This is the first I’ve heard of this, and I’ve had cats for years.
I suppose it’s my own fault, because I always try to read up on what is going on in the world of pets, but I just ran across this article today, and I’m quite upset that this is the first I’ve heard of it.
http://www.sheltermedicine.com/portal/is_vs_fcv.shtml
How long has this been around?
At our last appointment with the vet, there was no mention of this.
Feline Leukemia, yes. Our cats always get their FeLV vaccinations, even though they never go outside (except for my husband’s cat, who keeps him company in the semi, as he drives OTR).
Why hasn’t our vet mentioned this before? It seems to be just as deadly as FeLV.
Should I change vets? I’m thinking that our vet of 25+ years isn’t keeping up on things as he should.
This has me quite concerned and a little bit pissed!
:Edited to include link:
From the quick search that I was able to make… It is a rare, relatively newly described disease (first described around 2000).
Seems like the cases came from shelter or group-housed cats, not the normal household with a couple of cats.
There is no vaccine yet on the market that is considered safe and effective. I read that there are vaccines on production, but how good they are is not yet known.
Again, it is a rare infection… and while it is deadly, it is a rare disease. Compared to FeLV which is relatively easy for any cat to obtain and be exposed to it.
Your cats probably got a vaccine against respiratory diseases when they were younger, no? That probably had some protection against regular calicivirus. Some studies have shown that while not completely protective against the new variant (seems that it just mutates in an environment with many cats), they may still offer a bit of protection.
No, I don’t think you should change vets, as I am a veterinary student that hadn’t heard of it until you mentioned it (it is a rare disease not emphatized in class OR clinics).
Again, it seems like a serious disease, but the likelihood of the regular cat to be exposed to it (compared to other diseases) is much lower. If there is a vaccine, it will probably be targeted to places like shelters and catteries in which the disease was first identified.
I am curious though, where did you read that article? Nevermind, I submitted this before you posted the link… And as your own link indicates, it is a shelter medicine issue, not one necessarily related to general private practice.
I posted the link to that article. It was from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
I’d like to thank you for your help, and I won’t change to another vet. You put me very much at ease with your explanation.
This part is what bothered me:
I may come into contact with a cat that is infected, and there would be no way I could know, which would let cats come into contact with it. That’s the scary part.
In case I miss the edit window… why don’t you (in a good, civilized, non-confrontational manner) mention to your veterinarian that you read something like this, and wanted his/her input and opinion? And that you don’t need an immediate answer, but a good researched one, that he/she can take some time, because you want to know more.
There are many things to keep up with in the world of veterinary medicine, and what I quickly read about this disease makes it look as something that only a niche of the profession will see in their careers.
Fantastic idea, KarlGrenze. I will do that. Soon, too…as one of the cats has their yearly shots/exam coming up within the next month. I will ask him about it.
Thanks again.
I understand why it would be scary, even though the odds seem low.
I may have to read a bit more to see how hardy it is (compared to say parvovirus in dogs), but in this case what you have to remember is follow good basic hygiene, like for example washing your hands after touching a stray cat or unknown animal. If you picked up another animal (especially if sick) that rubbed itself against you, you may want to change clothes once you get home before playing with kitties, and don’t let them get near your dirty clothes. For the veterinary practice, on the other hand, it may mean a reminder that they need to wash hands between patients, clean the tables and areas well, follow a good cleaning schedule, put gloves and masks, isolate sick animals from healthier ones, etc. A LOT of diseases can be prevented or their incidence diminished by following simple things like that (not just in veterinary medicine but in general).
I’m OCD when it comes to hand-washing, anyway, but you gave some great advice that will be followed at my house if there is any ‘stray/unknown animal touching’ going on.
I know that our vet and his staff do a wonderful job with keeping the rooms clean between patients, also, they’re always cleaning the waiting rooms, and they wash their hands, use disposable gloves, gowns, etc.
I guess our pets (2 dogs, 4 cats and 2 rats that get regular vet care) are in good hands there.
Wow! Reading that makes me glad I’m not working in a shelter environment anymore! I hope they can come up with a vaccination soon - and that they will make it affordable for shelters. With so many animals is such an enclosed environment, cross-contamination is always an issue - yet it isn’t healthy for the cats (physically or mentally) to be kept isolated in cages 24/7.
In a lot of ways I miss rescue/shelter work - but this aspect sure isn’t one of them.
Ideally your cats should be getting the FVRCP vaccine along with the FeLV one. This protects against not only the normal Calici virus but also Panleukopenia which can sometimes be transmitted on your clothes or shoes.