Topic: How do you know if your cat has FIV or FELV? (Read 43040 times)

zoe (tiggy + pipins mum) · « **Reply #27 on:** March 09, 2009, 21:53:00 PM »

I paid 46.50 for soots fiv felv blood tests

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #26 on:** November 20, 2006, 19:33:16 PM »

Milly's mum - my vet uses that price, and they add something like ?9ish on for something - takes it to ?34.40 for an accurate test, so I will continue to do that - not that I get a choice, my vets dont' do an in house test. Charlotte, ?40 for an house test seems scandalous!!

tammy · « **Reply #25 on:** November 20, 2006, 18:46:05 PM »

Thanks guys. If she ever needs bloods done again for something else I will ask vet to do these too. Id just hate to put her through it all again right now as she is only just recovering from all the trauma.. She dont take too well to having scans and bloods so she has to always be put under, this has been done 3 times in the last month and it just seems unfair to do it again,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Millys Mum · « **Reply #24 on:** November 20, 2006, 17:22:23 PM »

?25 will be the price to the vets, they then get to add on their disposable costs,time and mark up

Team Svartalfheims · « **Reply #23 on:** November 20, 2006, 14:24:41 PM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on November 20, 2006, 12:01:07 PM

http://www.gla.ac.uk/companion/felv.htm#felvvna

Just looked at the price lists on there and it seems to be almost same cost to get them sent to Glasgow as it is for my in house vet ones so I'll be getting the Glasgow ones done seeing as they are more accurate results for the same cost. My vets charge ?40 for in house FIV and felv test whereas Glasgow charge ?25 plus vat.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #22 on:** November 20, 2006, 12:01:07 PM »

I think it may be this page, under the title of Immune Responses to FeLV Infection

http://www.gla.ac.uk/companion/felv.htm#felvvna

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #21 on:** November 20, 2006, 11:40:23 AM »

Me remind you

I have a sievelike memory...................age related

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #20 on:** November 20, 2006, 07:59:56 AM »

Will do it tonight if I remember Gill - someone might have to remind me though!!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #19 on:** November 19, 2006, 21:26:02 PM »

Desley is the link to the Glasgow site you mention in the links section here.....if not can you add it cos it will be so useful

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #18 on:** November 19, 2006, 21:22:39 PM »

Lynn, you can't, but as I said, there is a test available at Glasgow to see if they have a natural immunity(if you go on their FeLV page, it explains it more), and depending on price, maybe that is what vets should be offering before vaccinating. But, then they wouldn't make any money on yearly vacc's, and sadly that is what some will be seeing, rather than it benefitting the cat not having to have a jab that could cause potential side effects for no reason.
Tammy, I agree completely.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #17 on:** November 19, 2006, 21:12:32 PM »

I think you are right tammy

tammy · « **Reply #16 on:** November 19, 2006, 18:58:48 PM »

I give up, she's fine on steroids and has been to hell and back this month with tests and scans....it can wait, she is well and happy as she is...

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2006, 18:57:28 PM »

having said that you cant guarantee they have developed an immunity, my soots didnt and he contracted it around 9 years old having been with lots of cats on a farm etc in the start of his life.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2006, 15:30:39 PM »

Yep, your right Gill, I forgot to mention that. The locum vet at my practice would have vacc'd mine, but I had spoken to my CP branch before then who had been to a seminar about it, and older cats who have been outside dont need the vaccine due to getting their own immunity (like I mentioned earlier). So none of mine are vacc'd against it.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2006, 12:45:29 PM »

Also the chances of a cat getting FeLV at 12yrs old are very slim cos cats build up an immunity to it, so at my vets they do not recommend giving the vaccine to older cats.

tammy · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2006, 12:05:38 PM »

ahh well.........

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #11 on:** November 19, 2006, 11:30:08 AM »

I would guess at highly unlikely then, as they have to come into contact with an infected cat - that is for both, although FeLV can be transmitted through licking, yet FIV requires a deep bite.

tammy · « **Reply #10 on:** November 19, 2006, 10:20:12 AM »

Yes she does Booktigger. But rarely, and even then its only to have a poo poo or lick a plant for a few secs and then she runs back in. If she sees a pigeon sat outside she wont go out.

