Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Lynn(e)? and Stinker.. Anyone still have her email.Belinda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PS. It is imperative that the teeth roots are removed or the problem WILL NOT be taken care of. I thought at one time there was a member of the group who had a kitty with this problem, it's been a while ago, I'm thinking it may have been Patti, not sure though.-- Belindahappiness is being owned by cats ...Be-Mi-Kittieshttp://bemikitties.comPost Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittenshttp://adopt.bemikitties.comFeLV Candlelight Servicehttp://bemikitties.com/clsHostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design]http://HostDesign4U.comBMK Designs [non-profit animals websites]http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
It was this in 1998, probably not good anymore: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lynn(e)? and Stinker.. Anyone still have her email. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Nancy, Here is an article on what your vet is saying your baby has: http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00066.htm If your vet is right and your kitty has FORL (Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions), it is a very painful disease and really needs to be treated. Here is a quote from this article Cats with immune system deficiency caused by infection with FIV or FeLV often have chronic oral inflammation, although most cats with FORL test negative for these two viruses. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
PS. It is imperative that the teeth roots are removed or the problem WILL NOT be taken care of. I thought at one time there was a member of the group who had a kitty with this problem, it's been a while ago, I'm thinking it may have been Patti, not sure though. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Thank you so much for the article. It answers more questions than any vet. The vet does suggest three tooth extractions although she said this would buy the cat only 3 to 6 months. Eventually all the teeth will have to be removed. The article mentioned irritability because of the mouth pain. That is very accurate in Samantha 's case. She definitely is irritible. I noticed that ever since I adopted her. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 Belinda [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/26/06 5:22 AM Nancy, Here is an article on what your vet is saying your baby has: http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00066.htm If your vet is right and your kitty has FORL (Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions), it is a very painful disease and really needs to be treated. Here is a quote from this article Cats with immune system deficiency caused by infection with FIV or FeLV often have chronic oral inflammation, although most cats with FORL test negative for these two viruses. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
The thing about Samantha is that she does eat the hard food and doesn't seem to experience any discomfort when eating it.I believe she is actually eating less because of the weight loss as I'm not home during the day. I know what you mean when you say that you have to be happy knowing you did your best. I used to beat myself up when I lost a cat due to kidney failure last year. I had her for 15 years and I felt that she took a part of my life with her when she passed. I felt that I should have done more. Sometimes nothing you do can help. You have to accept that fact and let go. Tad Burnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 5:48 PM Nancy An average cat needs to eat about one 5.5 oz can of food each day.. If she is eating much less than that than that explains the weight loss... FeLV is spread in the saliva so it is possible to spread by grooming or food and water... It dies as soon as it dries out but if it is kept moist ... If the neg. cats are healthy and a year old or older they have a good resistance to FeLV... It spreads among strays that are in run down condition and under the stress of being homeless... It is very unpredictable and you have to be happy knowing that you gave them all the good life that you could within your means... It may be a good long while and they may be happy right up to the end and pass in their sleep or it can be a long illness and you may have to make the decision that you will have to help them to the Rainbow Bridge... This is a great group and we are all here to help each other with much experience and to be with you during the sad times when we are loosing one of our babies... Tad Nancy Schneider wrote: Hopefully you are right about the mixing. The vet stated that the virus can be transmitted via food bowls. I don't see evidence of it in my household. I really hope and pray that your feelings about the difficult transmission of the disease to other cats is accurate. I feel that it is hard to transmit , because of the fact that the virus is very sensitive outside the body. I have read this fact before. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 1:32 PM Hey Nancy, I want to clarify that although many of us feel that we are fairly safe mixing (especially since most of us had already exposed the other cats beforehand), there is not enough research on FeLV, so we don't really know how it is exactly transmitted, or how easily it is transmitted. Most of us here though have seen patterns, and we don't believe it is easily passed via food, water, or litter boxes. We do however feel that bites are a form of transmission. The virus can only live seconds outside the body, exposed to air, so that's why we think it's really difficult to pass. And even those that are exposed, in ways other than biting, usually throw off the virus if they are adults. I just wanted to clarify so that you don't think we said it was ok to mix, and you come up with a positive test on one of your others later on. We have just seen that it's very rare, unless there is biting. :) Wendy P.S. I have family in LA (Studio City and Hollywood). __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
It is completely unpredictable. But supplements and good care seem to help a lot. I forgot to mention that CoQ10 is supposed to help with gum problems. I had one of mine on it for a few years. Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2006 6:08:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I was wondering if there is a progression to feline leukemia. If my cathas had it at least one year now and currently she has red gums, poorcoat and is rather thin, what can I expect or is it an unknown? I'll tryto get her some help from a holistic vet. Hopefully some treatment tostrenghten her immune system.
