|
Testing kittens for FeLV is probably a good idea,
if they test positive you will want to keep them away from your own cat just to
be safe. If they test positive I would probably have them
retested retested in 60 - 90 days.
Testing kittens for FIV is a total waste of time
and money. They don't develop their own antibodies until they are about 6
months old. FIV is much less contagious than FeLV and the most common
means of transmission is by bite wounds and not by sharing dishes,
etc.
Gary
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 10:13
AM
Subject: Re: Kittens tested
positive
This is fine for the full time rescue person that
is brining rescues in all the time...But what about the pet owner that finds 3
abandoned, starving kittens in a parking lot on the other side of the tracks
coming from God knows where and wants to save these kittens but the primary
concern is the personal loved pet at home...In that case would testing the
kittens be appropriate ???
Tad
Terri Durham-Stone wrote:
I test at 6 weeks and no younger...... rescued over 300 kits this year and only 5 were pos for FeLV and all were done with the snap combo test. Those 5 little ones I watched die each week, it just killed me and an experience that left me just sick about this horrible disease.
I recently have 3 little ones that tested pos for FIV and they have been slowly gone from a pos to a very very weak pos,,,, I am sure that the test being pos is from them carrying the antibodies from their mom.
I just keep testing as long as they are not sick and will continue until neg or they get adopted. Such cute little ones, and such purr buckets (as I call them)
Terri
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I am shocked they would even test at 3 weeks old to be honest. Especially with FIV kittens can test false positive for upto a year so need testing after 12 months and even if they are positive for FeLV or FIV it is no reason to euthanase. Not sure if teh same time scale applies to FeLV but I'm sure it will.
I do know that the tests for FIV detect anibodies and not the virus - the kittens automatically get the antibodies from their mother but not necessarily the virus. So like I said tehy could test positive for a long time even though they may not have the virus. Time is usually around 6 months before they test negative but I've known cats to have false positives for 12months and even upto 2 years so if they tested positive on FIV there is every chance they may be negative.
Hope someone else can help on the FeLV knowledge about time scales before testing can be accurate.
Michelle, Minstrel, Buddy, & Angel Bramble
|
