My cat died with dirt in mouth. Is FIV related to this cause of death?

I'm very sorry for your loss Debbie, he looked like a very lovely cat. FIV could have been the cause although usually you would see gradual deterioration rather than an acute picture such as what he experienced, i cannot know what has caused it for sure but because of the very sudden symptoms i would say poisoning is a very probable cause.

Hello. FIV is a very serious disease that is often fatal. We sometimes will aspirate the effusions , but for the most part it is a very uncomfortable process that is very temporary at best. The effusions come back very quickly. You did nothing wrong. You cared for your friend until the very end, but the virus was just too overwhelming for his system. I am so sorry for your loss, but you honestly did nothing wrong. Please accept my condolences on your loss & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I agree, those symptoms are concerning for intestinal, oral, or kidney disease. Unless the test was falsely positive, cats don't outgrow FIV. There is also no cure for the virus, though not all cats that have it will develop disease. I would recommend that Tiger get checked out by the vet. After a thorough physical exam and review of his symptoms, the vet may recommend bloodwork, urinalysis, or x-rays to see what is going on. Here is more information on FIV in cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-immunodeficiency-virus-fiv-in-cats/

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mi! When kittens are diagnosed with FIV we tell the owners that they can live well in to their geriatric years. FIV is like HIV in people. The pet will do fine until the immune system is compromised then the pet gets sick with secondary infections or cancer. If Mi is otherwise healthy I would recommend full mouth extractions for the stomatitis. He could have nasal discharge due to dental disease. While he is under anesthesia the vet can get skull X-rays to look at his nasal cavity. But the nasal discharge can also be due to lymphoma (cancer), bacteria, viral or fungal infections. If the stomatitis can not be managed and he is too painful to eat then I wouldn't expect him to live comfortably very long. If your Vet can control the pain and inflammation then I don't see why he couldn't have more time. I don't think I can give you an exact time frame with out examining him or knowing more about how he is feeling currently. I hope this helps and I wish Mi the best!

That is a very tough question to answer without actually seeing her. However, I would wonder if she is healthy enough for anesthesia? If so considering pulling all of her infected teeth may make her a lot more comfortable. If she is painful, and nothing can be done to improve her quality of life, then that is usually when I start to consider euthanasia. I hope this helps guide you, but it is never an easy decision. Take care.

This sounds a lot like your kitty has problems with his teeth or possibly severe gingivitis or ulcers in his mouth. If he lets you have a look, inspect his mouth for red spots, a red gum line and severe tartar, especially on the molars or any swelling. He will likely need a dental cleaning under anesthesia, if he has not had one in the last year or two. Cats get so called FORL, that is the neck of the tooth often rots underneath the gum and eventually starts hurting. Typical signs would be red gums and some swelling and not letting you have a look at his mouth. Affected cats often want to eat, go to the food, eat a little and then stop only to return later for more but few bites. Please make an appointment with your vet for an exam very soon. In the meantime feed canned food which will be less painful to eat.

Aspects of these disease can be painful, such as stomatitis (severe, painful inflammation of a cat's mouth and gums) that is caused by FIV, but Bones's symptoms can be managed symptomatically by his vet. With these cases, it's very important to have him seen by his vet whenever there is an issue.