Syndrome of immunodeficiency

It is produced by a virus of slow action (lentivirus) and affects the immunological system, it is distributed everywhere and it attacks domestic cats and some savages.

It is pronounced in cats of all the ages, nevertheless, the incidence increases with the age and the FIV is prevalente in cats of 5 years and greater.

The transmission happens mainly by saliva and the form of I infect is through mordeduras during the fights by the territory (of here the greater insidencia in males noncastrated). The mordeduras are the main way of transmission of the virus of the feline immunodeficiency.

The human being is not contagious, the FIV only grows in cells of felines (lentivirus in general is very specific of species).

The signs of the ill cats are injuries in the buccal cavity, nasal and ocular flow, dermatitis and external otitis, accompanied with abnormal sanguineous and urinary values.
The fact to debilitate its immunological system has to the appearance other opportunistic diseases like bacterial, micóticas, parasitic infections, tumors, etc.

Although treatment does not exist, because it is a incurable disease, the cats that do not have symptoms can live per years before clinical signs are desarollen, and the symptomatic cats can stay during many months with the careful antibiotic use combined with support measures.

The prevention is the indicated way to avoid the disease, the castration of male cats is recommended to avoid I wander and the fights.

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