April 2013 by Annette Litster, BVSc, PhD, MMedSci

Audience: Veterinary Team

Video Length: 85 minutes

Is there new information about FIV that can help shelters diagnose, treat and care for cats who test positive for the virus? Yes, says researcher Dr. Annette Litster, Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Join us as Maddie's InstitueSM and Dr. Litster present a free webcast reviewing early data from the Maddie's® Purdue FIV Study, a 5-year study which follows 89 pairs of age and sex-matched cats; each pair is composed of one FIV-positive cat and one FIV-negative cat.

All FIV-positive cats in the study receive a veterinary examination every 6 months, including blood and urine collection for hematology, serum biochemistry and urinalysis, while FIV-negative control cats receive this every 12 months.

Find out what the study tells us about this virus, particularly as it relates to cats in shelters. Material covered will include:

  • Latest evidence-based information from recently published studies.
  • Likelihood of FIV transmission in mixed-cat households.
  • Signs of FIV.
  • Overview of available diagnostic methods.
  • Antiviral treatments, management and prognosis.

The recorded version of this webcast is available above.

Update on FIV: What Every Shelter Needs to Know is part of an ongoing series of educational programs from Maddie's Institute, a program of Maddie's Fund®, the nation's leading funder of shelter medicine education. Maddie's Institute brings cutting edge shelter medicine information from universities and animal welfare leaders to shelter veterinarians, managers and staff as well as private practice veterinarians, rescue groups and community members to increase the lifesaving of homeless dogs and cats community-wide.


This course has been pre-approved for Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits.

After viewing the presentation, click here to take the quiz and receive a Certificate of Attendance!

Bio photo of Dr. Annette Litster in a white lab coat, smiling and holding a white cat

Annette Litster, BVSc, PhD, MMedSci, Fellow ACVSC

Dr. Litster graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia in 1982 and became a registered specialist in Feline Medicine in 2001 after successfully completing a Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists by examination. She was awarded a PhD in 2004 and a Master of Medical Science in Clinical Epidemiology in 2006.

Dr. Litster is the Director of Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, which is partnered with PAWS Chicago and the Humane Society of Indianapolis. She currently leads a 5-year controlled study which aims to build a comprehensive picture of the effects of naturally-acquired FIV infection in cats, so that practical guidelines can be developed for its management and prognosis.