FIV postpones surgery for Ruby
SALI is all about intervention, sustainability and prevention. We decided last year that we needed to fund spay & neutering in order to work towards preventing unwanted pets in our community. A portion of our donations and fundraising money for our Guardian Programs go towards one spay or neuter a month. We also had a donor come forward who would like to fund one spay or neuter a month. All the pets that are fostered in our Guardian Program require up-to-date shots and need to be spayed or neutered. This is because the pets are fostered in homes that have pets. We also find that the people using our Guardian Program desire to have their pets spayed or neutered but can’t afford it.
I had two cats from the Surrey Urban Mission scheduled for their surgeries last week. Both cats are outdoor cats and only one was able to be coaxed into a crate for transport to the vet. There was concern about the Ruby’s red eyes and the vet felt that the cat was not healthy enough for the neuter operation. She felt that FIV was a possibility and Ruby did come back positive for the virus. I am glad that the Ruby was taken to the vet when we did and he is now responding really well to antibiotics and has become an indoor cat. We will get him neutered at a later date, but would like to find his sister and get her tested for FIV and get her indoors. We don’t normally pay for vet expenses because we don’t have the funds. But we have to follow through with proper care for the pets of people that we are working with. I am very happy with how well the people at the Surrey Urban Mission take care of their pets and SALI will help them in whatever way we can and with whatever funds we have available.
FIV is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is closely related to HIV, the virus responsible for AIDS. The infection is most common in unneutered adult male cats. The main route of transmission is through biting and breeding. Cats with FIV can live for several years without symptoms, however, most infected cats will develop “feline AIDS related complex” within 3-6 years of infection with or more secondary conditions such as severe oral disease, URI, FIA, neoplastic disease, and others. Most FIV-positive cats develop full-blown AIDS within 6-8 years and die soon after. “Treatment” consists of good nourishment, protection from stress and infectious disease, and management of secondary conditions.
(Shelter Medicine for Veterinarians & Staff – page 273)
I will keep you posted about Ruby and Lily and I am happy that we are helping to reduce FIV transmission and preventing unwanted kittens.