Comments on: Too Many Myth-Understandings About FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)

By: Harley's Momma

Harley's Momma — Fri, 29 May 2015 02:29:09 +0000

Thank you so much for this information! I just had my almost 6 yr. old girl torbie tested and she came back faint positive. :-( The vet said she might have been vaccinated when she was a young kitty, I know she was, I adopted her from a friend who had gotten the cat from a PetSmart. I had vet records but misplaced them recently, so I was going on memory of seeing a FeLK – and FIV – dx. This makes me feel a lot better!!

By: kari

kari — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:21:56 +0000

Ivy – That’s a great question for your vet. It’s a tricky question to ask & to get an honest answer to because (1) there are legal requirements for vaccinations & some vets might not want to scoot around those requirements even when it’s in the best interest of one animal’s health, (2) lots of vets are uninformed about what FIV+ really means in practical terms, and (3) many vets will drop you as a client if you do not follow their recommendation.

My own vet has lots of experience w/ FIV+ cats. She believes some vaccinations are still really important for indoor-only FIV+ cats, but some are fine to skip. She *always* gives me an opportunity to reject her recommendations. We make it clear that I am the person legally responsible for decisions about my cats – especially if it goes against legal requirements set for *her* as a practitioner.

By: Ivy

Ivy — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:21:05 +0000

Do you encourage vaccinating FIV+ 100% indoor kitties annually? having read all negative reports of kitties getting tumour at injected area, and other problem. Moreover, vaccination is like introducing virus into their already compromised immune system, am I right?

By: kari

kari — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:49:59 +0000

Jaki â€“ PS â€“ My vet has emphasized the importance of not boosting and not suppressing the immune system. The supplements given to FIV+ cats should merely support the immune system. With that in mind, itâ€™s also important when giving these cats any type of medication, that we pay attention to how that medication impacts the immune system. If it causes the immune system to be either underactive or overactive, they shouldnâ€™t be on that medication for very long.

By: kari

kari — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 13:48:45 +0000

Thanks, Jaki. I'm happy this post is useful. And lucky Paddy! For ideas about supplements to support healthy immune systems, try to find a holistic vet who know about FIV. Aside from that, I'd recommend looking at the FIV info in the books above by Messonnier & Wulff-Tilford. I also like Veterinarians' Guide To Natural Remedies For Cats by Martin Zucker. Yes, you can vaccinate your cats against FIV. For info about it (primarily cautions against it), take a peek here: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_fiv_vaccine.html. (The American Assoc of Feline Practitioners even recommends against using the vaccine.) All of your questions are excellent & I hope you're able to find a good holistic vet who knows enough about FIV to be helpful for you & your cats.