FeLV/FIV testing at SF ACC & SF SPCA

San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) and the San Francisco SPCA (SF SPCA) recently changed their protocols regarding retroviral testing. The following describes the issues considered in the decision for the change.

Best practices for viral testing cats in shelters has been evolving over time to reflect the practicality of testing given the inherent problems with the screening test in obtaining meaningful results. Historically, all kittens and cats in our care were tested for FeLV/FIV using an in-house ELISA test; however, research has shown that less than 2.5% of the North American feline population test positive for either FeLV or FIV. This low seroprevalence also affects the positive predictive value of our retroviral tests (i.e. if the prevalence of a disease is low, then the accuracy of the test decreases and more false-positive results may occur).…

Continue reading this article and more in the Summer 2019 SFVMA Newsletter (PDF)