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PCR is unreliable and a waste of
money.
You must wait 120 days to be sure
of ANY test result by ANY means, due to the nature of the virus:
Cats will test positive around 30 days post-exposure on the ELISA test. The
pathogenesis of FeLV can take one of three paths. Cats can be transiently
infected and then clear the virus around 12–16 weeks after exposure (meaning
they can test positive, and then "turn" negative after around 90-120 days).
They can also develop a latent infection, in which case both the ELISA FeLV Test
and IFA test will be negative. Latently infected cats can harbor the virus in
their bone marrow for years with no clinical signs. Most latently infected cats
can eventually clear the infection, but in a small percentage, the virus can
reactivate and clinical FeLV can occur later in life. This reactivation of
latent virus explains why a nine-year-old cat that has tested negative and lived
indoors alone may suddenly become ill and test positive for FeLV. Cats can also
be persistently infected, clinical or nonclinical, but these cats may be
shedding virus.
Phaewryn Please adopt a cat from Little Cheetah Cat Rescue!!! http://ucat.us/adopt.html
Low cost Spay&Neuter services in VT, and Emergency Financial Assistance for cat owners: http://ucat.us/VermontLowCost.html Special Needs Cat Resources: http://ucat.us/domesticcatlinks.html The Sofa Poem: http://ucat.us/sofapoem.html Find us on PETFINDER! http://petfinder.com/shelters/VT44.html |
No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.14.5/534 - Release Date: 11/14/2006