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Go to a feline dentist, not a regular vet, to get them removed. The dentist will be more expensive, but it is worth it if you can afford it. They do a much better job. Michelle In a message dated 10/26/2006 10:57:38 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Thank you so much for the article. It answers more questions than anyvet. The vet does suggest three tooth extractions although she said thiswould buy the cat only 3 to 6 months. Eventually all the teeth will haveto be removed. The article mentioned irritability because of the mouthpain. That is very accurate in Samantha 's case. She definitely isirritible. I noticed that ever since I adopted her.
Samantha has feline leukemia
I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia. She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other cats that have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assured she was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the web to get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet. If anyone has any other suggestions Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Hi Nancy, I'm sorry you had to find us, but welcome to the list. Gingivitis, (irritated gums) is a common problem with felv kitties. The weight loss is troubling though. Is that why you took her to the vet and found out she was pos? Did the vet do blood work? Is she eating the same as always and still losing weight, or is she losing weight because her mouth hurts her and she's not eating as much? I'm a fan of homeopathic treatments, but sometimes when our fur babies are in crisis allopathic measures are necessary, esp for acute conditions. Antibiotics have saved my kids on more than one occasion. I'm sure you are going to get lots of good advice from the list members. Do searches on the group page and ask as many questions as you like. Everyone is really supportive here. Everyone understands how upsetting it is to find out one of our babies has felv. Take a deep breath, we'll help you help Samantha as best we can. Nina Nancy Schneider wrote: I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia. She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other cats that have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assured she was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the web to get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet. If anyone has any other suggestions Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Nancy, I'm sorry to hear that Samantha has tested positive, but happy you found us. This a great and very well informed group. I'm even happier that you have decided to keep Samantha and want to give her the best care possible. Bless you for doing this. About FeLV and transmission. I had a stray give birth on my porch about five years ago. I found her a home and two of the three kittens a home. The third kitten I named Cricket and ended up keeping. He was my baby. I had two others in the house as well. Two years after Cricket was born, he got very sick and ended up testing positive for FeLV. He probably was born with it. We got him over that illness and he was fine for two more years, until he succumbed to FeLV related anemia that I believe was brought on by the stress of having a lot of family living with us for a week during Hurricane Rita last year. I lost him last November. None of my other cats are positive. Two of them lived with him more than four years (they are 10 now) and another lived with him for two years (she's 17). They all shared the same water and food bowls and litter boxes, but no grooming. There are a lot of people here who mix. The big thing you will need to worry about is fighting. If blood or bites are exchanged, then the FeLV is more easily transmitted. Also, we've seen a pattern here that it is much harder for an adult cat to contract FeLV. Samantha may still throw off the FeLV virus, so you'll need to retest in several months. I think the statistics say this happens 40% of the time. FeLV is not a death sentence, whether she throws the virus or not. There are many kitties here who have led long, happy, healthy lives. The two big things in keeping Samantha healthy and helping her to throw the virus are her diet and keeping her stress free. Make sure she is getting a good, quality food (anything you can buy at Walmart does not count nor does Science Diet, which is what I fed mine before I joined this group; I feed mine Innova Evo now). Also, supplement her immune system by giving her L-Lysine (without propylene glycol) and Vitamin C. Others here use a few other supplements. She will have the upper hand by getting all the love that you will be giving her. I think that goes a long way in keeping any cat healthy. Please post if you have any more questions or just need an ear and good luck! :) Wendy Dallas, TX __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Sounds like she has gingivitis and could have stomatitis. Clindamycin is an antibiotic that often helps with gingivitis. My cat Patches stopped eating for a day or two because of inflamed gums and a five day course of Clindamycin cleared it up enough for her to feel and act ok again. If it is stomatitis, there are various things that seem to help, from steroids to suppress the symptoms to particular immune supports. The weight loss could be just from her gums hurting, or it could be from something else that she needs treatment for. Do you have a good vet? Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2006 12:53:50 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia.She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other catsthat have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assuredshe was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the webto get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet.If anyone has any other suggestions
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you? -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
That's a good question Belinda. I just assumed she meant felv. N Belinda wrote: Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you?
