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the crown st veterinary hospital building

Registered small animal veterinary hospital
Located on the corner of Crown and Gilmore Streets, plenty of parking on Gilmore street.
Afterhours emergency vet service, phone 02 42283777 and follow the directions
Convenient hours 8am until 7pm weekdays, 8am until 6pm Saturdays, 9am until 1pm Sundays and some public holidays. Please phone for an appointment.
Cat boarding facility, best to book early!
Boarding for small dogs, rabbits, rats, birds, etc.
Saturday morning hydrobath dog wash 8:30am until 12pm. No appointments necessary.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) prevention

What is feline immunodeficiency virus?

FIV is a similar virus to HIV. It is a virus which lives in the blood and is carried throughout the cats system for life. Sometimes up to 10 years following the initial infection the immune system becomes suppressed and predisposes the cat to infections and diseases. This is termed aquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS). The HIV and FIV viruses are similar but FIV does not infect people and HIV does not infect cats.

How common is FIV and where do cats get it from?

Around 14% of cats in NSW are infected with FIV. We see approx 2-3 cases of feline AIDS per year. The virus is shed in large amounts in saliva and cats are infected from an infected cat fighting them. Outdoor cats are at a higher risk of infection. Spread through grooming and sharing water and food bowls is unlikely. It is possible for a mother to pass the infection on to her unborn kittens, although this doesn’t occur very often.

How can my cat be tested for FIV?

There is a blood test available which detects the virus. The test is usually done here in the hospital while you wait and only takes 10-15 minutes.

What happens if my cat has FIV?

It is not a death sentence. No treatments may be needed at present, but any infections which develop will need to be aggressively treated. Your cat will be monitored to watch for development of the AIDS syndrome. This doesn’t usually occur until the cat has had the infection for some time, up to 10 years. FIV cats can only pass on the virus by biting another cat. They should have there own food bowl if you have other cats as well, and should not be allowed to roam freely. Any other cats in the household should be tested and vaccinated if free of the virus.

Can the virus be prevented?

There is a vaccine available now which helps to protect against the infection. A course of 3 vaccinations are given initially followed by a yearly booster. They can be given at the same time as your cat’s other vaccinations (feline enteritis and cat flu).

The vaccine can be given to kittens over 10 weeks old. Any cat over 6 months of age has to have a blood test before having the vaccinations to ensure that the cat does not have the infection.

How much does it cost?

For cats over 6 months the cost of the blood test and the 3 vaccinations is $175.00. This fee is only paid only once and the following yearly booster prices are less than $20 in addition to a F3 vaccination (prices current at November 2008)

Special offer!!! Download a voucher and book an appointment to have test and course of 3 vaccinations for the special price of $150.00 (a saving of $25.00). Just book before the 15^th December 2008 and bring the voucher with you.

So what other diseases are there that cats should be vaccinated against?

Feline panleukopaenia, calicivirus and herpesvirus: These are viruses that causes a gut infection and low white cell counts and cat flu. It is included in the standard F3 vaccination which is recommended for all cats.
Chlamydia: This is a bacterial infection of the eyes which results in conjunctivitis. The vaccine reduces the severity and length of the infection. It is not as common as the other diseases and vaccination is only recommended in susceptible kittens.
Feline leukaemia virus: This disease is very uncommon in Australia and when present is usually found in large catteries such as breeding establishments. It is spread when cats groom each other. We do not generally recommend the vaccination due to the low incidence. It may be recommended for cats in high risk situations.

All cats should be vaccinated yearly with an F3 vaccination and an FIV vaccination is recommended for outdoor cats.