Hi Shelley - I'm not sure as to when they were exposed. These were cats rescued
from different places at different times. One, a male who I have had not for
about 6 to 7 years, was rescued when he was not neutered, around age 2, street
cat, but tame. Since I was going to get him adopted after neutering, I had him
tested before I took him into my own house. He tested negative for FIV but
positive for FeLv. I tested again at another vet. Still positive, but that vet
suggested that I keep him for two months and then re-test. This guy was on top
of the latest literature in vet medicine. So I did so, took Moses (cats name)
back and he had turned negative. Not to say that I did not believe the test but
too, Moses for yet another test and he was again negative. He's still with me.
Bunny (Buns for short) is a female, abandoned at an apartment complex
(notorious for abandoned, feral and stray cats). She was less than a year old
when she was brought to me on Easter Morning. Thus her name, Bunny. I put her
in a separate room, then took to vet to be tested. She tested positive for
FeLv. Kept her isolated, did not spay, re-tested in about 3 months, she tested
negative. Tested again to be sure. Negative again so got her spayed.
However, my luck did not hold very well. Recently had a rescued kitten brought
to me. I took Taffy to a local Humane Society in Bulverde Texas. They tested
her prior to putting her up for adoption. When they tested her, she tested
positive for FeLv. I took her back, found her a foster home with a wonderful
foster mom, who kept her isolated for 3 months but Taffy still tested positive
at the end of the isolation period. Fortunately, Foster mom loves her and
although Taffy doesn't mix in to the community of 7 cats that Foster Mom has,
Taffy lives with Foster Mom's dog in a spare bedroom and gets to socialize with
the cats except during feeding time. Taffy is perfectly happy with the
arrangement. So is the dog.
The adults probably contracted FeLv during mating behavior. I suspect that
Taffy got it from her birth mother but was not able to fight off the virus as a
kitten because she did not have very good care and ended up as a little street
stray.
>________________________________
> From: Shelley Theye <ve...@bellsouth.net>
>To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
>Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 10:49 AM
>Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Question about FeLV/FIV testing
>
>
>Lee,
>
>Can you explain more about the 2 month period for the adults that you have
>that threw off the virus?
>Do you know when they were first exposed, in other words could they have had
>the FeLV virus for more than 2 months
>before they ever were tested?
>
>Shelley
>
>
>
>On Sep 24, 2013, at 11:15 AM, Lee Evans wrote:
>
>> I have had a lot of success with adult cats who threw off the virus in about
>> 2 months and tested negative from then on. For kittens, they may or may not
>> have been actually positive. Since their immune system is not fully
>> developed, they might not throw off the virus as soon as adults. Too bad
>> about the idiot vet who gave the adopters such ridiculously incorrect
>> advice. Keep the kittens for another 4 weeks, then re-test. You really
>> should find them a home with a person who understands that a positive test
>> does not mean the kitten should be killed. If they are still looking and
>> feeling well, let them live. A home with no other cats or with cat-friendly
>> dog is the best for this type of kitten.
>>
>>
>> From: Betheny Laubenthal <bailleyspetc...@gmail.com>
>> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
>> Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 7:04 PM
>> Subject: [Felvtalk] Question about FeLV/FIV testing
>>
>> What's the earliest that testing using a SNAP test for FeLV/FIV can be done
>> so that it is accurate? I know that if it is done early on, it can be
>> inaccurate.
>> The reason I asked is that we adopted out a 10 week old kitten July 16. We
>> did not test. I don't like testing before 16 weeks. We pulled the kitten
>> and her sister from another state. Mom was in a high kill shelter. She was
>> PTS before we could rescue her. The rest of the litter was PTS. Miles and
>> Journey were the only ones left.
>> Today, the kitten (Miles) tested positive for leukemia and was PTS (the ill
>> informed vet used scare tactics on the owner and made the owner think that
>> her dogs could get it). I was called after the fact.
>> What is proper testing protocol? Vaccination protcol? I use a 4 way with
>> feline leukemia, killed virus.
>> --Beth
>>
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