PKD What is polycystic kidney disease? Autosomal Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a progressive, inherited condition which causes multiple fluid filled cysts on the kidneys of Persians/Exotic cats & breeds with Persians/Exotics in their lines. Cysts are present from birth, but start out small, slowly increasing in size. Cysts can range from very small to several centimetres in diameter. The increasing size of the cysts damage the normal kidney tissue, eventually causing kidney failure. The number of cysts & the speed & size in which they grow varies from cat to cat. The average age of kidney failure in cats with PKD is 7 years, but some cats will suffer from kidney failure at an earlier age & some cats much later, and in fact succumb to something other than PKD. How is PKD inherited? •Genetic studies in cats have shown that PKD in cats is autosomal (non sex linked gene) dominant. This means only one parent needs the gene to pass it onto the offspring. There is a 50% chance of a cat inheriting PKD if a parent has it. If a cat is genetically free of PKD it is not possible to pass it onto offspring. •What are the signs of PKD in cats? •Weight loss •Depression •Vomiting •Polyuria (excessive urination) •Polydipsia (excessive thirst) •Lethargy •Enlarged kidneys How is it diagnosed? •Ultrasound: Ultrasound diagnosis is 98% accurate after approximately 10 months of age. Ultrasound should be performed by a veterinarian skilled in the use of ultrasound. •Genetic Test: A swab from inside the cheeks (buccal swab) is provided to a specialised laboratory for testing. This test is 99.9% accurate. •ALL breeding cats should be tested for PKD. What is the likely outcome for a cat with PKD? It really varies from cat to cat. How many cysts are present, how large they grow & how quickly they grow. A cat with only a few small & slow growing cysts may live to an old age & eventually die from something unrelated to PKD. Other cats may have numerous, large & quick growing cysts & die at an early age. Is there a cure? No, there isn't a cure for PKD. Breeders are advised to test their cats & if they are found to have PKD have them desexed. Our cats are negative on PKD HCM What is feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy & what does it do? Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease seen in felines. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a term used when there is no known cause, however secondary, is brought about by other conditions such as high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism etc. Cats with secondary hypertrophic cardiomyopathy tend to be older. The main feature of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is excessive thickening of the left ventricular wall, papillary muscles & septum. This enlargement causes stiffening & prevents the heart from expanding (to receive blood) properly. It may also reduce the ability of the valves to work properly, and in some circumstances obstruct the flow of blood out of the heart. Arrhythmias, irregularities of the heart beat & conduction disturbances are also common complications of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The thickened wall sometimes distorts one leaflet of the mitral valve, causing it to leak. Fluid can leak into the lungs causing heart failure. Blood clots can form in the left atrium & be carried into the systemic arterial system, most often lodging in the terminal artery, causing paralysis of the hind legs. Cardio=heart, myopathy=muscle disease & hypertrophic=thickened. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy tends to affect cats one to five years of age, and male cats are more commonly affected. What are the symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? A cat with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may display no symptoms at all, but die suddenly & unexpectedly. Symptoms may include. •Lethargy •Anorexia •Weight loss •Rapid, laboured & noisy breathing •Decreased activity •Congestive heart failure •Irregular heart rhythm •Heart murmur •Gagging •Lameness or paralysis of the hind legs How is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosed? A physical examination may reveal abnormal heart or lung sounds, irregular or gallop heart rhythm or heart murmur, this may well be the first indication that your cat has HCM. Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) is the best diagnostic tool for HCM. Your veterinarian will evaluate the size, shape & functioning of the heart. X-Ray can show if there is fluid in the chest & heart enlargement. Electrocardiogram Blood tests including a complete blood count & chemistry panel. These can help provide information on the function of other organs. This information is important when determining methods of treatment. Thyroid function test to determine if the cause is due to hyperthyroidism. Arterial blood pressure to check for hypertension. Our cats are HCM negative FeLV The feline leukemia virus is a retrovirus in the family Oncovirinae (tumour causing). It is in the same family as the FeLV virus. More deaths occur from the feline leukemia virus than any other pathogenic disease in cats. Four subgroups of FeLV exist: A; B; C, and T, but only subgroup A is transmissible between cats. The other subgroups arise de novo and as results of recombination with an endogenous DNA feline sequence. Hence, there is very good evidence this virus is quite ancient, and may well have evolved more than one time over the last 10,000,000 years. [1] As the name 'oncovirus' suggests, it is a virus which causes cancer, however it also causes immunosuppression, allowing other diseases to take hold. It can also cause bone marrow suppression, with anaemia. The virus is extremely fragile & quickly destroyed in the environment. How is FeLV transmitted? Large numbers of the virus are shed via saliva & respiratory secretions. Smaller amounts of virus are shed in the urine, faeces & milk. The virus is passed via mutual grooming, sneezing, nose to nose contact, sharing food bowls, in utero, via the milk, bites & sharing litter trays. Young kittens are most susceptible to FeLV infection. What does FeLV do? Once the virus enters the body the virus replicates in the lymphoid tissue surrounding the site of the initial virus penetration. Having been infected, there are three possible outcomes; 1.The cat develops a transient viremia. The virus is present in the blood & saliva for less than 12 weeks. The cat develops neutralising antibodies which destroy the disease. The cats no longer infected & cannot transmit the disease to other cats. They don't become sick & have a normal life expectancy. This happens in approximately 33% of cases. 2.The cat develops a persistent viremia. The virus is present in the blood & saliva for over 12 weeks. The cat doesn't mount an effective immune response & is susceptible to many diseases which will prove fatal. Mortality ranges from 6 months & 3 years. This happens in approximately 33% of cases. 3.The cat develops a latent infection. They produce neutralising antibodies to desroy the virus, but the virus isn't extinguished completely & the virus persists in the bone marrow & T-cell lymphocytes. The cat typically doesn't develop diseases or cancers related to FeLV. The virus can be re-activated during times of stress or concurrent illness. Feline leukemia symptoms: Clinical signs vary widely, depending on the disease type & which organs are involved. Some symptoms either caused directly or indirectly by FeLV include; •Poor appetite & or weight loss •Fever •Apathy •Enlarged lymph nodes •Pale mucous membranes •Gastrointestinal disorders •Lymphosarcoma •Secondary infections due to the weakened immune system •Difficulty breathing •Gingivitis/stomatitis Around 80% of cats die within a year of infection, and almost all will die within 2-3 years. How is FeLV diagnosed? There are two types of test available. ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test can be performed in your veterinarian's surgery. It can detect an antigen known as p27 in whole blood, serum, plasma, saliva & tears of the cat. It is possible to get a false positive or a false negative. In the case of a positive from whole blood, a second test performed on plasma or serum is recommended. IFA (immunofluorescence assay) which needs to be sent out to a laboratory. Testing detects antigen in leucocytes (white blood cells) or platelets. Our cats will be tested on Felv FIV What is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus? Known as FIV or cat AIDS, FIV is an infectious disease caused by a retrovirus belonging to the lentivirus family. It is in the same family as the FeLV virus, and is similar to the HIV virus in humans. FIV infects both domesticated cats, lions, tigers, pumas & cheetahs. FIV attacks the cells of the immune system, leading to FAIDS (feline acquired immune deficiency syndrome). This compromises the cat's ability to fight off infections. It was first discovered in 1986 in a colony of cats in California, and is found worldwide. What is a virus? A virus is a ultramicroscopic infectious agent which consists of either DNA or RNA wrapped in a protein coat. It is only able to replicate inside living cells. The phrase "a piece of bad news wrapped in protein" is a very well known saying regarding viruses. Viruses are not living organisms, they don't respirate, process nutrients or generate waste products. What does FIV do & what are the symptoms? FIV attacks the cat's immune system which makes it vulnerable to secondary bacterial, viral, fungal & protazoal infections. Stage 1: Once inside the body, FIV is carried to the regional lymph nodes where it replicates in the white blood cells known as T lymphocytes (CD4+ lymphocyte). It then spreads to other lymph nodes throughout the body. At this time there may be an acute illness which is characterised by fever, leukopenia, anaemia, malaise & swollen lymph nodes, lasting a few weeks. During this initial stage it may go unnoticed that the cat is unwell. Stage 2: This is the asymptomatic phase which can last for many