American Association of Feline Practitioners

Veterinary professionals passionate about the care of cats

Treatment

Antiretroviral Agents

  • Long-lasting benefits have not been demonstrated.
  • Long-term use is costly with mild to severe toxic side effects.
  • Zidovudine (AZT) may be beneficial in reducing retroviral load, particularly in cats with stomatitis or neurologic signs.
  • Consider these in cases where clinical illness is thought to be attributable to retroviral infection.
  • AZT: 5-10 mg/kg PO q12h
  • A higher dose should be used in caution with FeLV patients due to risk of non-regenerative anemia.

Immunomodulatory Antiviral Drugs

  • Well-designed trials are lacking or have failed to show benefit.
  • Parenteral feline interferon omega may provide some clinical improvement.
  • No controlled studies using oral feline interferons exist to date.

 

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