How to detect AIDS in cats? Can cats survive AIDS?

Feline AIDS is an infectious disease among cats, not to humans. It is not easy to detect when a cat has AIDS at first. If you find that the cat is not behaving properly, it is recommended to check it early and then take corresponding measures. Especially if you have other cats at home, you should isolate and keep them in enclosures. So how do you check if a cat has feline AIDS? Can a cat survive if it has feline AIDS?

How to detect AIDS in cats

FIV infection is routinely diagnosed through blood testing. The FIV status of each cat should be known. The most common type of test looks for the presence of antibodies to the virus in the blood. No test is 100% accurate all the time, and your veterinarian will interpret the test results and determine if further testing is needed to confirm a positive or negative test result. Once a cat is determined to be FIV positive, that cat is able to spread the disease to other cats.

Because an infected mother cat may transfer FIV antibodies to her kittens, those kittens may test positive for their mother's antibodies until they have cleared them from their system by about 6 months of age. Therefore, kittens who test positive for FIV antibodies when younger than 6 months of age should be tested for antibodies again at a later date to see if they are infected.

Can a cat survive AIDS?

Feline AIDS, also known as Feline Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is a disease caused by a virus. Infected cats often show clinical symptoms of immunodeficiency, such as chronic stomatitis, chronic respiratory diseases, fever, swollen lymph nodes, anemia, skin diseases, uveitis and even neurological symptoms. Since there is no specific drug to treat feline AIDS, drugs are more often used to control secondary infections and symptoms. For example, antibiotics, steroids, surgical methods to solve chronic stomatitis, superoxide dismutase, etc. The disease should be controlled to avoid frequent contact with other cats, and fighting is strictly prohibited.

Without proper treatment, secondary infections that may occur from FIV can progress to life-threatening illnesses. In addition, cats with FIV may develop various forms of cancer, blood disorders, or kidney failure, which can ultimately take the cat's life.

Clinical symptoms of feline AIDS

1. Loss of appetite, weight loss, poor fur condition, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, depression, gastritis

2. High fever, swollen lymph nodes, poor wound healing, anemia

3. Chronic infections of the mouth, gums, skin, lungs, and upper respiratory tract

4. Neurological disorders such as epilepsy, motor nerve damage, sensory nerve damage, etc.

5. Cats with chronic skin diseases may be infected with scabies, ticks, trichomonas, various fungi and bacteria.

How to prevent AIDS in cats

Take your cat for vaccinations, health checks, and deworming regularly. Pay attention to the health of your cat, and if you keep multiple cats at the same time, try to pay attention to the fights between cats. Especially male cats, they often fight for mating rights during estrus, so you can take your cat for sterilization to prevent fights between cats. This does not mean that sterilized cats will not be infected with feline AIDS, but by reducing the probability of fighting between cats, the transmission of feline AIDS through wounds (blood) is reduced.

Try to prevent cats from going out and reduce contact with aggressive cats. If there are multiple cats at home, it is best to limit the range of activities of aggressive cats to reduce the probability of fighting. If there are cats diagnosed with feline AIDS, try to keep them isolated.