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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

3871.0. "Cats with AIDS" by BPOV02::BOOTHROYD () Fri Aug 03 1990 15:14

    I'm new to this note file but I find it VERY interesting.  I've
    never been all that thrilled with *regular* animals, like cats and
    dogs.  Most of my life was spent in the West so I was accustommed
    to catching poisonous snakes and desert skunks, much to my parents
    'disgust'.  Then my parents bought a black dachsund and I found a
    stray kitten.  From that time on I was hooked!
    
    I wanted to tell notes about something that my brother went through.
    My old roommate, when she moved out, left me with a suprise - her
    Oriental Siamese.  He's quite unique in coloring; a peach orange and
    white.  Very few stripes but he's not of show quality because of those
    stripes.  Anyway, my brother really wanted him so I had all the
    necessary procedures taken care of at the vets and he's had him now for
    well over 2 years.  Named him Nikki!  Then, he decided to take in a 
    stray, they named her C-A-T (if you spell *cat* that was her name)
    just a tabby but she was an offset to Nikki's aloofness. 
    Anyway, things were going well over a year until last month when C-A-T
    became very ill.  My brother rushed her to the vets and was told
    nothing was wrong and sent her home with some medication.  Then she
    became even more violently ill and he took her to another vet where
    she died overnight.  The vet had no idea what caused her to die.  he
    was stumped so my brother told him to spare no expense and find out 
    what was the cause of her death.  After sending test to Tuft's
    University it was discovered that C-A-T had a feline form of AIDS. 
    Her entire stomach was filled with bile.  Samples were taken from Nikki
    and it was discovered that he had AIDS as well BUT it seems he's a
    carrier.  He's very lonely now and eats sparingly as if coaxed.
    I feel bad for my brother ... 
    
    How does a cat/dog contract AIDS?  Is it contracted from wild 
    animals?  My kitty George was in contact with him - now I'm wondering 
    just how long it's going to be before he begans to show the tale tell
    signs.  He's been with me across the country twice going home (Texas).  
    The vet says it's doubtful but, without testing, how would he know?
    
    /gail
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3871.1Let's call it FeLV, not AIDSVAXWRK::SKALTSISDebFri Aug 03 1990 15:5012
    First of all, let's not use the term AIDS, it just seems to spread a
    lot of alarm. It is not the same disease that is making the rounds with
    humans. The proper term is Feline Leukemia Virus, sometimes referred to
    as FeLV. AIDS can not be transferred to a human from a cat carrying
    FeLV, nor can a human that tests positive for the AIDS virus pass it
    along to a cat. They are separate diseases. However, FeLV is very
    contagious among felines. Even a healthy looking cat can carry it, so
    it is a good idea to get any cat tested that may be carrying the virus.
    If the cat tests negative, you can have the cat vaccinated, but there
    is a debate as to how effective these vaccines are.

    Deb 
3871.2It wasn't diagnosed as FeLV!!BPOV02::BOOTHROYDFri Aug 03 1990 16:3920
    It isn't feline leukimia - that's for sure!!  The vet had never seen
    anything like it and that's what the test results from Tuft's
    University stated.  This particular vet, in Chelmsford, is highly
    regarded in many of the surrounding towns.  He's quite good, I might
    add but he was stumped.  It was, as the test stated, a type of
    AIDS related illness NOT FeLV.  I know that AIDS cannot be passed to 
    a human or vice a versa - I read the info that's available to the
    general public *8-)!
    
    I am not trying to create havoc of any kind, I am simply stating the
    test results from Tuft's Unversity Medical.  The other cat was also
    tested as well with the same results.  I know it's not the same illness
    but it does work in the same manner.  Neither the vet nor the clinic
    had seen anything like it - ever.  Both cats tested negative to FeLV.
    
    Given the similarity to the human virus, both cats were diagnosed as
    having the AIDS virus
    
    
    /gail
3871.3Deb, not the same as FelV...ICS::GERRYHome is where the Cat isFri Aug 03 1990 16:5910
    The acrynom for Feline Aids is FTLV.  The harm done to the bodies
    immune system is very similar to human aids.  I put in a note, and I
    believe that several others have been added to it, a while back.  I
    don't know what note number it is off hand, but, I'm sure I would have
    used the term FTLV or Feline Aids in the title.  Or, you could just
    search for notes that I started....I don't start many notes.  I entered
    that one under the node: IAMOK::GERRY.
    
    cin
    
3871.4I'm wrong!VAXWRK::SKALTSISDebFri Aug 03 1990 17:044
    Cin, you are right. I keep getting the FeLV and FTLV mixed up. We have
    a number of notes on the subject, and the topic is keyworded with FTLV.
    
    Deb
3871.5FIVICS::GERRYHome is where the Cat isFri Aug 03 1990 17:447
    I think they're calling FTLV FIV now because there were alot of people
    getting it mixed up.
    
    Thanks for the keyword info.
    
    cin
    
3871.6WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JOset home/cat_max=infinityFri Aug 03 1990 18:2920
    I am not sure that the studies are far enough along for the vets
    to tell you that the oriental cat is a carrier.  I would suspect 
    very strongly that the cat that was brought in as a stray already
    had the disease, and may have given it to the oriental.  The oriental
    may have been able to fight it off completely, or he may be a carrier.
    There is no way to determine that.
    
    FIV is a recently discovered disease, and UC Davis is where the
    virus was first isolated.  Dr. Nels Pedersen is working on a vaccine
    for it at the present time.  You might call UC Davis for more
    information about the disease.  
    
    I recently had a "scare" when a kitten of my breeding tested positive
    for FIV (it was a false positive, thank God).  I spent two weeks
    learning as much as I could, and one thing the Dr. Pedersen told
    me was that FIV is a disease of older cats, specifically strays.
    He said that he has not seen any of it in catteries yet.  Most of
    the cats that have it are older toms.
    
    Jo