Shes 12 years old and has up until 2-3 months ago always used her litter tray. Even if she was outside she'd begg to be let back in to go loo.When our 2 year old cat Smudge went missing in September she took to pooing in the garden and has never stoped ???

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2006, 10:07:00 AM »

Suppose - the vaccine is only 85% effective. BUT, the majority of cats that come into contact it develop their own immunity, and there is a test that Glasgow do that tests for their immunity, I think if that test is positive, they have no chance of developing it. Sadly most vets dont seem to know about it, which is a shame as it would stop cats having to be vaccinated against it, and there are higher side effects with the FeLV jab.

Does she go outside?

tammy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2006, 09:52:36 AM »

Booktigger

So what you're saying is that even though I regularly vaccinate Fluffy, have never missed or been late with it she could potentially have it???

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #7 on:** November 18, 2006, 22:21:02 PM »

As the others have said, there are blood tests for both. I personally wont use in house tests, as if they come back positive, they have to be confirmed via Glasgow, so I dont see the point in potentially having to test twice, as it is twice the cost, time and stress. I am lucky that my vets cost for Glasgow tests isn't that much more than an in house test though. The in house tests are for the antibodies (FIV) and antigens (FeLV) so there is a chance they will have these in their bloodstream but actually be negative, hence a false positive - more common with FeLV as they can come into contact with the virus and 'shake it off', so any positive FeLV tests need to be redone after 12 weeks to make sure they are truly positive and hadn't just come into contact with the virus. Glasgow also recommend that any healthy cat is tested twice as it can take up to 8 weeks for the virus to enter the bloodstream, so they could show as negative but in fact have just come into contact with the virus and not be able to shake it off. The majority of cats over 6 months of age will develop an immunity to it, which is similar protection to the vaccination, as that is only 85% effective.

Ela · « **Reply #6 on:** November 18, 2006, 20:54:06 PM »

I agree with you lynn. we have never had a false neg, (we monitor all our cats once homed) and I would be happy to accept the vets findings

tammy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2006, 19:38:40 PM »

Thanks guys. Yes I was a little surprised that he didnt do it 1st time round and then only seemed to mention it when she seemed better on her steroids. And no I dont have any insurance for her. Her tests and scans have already cost me well over a grand in the last 6 weeks. See if he mentioned it before Id happily said yes as we were paying huge amounts already for all sorts.........
Below is a piccie of Fluffy.

My avatar is Smudge who went to Rainbow Bridge back in September RIP.

[attachment deleted by admin]

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2006, 19:31:37 PM »

Gill said - Remembering from CC I do not think there is a test for FIV bet a test can be done and sent to Glasgow for FeL , I hope I got this right"

You get both FIV & FELV inhouse snap tests that the vet can perform at the surgery...results within 10 mins, There is a fairly low percentage for FALSE negatives but abit highter for False positives. Personally i would go for that first and if it was negative i'd be quitely confident but if it was positive i'd always have a second test done and sent away to glasgow for the virus isolation testing which is 100% altho abit more expensive and takes a couple of weeks.

OR

you could just go straight ahead and send the first sample to glasgow missing out the in house test altogether.

Ela · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2006, 13:09:56 PM »

Strange that your vet has not thought of testing before now. I personally would ask the vet to test ASAP to rule FIV & FelV out. Even if Poss it is not the end of the world.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2006, 12:35:56 PM »

Remembering from CC I do not think there is a test for FIV bet a test can be done and sent to Glasgow for FeL , I hope I got this right and Desley is the big expert onthese tests.

If Nobody posts info , try emailing Desley- booktigger.

I am hoping that this section will become as big and as helpful as on CC cos I am no expert but was learning.

I do hope that your cat will be found nrgative on a test but I know an inhouse test produces false positives so useless.

If your vet has not suggested tests then I have to think he is not very knowledgeable and you need to seek a seconf opinion.

I do hope you have good insurance.

tammy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2006, 12:29:42 PM »

??? My cat has been not so well recently, she kept on bleeding from her nose and had gone off her food. Did loads of blood tests and xrays and scans... Vet said she had auto immune disorder and that steroids ought to calm down her nasal inflamationand that this ought to stop nasal bleeds. She has improved greatly, hasnt had a nose bleed for a few weeks and her appetite is great.

The vet is now out of the blue suggesting she may have lefv or fiv???? Help please

Author Topic: How do you know if your cat has FIV or FELV? (Read 43040 times)