Caring For Cats
Cat lovers would like not feel down within the mouth concerning protecting their pets from serious disease. Of course, their cat’s mouth may be a sensible place to start. A recent study shows that cats with common forms of oral disease have the next rate of testing positive for additional serious diseases.
The great news is that with early detection and correct veterinary care, cats with serious diseases like feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), the feline version of HIV, and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) can live long and healthy lives. Having cats tested could be a key factor in slowing the spread of these diseases.
An estimated 31 million cats within the U.S. are at risk for FIV and FeLV. These diseases are unfold from cat to cat (they can’t be spread to folks) and are highly contagious. Since cats with FIV and FeLV typically have no visible symptoms and several cat owners are not aware their cat has been exposed, it’s vitally important to have cats tested. Treatment usually consists of a nutritional diet, nearer monitoring and a lot of frequent visits to the vet.
The study, conducted by veterinary clinics around the country, found one in each eight cats that had some kind of oral disease also tested positive for FIV, FeLV or both. Cats with oral diseases are four times more doubtless to possess those conditions than cats without.
“This study encourages testing cats that have gingivitis and different oral diseases for FIV and FeLV infection. This provides veterinarians valuable new information in their efforts to fight these contagious viruses,” said Dr. Jan Bellows, a diplomate of the Yank Veterinary Dental School and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
Cat owners ought to work with their veterinarian to establish a regular schedule of comprehensive wellness exams, as well as dental screenings and FIV/FeLV testing.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners says a cat should conjointly be tested for FIV/FeLV:
• When sick, irrespective of previous negative results. Signs of illness might embody changes in behavior, grooming and eating habits.
• When cats and kittens, irrespective of age, are newly adopted.
• When cats live in households with unknown infection status. Infected cats who don’t have symptoms can still transmit the viruses to uninfected cats.
• When cats have had potential exposure, whether they snuck outdoors or got in an exceedingly fight with a cat of unknown infection status.
• Annually, especially for cats that fight or live with infected cats.
The Yankee Veterinary Medical Association recommends cat owners visit their veterinarians for a wellness exam twice a year.
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