Cat with FIV

[mississipp01]

Could he have progressed to AIDS without having been sick yet?  I just don't know what to think anymore.  The more I hear and the more I read the more confused I get.

P.S.  The vet told me to stay off the computer (won't happen) when I asked about the difference in FIV and HIV.  He told me they had to have FIV before it progressed to HIV but he had previously told me the cat tested positive for AIDS.   That may not even be right...I'm so confused.  Just excuse me, I need a rest.   I told him if I asked him all my questions at one time, he would be on the phone for hours.

 

[ldg]

Could he have progressed to AIDS without having been sick yet? 

No, it's very, very, VERY unlikely. It would certainly be pretty clear in his blood work - so many things would be off. The AIDS stage is defined by very definite changes in the composition of things that indicate immune system function. The detailed testing is not done at regular labs. I'm actually not sure where it's done - it's something that is best measured over time, it's not particularly useful as single-point information. We did not have our vet explore finding out which lab does this. Likely some place like Texas A&M or something.

You might want to join the Yahoo group FIV-Healthscience. It's a very knowledgeable group of helpful, caring people. :heart2: It's run by the gentleman who wrote the http://www.fivtherapy.com website. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/fiv-healthscience/info

I just don't know what to think anymore.  The more I hear and the more I read the more confused I get.
P.S.  The vet told me to stay off the computer (won't happen) when I asked about the difference in FIV and HIV.  He told me they had to have FIV before it progressed to HIV but he had previously told me the cat tested positive for AIDS.   That may not even be right...I'm so confused.  Just excuse me, I need a rest.   I told him if I asked him all my questions at one time, he would be on the phone for hours.

Well, I think you meant the difference between FIV and AIDS. FIV is the virus that can lead to the condition of AIDS, which is when the immune system is failing. Many people use FIV and AIDS interchangeably. My only point is that this isn't correct. If your vet said your cat has AIDS, I'm 99.999999% sure he meant that your cat tested positive for the FIV virus. This means that your cat has virus that is slowly - sometimes very, very slowly - impairing your kitty's immune system. This means that our cats are more susceptible to getting illnesses - they may get colds more easily; a cold may become bronchitis more easily, that kind of thing. It simply means that we need to be very proactive when we think they're not well, and treatment may need to be a bit more aggressive than with kitties not infected by the virus. An example? If kitty has bronchitis, antibiotics may need to be administered for longer than "normal." But if your cat eats a healthy diet, lives indoor-only, exposure to stuff like this should be basically non-existent, and your kitty may never have a problem like that.

I understand it's confusing and overwhelming. :heart2: I think it's like that when we have to learn about any new condition we're not familiar with - in ourselves or our cats.

I'm sorry that your vet discourages you learning about your kitty's condition. That's sad. I do understand our vets don't want us to be "armchair doctors." But wanting to learn about our own health conditions or our pet's health conditions is something I would hope a doctor or vet would never discourage.

 

[maureen brad]

mississip01- Believe me when I tell you that your vet is wrong.I go to a vet who is approved by the AAFP as a cat vet. I go also to a specialist. If your cat is not sick he does not have AIDS.I am sure you know that humans get HIV and when they get symptoms which  escalate it is said that HIV has progressed to Aids. It is the same with FIV+ cats. Your vet can't say a kitty has aids without the kitty being sick I have an FIV cat and have read veterinary journals etc. and consulted with 4 different clinics. There is no dispute about this You may like your vet but he is ill-informed. Many, many cats who are FIV+ lead very full and long lives. For the sake of your cat please get another vet.I had a vet last year that I liked so much. My beloved cat Ziggy was very ill and my vet basically threw up his hands and told me it was just a matter of time and there was nothing to be done.I did a lot of research (but to late) I insisted we try things that should have been done immediately. I had a question mark in my head about what he was telling me but I 'liked' him.I will never forgive myself and it is to late.