Category: Viral diseases

  • FIV in felines

    Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus (subfamily Lentivirinae) that causes an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in cats; so-called ‘Cat AIDS’. First identified in 1986, FIV belongs to the Lentivirus group which also includes FeLV (Feline leukemia virus) and FFV (Feline foamy virus)[3]. Studies of wild cats, such as the Pallas’ cats of Mongolia, suggest FIV has probably been around […]

  • FHV (feline herpes virus)

    The feline herpesvirus I (FHV-1) is one of the most common viral infections in cats, and is responsible for the clinical disease known as feline viral rhinotracheitis, an upper respiratory tract infection known colloquially as Cat Flu. FHV-1 has the ability to persist in latent form in the trigeminal nerve, making reccurrence (or recrudescence) of […]

  • Calicivirus infection

    Feline calicivirus (FCV), a non-enveloped, positive-sense, and single-stranded RNA virus, is one of the two feline viral diseases (including FHV-1) responsible for the disease ‘Cat Flu.’ The two virus can infect separately or together. The incidence of calicivirus is believed to be lower than FHV although the clinical symptoms are often confused. The presence of the virus does […]

  • Meloxicam

    Meloxicam is an approved NSAID for use in cats as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic agent for pain management. At a dose of 0.1 mg/kg orally (loading dose) followed by 0.05mg/kg once daily as a maintenance dose, it is used for long-term management of arthritis and chronic gingivitis. An injectable version is also available for short-term pain-relieving, such as routine desexing. In Canada, Europe, Australia […]

  • FeLV

    Introduction Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus infection that causes immunosuppression in cats. FeLV is transmitted horizontally (from cat to cat) primarily through saliva, which contains high concentrations of the virus. While biting, licking and grooming are the most common routes of infection, kittens may be infected transplacentally or by nursing from infected mothers. […]

  • Feline Panleucopenia

    Feline Panleucopaenia virus (FPV) is an autonomous parvovirus belonging to the family Parvoviridae and in the subgroup feline parvovirus. FPV is a severe, highly contagious disease that is oftentimes fatal. Feline Panleucopaenia occurs worldwide, but is rarely seen as a clinical entity due to the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing the disease. Young, unvaccinated kittens […]

  • Meningoencephalitis

    Unlike non-suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis (Polio) in cats, feline meningoencephalitis is most frequently a result of known infections, including FIP, and infections with Toxoplasma spp, Sarcocystis spp and Encephalitozoon spp. FIV encephalitis has also been reported. In a recent histological review of tissues from 286 cats with neurological disorders, 32% had inflammatory and/or infectious lesions affecting the central nervous system. Of these, 51% had FIP, 36% […]

  • Immunology

    Immunology covers the study of the immune system. In cats, immunology is concerned with such topics as vaccines, immune-mediated diseases (Lupus and EGC), hypersensitivities (atopy) and immune deficiencies (such as FIV). Generally speaking, there are a broad range of diseases and disease process in which immunology is a primary instigator of disease or the primary target for disease. Such […]

  • FIP

    Since the first description of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) in 1963, the association between feline coronavirus (FCoV) and the development of high mortality systemic disease has been reported worldwide in all species of felids. It appears to have no breed or sex predilection, but the close proximity of many cats, such as occurs in multi-cat households, catteries […]