What's A Combo Test?

When you take your new kitten or stray adult cat to the vet for the first time, they are going to ask if you want a combo test. A combo test is a snap style test that takes 8 minutes to run. It tests for the Feline Leukemia Virus and the Feline Aids Virus (FIV). Feline Leukemia Virus is an infectious disease that is spread through saliva, nasal secretions, urine, and feces from one cat to another. The virus can be spread from a mother cat to her kittens before birth or through the milk during nursing. Cat bite wounds are another important way the virus is spread. The Feline Leukemia Virus affects the cat's immune system and makes it difficult for it to fight off infections. So, these cats are more likely to be sickly and develop problems like upper respiratory infections. It can also cause cancer and certain blood disorders. Early on in the infection, leukemia positive cats may not show any clinical signs at all. As the virus progresses, these cats may have a loss of appetite, have an unkept haircoat, diarrhea, and eye problems. These cats usually do not live as long as cats without the virus. There is a vaccination to prevent this disease.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV or Feline Aids) is a disease that is spread through cat bites (saliva to blood). Not all FIV positive mother cats spread this disease to their kittens, but it is possible. Clinical signs of FIV are similar to the leukemia virus and can be nonspecific. There is a vaccine for FIV and all cats that go outdoors should be vaccinated. Once the cat is vaccinated, it will always show up positive for FIV on the snap test. So, it is very important to let the vet know if he/she has been previously vaccinated. It is also a good idea to have the cat microchipped and the online database with the cat's information will show that it has been vaccinated against FIV. This way, if the cat is ever picked up by someone and taken to a shelter or vet, it will be microchipped and they will know it has had the vaccine and doesn't have the actual virus.