what is the earliest I can have my kittens tested for Feline Leukemia?
Filed under Feline Leukemia Q&A
They are 6 weeks is it too early? How muc hdoes this usually cost. While I have you experts helping me if you have any info on worming that would be great I dont see worms do I need to worm them? thanks!
They are fine to be tested now. It’s generally cheaper to have them tested by a shelter rather than a vet. The test kits cost in the neighborhood of $12 a piece – shelters normally charge in the $15-$25 range, and vets charge in the $25-$50 for the same test.
Normally it’s best to worm kittens, as they usually come complete with worms. You’ll need to worm them three times (two minimum, three is best), two weeks apart for each worming. The first worming at that age is usually with Pyrantel (Strongid) which takes care of everything but tapeworm – only Drontal kills those, but it can’t be given to kittens under 8 weeks of age. Just because you don’t see worms doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
I would wait until they are at least eight weeks old, what is the rush? Has there been a case of Feline Leukemia in your house before? I would wait until they go into the vet for the first time. That should be at about eight weeks. The vet will give the best advise, this goes for the worming also. The first time they go in they will get the first round of shots and depending on the vet they might do more shots, like distemper. Then they should set up an appointment for getting them fixed.
Usually this is done just before they go up for adoption. Now the people doing the adopting are more inclined to take the kitten. They will have enough vet bills in their future.
Just dont have vaccination for. Read a lot of bad things about Leukemia vaccination.
kittens can be tested at any age for feline leukemia (FeLV)…6 wks is not too early for this. However, if the test is a FeLV/FIV (feline AIDS) combination test, it should wait until the kittens are at least 8 wks old because of the FIV part, and then potentially a retest done a few months later. (they may have a false positive for FIV because their mom’s antibodies are still floating around in their system, sometimes until they are 6 months old. this does not happen for feline leukemia, though, just AIDS. ) if your shelter has a clinic, they may be cheaper. but a standard vet clinic will charge between $25-$40 for the test.
for worming, you won’t usually see worms in the stool unless it’s a very bad infestation. your vet would need to look at a stool sample under a microscope to see if they find eggs in it…that would tell them what kind of worm it has & what meds to use. (pyrantal only kills roundworms, not the other kinds kittens are prone to getting.) it’s VERY common for kittens to have worms, so it would be more likely to assume they have something instead of assuming thy don’t. don’t bother with over-the-counter wormers…it’s not generally very effective. it may take several doses of that to equal one dose from a vet, which would cost more in the long run. the stool check typically runs about $15, with meds different prices depending on the worm.
good luck! pets aren’t cheap, especially when they’re young and need so much done to keep them healthy, but it evens out as they get older & their cuteness makes up for it.