Hello human:
The day after kitten Kwazi came home from the humane society, he began sneezing, his nose became runny, and a black gooey discharge appeared in the corners of his eyes. Our humans took him to see the vet and found out he had the Feline Herpes virus (FHV-1).
Feline Herpes is a virus that a cat can carry for life. The vet said that Kwazi likely had had the disease before he was brought to the humane shelter. Luckily, his symptoms were treated, and even though the Feline Herpes is contagious, his step-brother Uli did not catch the disease.
How much do you know about Feline Herpes? Answer these questions to test your knowledge. The answers follow each question.
True or False? 👿 Feline Herpes (FHV-1) is a contagious disease.
ANSWER: Feline Herpes a contagious disease that causes an upper respiratory infection, and the answer is True. Especially when symptoms are present, the disease can be contagious.
.
True or False? 😼 Feline Herpes virus is cured by an ointment you can get from your veterinarian.
ANSWER: Dear human, The virus cannot be cured, so the answer is False. The virus can go into remission for long periods, and flare-ups are commonly treated with ointments and/or eye drops. Some vets recommend additional treatments, such as giving amino acids and/or anti-viral drugs.
🐾 Symptoms of Feline Herpes (FHV-1) include:
A. Runny nose
B. Clogged sinuses
C. Sneezing/coughing
D. Eye discharge
E. All of the above
ANSWER: Symptoms are those of an upper respiratory infection and the answer is, “E. All of the above”.
.
True or False? 😽 The Feline Herpes virus can be prevented.
ANSWER: Most important, dear human: Feline Herpes can be prevented by getting your kitten vaccinated at age six to eight weeks. Luckily, tabby cat Uli was vaccinated and did not catch Kwazi’s virus. When your cat is year old, the cat should begin receiving a booster shots every year, and the answer is True.
How did you do, dear human?
So now you know, once a cat has Feline Herpes, it can be treated but it can’t be cured.
How do you know if your cat has Feline Herpes? Other diseases can cause upper respiratory infectons in cats, so only a vet can diagnose the cause. Also, many of us cats have eye discharge from time to time. When we do, we appreciate it if you gently wipe our goop away with a soft clean cloth. But, dear human, if we are sneezing, and/or have a lot of discharge, or the eye discharge is yellow or greenish black, it’s time to take us to the vet (whether we want to go or not).
Peace out ~
Ginger
😽😼🐈
Please share comments and questions below! Do you have a suggestion? Click Contact Us on the menu (top or bottom of page).
REFERENCES:
Information for this article came from:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feline-herpesvirus-infection-or-feline-viral
Every effort to educate humans about FH is important. Many folks are clueless about symptoms, preventions and medications. This is well written article with the key points.
Thank you Ginger.
Thank you for a great article. Very informative.