years. During this stage cat appears healthy & is able to lead a normal life. Stage 3: As we've already discussed, FIV destroys the T lymphocytes, these cells are required for the proper functioning of the immune system. Eventually when enough T lymphocytes have been destroyed, the immune system loses it's ability to fight off opportunistic infections & signs of immunodeficiency develop. Cats show a range of symptoms in this stage, these symptoms may vary from cat to cat. Some of which may include: •Weight loss •Poor coat condition •Anemia •Gastroenteritis •Gingivitis & stomatitis •Diarrhoea •Chronic or recurrent infections of the skin, eyes, urinary tract, respiratory tract etc. •Cancer How is FIV transmitted? The virus is present in large quantities in the cat's saliva, and the most common mode of transmission is via bite wounds. Free roaming, entire male cats are at greater risk as they are more likely to become involved in territorial fighting. Occasionally FIV is passed onto kittens who's mother is FIV positive. This may happen either in utero or via infected milk. Cats don't become infected via mutual grooming, nor will the act of mating, although the biting that goes along with mating may pass on the virus. How is FIV diagnosed? FIV is diagnosed based on history, clinical signs & a blood test known as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), which detects antibodies to FIV. It is possible to get false positive or false negatives from these results for the following reasons: False positive: If a cat has received the FIV vaccine it will have a positive test result. Kittens born to FIV infected mothers may have received antibodies from their mothers milk. This doesn't mean that the kitten has FIV, just that it's received antibodies to FIV. Kittens who test positive should be re-tested at a later date. False negative: It usually takes several weeks for antibodies to FIV to appear in the blood, if the cat is tested prior to this it will show a negative result. If the cat is in the later stages of infection it may not be producing antibodies. A FIV PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is available in some commercial laboratories. PCR detects the presence of the FIV virus in the blood. Western blot test or IFA (Immuno-Fluorescent Antibody Test): If a cat has tested positive to FIV it is sometimes recommended to follow up with either a Western Blot Test or an IFA test. If your cat has tested positive to FIV but you are not sure if it has had the vaccine, or want to be sure it does/doesn't have the virus then you may be able to request a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, which will be able to detect the presence of FIV DNA in the blood. How is FIV treated? There is no cure for FIV, once a cat has it, it's for life. The goal is to provide supportive care to the infected cat. This may include; •Regular veterinary check ups. •Maintaining proper parasite control. •Ensuring that prompt veterinary attention is sought at the first sign of illness. •Feed a high quality diet. •Limiting their exposure to disease by keeping them indoors & away from neighbourhood or stray cats. •The use of anti bacterial & anti fungal drugs •Maintain a proper vaccination regime to protect your cat from other infectious diseases. •Blood transfusions may be necessary in stage 3. •High calorie supplements may be necessary in stage 3. •There are other drugs available such as interferon & AZT which have been used in some cats, but it is best to speak to your veterinarian about these. Should I have my FIV positive cat euthanised? No, this isn't necessary. FIV positive cats can live for many years, especially if they are given prompt medical attention when necessary & supportive care. Prevention of FIV: Desexing of all pets, not allowing them to free roam & testing all cats used for breeding. There is now an FIV vaccine which is available, it isn't 100% effective. Cats given the vaccine will test positive to FIV which may result in confusion, especially in the case of a cat being picked up by a shelter or council. For further information on the vaccine, read here... Which cats are most at risk of FIV? Un-neutered, free roaming males are at the greatest risk of FIV. Any cat allowed to free roam is at risk of catching FIV. Can FIV positive & FIV negative cats live in the same household? The general opinion is yes, this is okay as long as there isn't any fighting between the cats. As FIV positive cats are more susceptible to opportunistic infections it is important to ensure the health & vaccination status of ALL cats in the household. Others suggest either keeping FIV positive cats isolated from FIV negative cats or rehoming the FIV positive cat in a single cat household. Your veterinarian is the best person to speak to in this regard. Can I catch FIV from my cat? No it is not possible to catch FIV from your cat, nor is it possible for your cat to catch HIV from a human. While both viruses come from the same family, they are species specific. Our cats will be tested on Fiv