Felineherpesdisease

Question
I have a snowshoesimease cat. She contacted felineherpes at the vets office when I had her spayed. She has had it 4 years now, and I have given her L-Lysine since then.  Will she ever be cured, or is this for the rest of her life?  I would like to get another kitten, will she contact it?

Answer
Hi Carolyn.  Cats with the feline herpes virus usually carry it for life.  The good thing is, it is mostly contagious during an active flare-up, and there is a vaccine against the virus.  So if your kitten is vaccinated and your Snowshoe isn't in the middle of a serious flare-up when you introduce the kitten, you shouldn't have many problems.  The bad thing is, the vaccine doesn't fully prevent the disease, it only reduces the severity.  However, your Snowshoe's herpes status shouldn't really discourage you from getting another kitten.  At least 70-80% of cats become infected with feline herpes at some point, but most are not affected as severely as Siamese cats are.  I would just be sure not to get a kitten who is under 12 weeks old that is not fully vaccinated.  The kitten should be vaccinated at least two weeks prior to introduction to ensure proper protection.