FELINE VIRUS SHOULDN'T DETER VET VISITS.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

Despite a recent outbreak of a rare, potentially fatal feline virus, veterinarians say pet cats should still be brought in for shots and other treatments without fear of infection.

Researchers at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine said Friday they'd heard reports of pet owners being reluctant to take their cats to the vet for fear that their pets will contract hemorrhagic calicivirus, a rare infection that killed 15 cats in west Los Angeles earlier this month.

``There's no need for people with pet cats to be terribly concerned about this,'' said Dr. Kate Hurley, a resident with Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, part of the veterinary school.

The outbreak of the rare but often fatal infection in cats apparently began the week of July 2, when several west Los Angeles-area veterinary practices treated cats with symptoms of the infection.

There have been no credible reports of any new outbreaks since July 2, when the researchers identified the threat and made containment recommendations, Hurley said. The school is continuing to research how the outbreak started.

``There is no evidence (of the virus) having been spread to cats through patient/veterinarian visit,'' Hurley said. ``People should not avoid going to the vet.''

There's also no evidence that the virus can be spread through airborne transmission, and it poses no threat to humans, Hurley said.

Hemorrhagic calicivirus is thought to be a mutant form of a common feline upper respiratory virus, said Dr. Janet Foley, director of Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program. Discovered in 2000, it previously had been seen only in Northern California and on the East Coast.

Symptoms include swollen head and paws, high fever and a severe upper respiratory infection with sneezing, Foley said. Some of the cats also had bloody discharge from the eyes, nose and rectum. There is no treatment for the infection, other than supportive care.

Pet owners who suspect their cat has hemorrhagic calicivirus should call their veterinarian before bringing in the cat so containment steps can be taken, Foley said.