the threat to cat health care posed by FIV because infected felines can often appear to be healthy for years, despite being susceptible to infection.
There is not yet a treatment available for the virus but cat health care professionals are able to prescribe antibiotics to treat secondary infections to improve the it’s quality of life. Unfortunately there is not currently a vaccine for the virus, meaning that the only real way of avoiding it is to avoid cats mixing and fighting. Because those which have been castrated are less likely to fight, it is a good idea to ensure you it is castrated or neutered.
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