My cat might have herpes. How do vets test for it and what's the cost?

Hello there! Feline herpesvirus (AKA FHV) is very common in cats coming from shelters, and the key clinical sign of the virus is watery, goopy eyes that recur during times of stress or other illness. It lives in the body forever, but goes dormant until something challenges the immune system, and then it rears its ugly head again. While there is a diagnostic test for FHV, it's not commonly performed as the virus is not usually clinically significant (it's not usually a big deal once cats leave kittenhood). Some cats will only have one bout with it, and then you'll never see symptoms again. The treatment that your veterinarian prescribed was likely to prevent or treat any secondary bacterial infections that Oliver may develop/may have developed - viruses have no treatment, but they can make an animal susceptible to bacterial infection, particularly when the eyes are irritated with all the goo they make during a viral break. Conjunctivitis (a bacterial inflammation of the conjunctiva) is a common secondary infection that this virus can cause. If you'd like to confirm that he has FHV, you can definitely request the test for it (this usually involves sending out samples of the eye discharge to the lab), but it will likely be expensive, and the treatment would not likely be different regardless of the test results. I hope this helps, and please feel free to contact me for a consult or post a follow-up question if we can assist further. Best of luck to you and your kitten Oliver!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! An exam fee ranges form $45-50. Vaccines are about $25-30 each, The cat will need 2 FVRCP vaccines 3 weeks apart and a Rabies. FeLV and FIV testing is about $50. Deworming is about $30 (depends on medication used). Fecal is you elect to send it would be about $45. Spaying costs about $200-300. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Boots! The most common causes for coughing in a cat is feline asthma. It can be diagnosed by an exam (listening to the lungs and heart) and by X-rays of the chest. Other tests depends on how old Boots is. Asthma can be from inhaled allergens, lung worms or feline heart worm disease. Prices vary by region but on average an exam is $50 and X-rays are around $120. I would call to make an appointment because you mentioned his breathing has changed. Ask for the exam price and then after the Vet listens to him ask for a detailed estimate for anything else. Asthma is treated with steroids, bronchodilators and sometimes antibiotics. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend making sure he does not have an underlying disease that may be predisposing him to these infections. Test him for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) at your veterinarian's clinic to rule these possible causes out. Some cats will have chronic viral infections their entire life and we just treat these as they come. If you are not giving lysine supplementation and not giving Purine Fortiflora, I would definitely recommend doing so as both of these have been shown to lessen the severity and duration of the herpes virus flare ups. I would also consider an upper respiratory culture to make sure that there are no other bacterial causes that may be resistant to the antibiotics currently being given. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi, it depends on the test. If you suspect your cat has diabetes, you could just start with a urine test which is pretty cheap but can give lots of information. If your cat has diabetes and is on treatment your vet might recommend a general biochemistry panel, check her pancreas, and a fructosamine test, depending on his clinical findings and that would be more expensive. We also perform blood glucose curves in cats that suffer with diabetes, to see if the insulin dosage is appropriate.. I would recommend to see your vet and discuss all the various options with him. Hope this helps !

There are several upper respiratory PCR tests available that can screen for a number of different infectious diseases that can infect and spread between cats. The Idexx Feline Upper Respiratory panel is one example, but I'm not sure if this particular lab is utilized in the UK. (I'm sure UK vets use a comparable panel!) Influenza (flu) is less of a risk in cats compared to calicivirus and herpesvirus, although other infectious organisms, such as Mycoplasma, can also cause upper respiratory illness. Calicivirus is shed continuously, so if a cat is infected or carrying this virus, it should show up on the panel. Herpesvirus sheds intermittently, so as you mention, odds are good that a flare and shedding will occur during a time of stress and thus be detectable on a test, but there is no guarantee. While there is no way to be 100% positive that a new cat is completely free of all infectious upper respiratory diseases, I think it's reasonable to test the adopted cat shortly after adoption, then quarantine them for 2ish weeks while both waiting for the test results and allowing your current cat to acclimate to the presence and smells of another cat in the home.

I'm sorry to hear that Lily is dealing with allergies. This can definitely be a frustrating condition to treat and manage. If it is only the tips of Lily's ears that are affected you can try applying some antibiotic ointment on the sores and see if that helps. If however the ear is inflammed or there is discharge in the ear then she may have an ear infection and need ear drops to help it clear up. Ear infections are very common on pets with allergies. And finally, yes, it is expensive to have allergy testing done and the price you quoted does seem like the average cost. This is a good option for treatment of allergies if you want to consider giving allergy shots to your cat long term. If that is not something you feel comfortable with then I would not spend the money to have the test performed. And many vets are comfortable treating cats but there are "cat only" practices that are focused on cat healthcare. You may be able to find a clinic like this in your area if you are interested. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.