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Hey you guys, it’s Feline Friday!
Foster Friday started by Kat’s Cat of the Day
Formerly Feral Friday for all formerly feral kitties
Finally Friday started by Gandalf & Grayson
Frootbat Friday for cats to show off their big ears
and it’s Fashion Friday for our furry fashion diva furriends!
Find Weekend Cat Blogging #150 (Apr. 19-20) is being held by Mog and Meowza at the Mind of Mog.
Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos #41 (04-20-2008) with Cat Blogosphere?
Optional Theme - TBD
(submit your post here)
What we gonna do now that they've come for you?
(submit your post here)
(Next week, the Carnival comes to HOUSE PANTHERS!)
Feline Viral Diseases
When it comes to the issue of health maintenance and prevention in our feline companions' lives, regular visits to the vet and annual vaccines seem to fulfill most animal's needs. For the most part, this is true. There are other approaches to health that go beyond the maintenance and that go beyond the prevention. For instance, when it comes to the topic of infectious diseases, changes in lifestyle can serve as integral means to preserving health. When it comes to the topic of feline viral diseases, a combination of maintenanc prevention and lifestyle is often your best bet for assuring a long and healthy life.
Most cats have heard of the primary feline viruses that can infect us. They are feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and the mutated feline corona virus, which is associated with, and better known by, feline infectious peritonitis. All three viruses are contagious and all three can potentially affect your life. Thanks in whole to advances in medicine there are means to prevent infection.
Feline leukemia virus, or FeLV, is an infectious agent of cats that may result in lymphoma, leukemia, immunosuppression and ultimately, death. It is transmitted by casual contact (grooming, sharing food bowls) and kittens are most susceptible. Resistance to infection evolves with age and adults that contract the virus may actually fight it. There is a test for FeLV that can indicate, in most cases, whether a cat is infected or not. Cats may harbor the virus and show no signs well as show false negative test results. There is a vaccine for feline leukemia that is highly effective in preventing infection but it doesn't come with a guarantee. There is no effective treatment for cats with active FeLV infections but supportive care is recommended until the quality of life diminishes. Vaccination and lifestyle are import factors in preventing FeLV infections.
Feline immunodeficiency virus is the cat version of human immunodeficiency virus that, ultimately, results in an acquired immunodeficiency state in its host. It is highly infectious and is most often spread through aggressive biting by sexually intact males. All ages are susceptible to infection and, once infected, there is no cure. The patient, after a symptom free period of months to years, ultimately develops recurrent and chronic secondary infections that eventually lead to death. There is a test for FIV and it is a reliable indicator infection. A new vaccine is currently on the market but, with the exception of highly at-risk patients, is not necessarily recommend as part of the annual feline vaccination base. Lifestyle is a huge factor in preventing this deadly disease.
Feline corona virus is an ubiquitous, infectious agent of cats that most often results in few to no detectable signs of disease. However, upon establishing itself and replicating within the cells of its host, the virus has the potential to mutate and become a virus that can wreak havoc and render death. There is no test and there is no vaccine for mutated feline corona virus. Transmission is primarily through excreted feces of infected cats (i.e. litter boxes). The actual disease state experienced by the host is not necessarily due to the virus, but the response that the said virus elicits from the host's immune system. Treatment is limited and primarily palliative. Life style is key to avoiding this viral menace although, in many cases, there is little one can do to lessen an animal's potential.
Lifestyle is one of the biggest factors in preventing exposure and infection by these deadly viruses. By lessening your exposure to the virus particles, it only makes sense that you will be less likely to contract the virus and its respective disease state. To lessen virus particle exposure, one needs to decrease your interaction with populations of felines that may harbor the viruses. This action, in combination with health maintenance and annual vaccination can assure that you lives a healthy, productive, and happy life.
Note: I still have to clean up the contributers' section, but I know of a number of Panthers out there that aren't contributing members. So in talking to Not the Mama, we've come up with a new section called "Honorary Members". These are Panthers that we know and love on the Blogosphere, but which, for whatever reason, choose not to accept an invitation as a contributor.
Contributing members will now be called FULL members. I hope to generate a bit more interest in the group this way. This also opens up the club to Panthers on Catster that do not wish to get Blogger addresses, but which would still like to belong to the group and display our badge on their page.
If you know of any Panthers that should be added to our list of Honorary Members, please drop me an e-mail and let me know!
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