RE: Samantha has feline leukemia
Other questions might be: Is she positive for both tests? How old is she? How old are the other cats? Any health issues with them that would preclude vaccination? Have they been tested recently? Is she strictly indoor cat, or indoor/outdoor? What about the others? Any signs of sickness other than those related to sore gums? When she was diagnosed, did vet want to pts? Diane R. -- learned at the feet of experts -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:01 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Samantha has feline leukemia That's a good question Belinda. I just assumed she meant felv. N Belinda wrote: Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you? This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties.
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Nina, the vet did a blood test because she was so thin and she isn't eating as much. She is scheduled for 3 tooth extractions because the vet said her tooth roots are exposed. Al least I'm grateful I know what is wrong. I really didn't have a clue. The vet gave her some depo and antibiotics. I may try interferon. From what I read it seems to work. I've had cats for 17 years and never had any experience with feline leukemia. Thanks for your words of support. Nina [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 10:20 AM Hi Nancy, I'm sorry you had to find us, but welcome to the list. Gingivitis, (irritated gums) is a common problem with felv kitties. The weight loss is troubling though. Is that why you took her to the vet and found out she was pos? Did the vet do blood work? Is she eating the same as always and still losing weight, or is she losing weight because her mouth hurts her and she's not eating as much? I'm a fan of homeopathic treatments, but sometimes when our fur babies are in crisis allopathic measures are necessary, esp for acute conditions. Antibiotics have saved my kids on more than one occasion. I'm sure you are going to get lots of good advice from the list members. Do searches on the group page and ask as many questions as you like. Everyone is really supportive here. Everyone understands how upsetting it is to find out one of our babies has felv. Take a deep breath, we'll help you help Samantha as best we can. Nina Nancy Schneider wrote: I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia. She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other cats that have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assured she was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the web to get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet. If anyone has any other suggestions Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Wendy, thank you for the info. I never knew you could mix feline positive cats with negative ones. Luckily, the other cats are not losing weight and have better kept coats. My cats don't bite. They generally just hiss at each other. I try to keep Samantha as comfortable as possible. I also have two dogs. But she has never exhibited any slightest hesitation about giving the dogs a whack when she wants to be left alone. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 11:07 AM Nancy, I'm sorry to hear that Samantha has tested positive, but happy you found us. This a great and very well informed group. I'm even happier that you have decided to keep Samantha and want to give her the best care possible. Bless you for doing this. About FeLV and transmission. I had a stray give birth on my porch about five years ago. I found her a home and two of the three kittens a home. The third kitten I named Cricket and ended up keeping. He was my baby. I had two others in the house as well. Two years after Cricket was born, he got very sick and ended up testing positive for FeLV. He probably was born with it. We got him over that illness and he was fine for two more years, until he succumbed to FeLV related anemia that I believe was brought on by the stress of having a lot of family living with us for a week during Hurricane Rita last year. I lost him last November. None of my other cats are positive. Two of them lived with him more than four years (they are 10 now) and another lived with him for two years (she's 17). They all shared the same water and food bowls and litter boxes, but no grooming. There are a lot of people here who mix. The big thing you will need to worry about is fighting. If blood or bites are exchanged, then the FeLV is more easily transmitted. Also, we've seen a pattern here that it is much harder for an adult cat to contract FeLV. Samantha may still throw off the FeLV virus, so you'll need to retest in several months. I think the statistics say this happens 40% of the time. FeLV is not a death sentence, whether she throws the virus or not. There are many kitties here who have led long, happy, healthy lives. The two big things in keeping Samantha healthy and helping her to throw the virus are her diet and keeping her stress free. Make sure she is getting a good, quality food (anything you can buy at Walmart does not count nor does Science Diet, which is what I fed mine before I joined this group; I feed mine Innova Evo now). Also, supplement her immune system by giving her L-Lysine (without propylene glycol) and Vitamin C. Others here use a few other supplements. She will have the upper hand by getting all the love that you will be giving her. I think that goes a long way in keeping any cat healthy. Please post if you have any more questions or just need an ear and good luck! :) Wendy Dallas, TX __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
It's really hard to find a good vet. I think I found one just recently. Samantha was diagnosed with stomatitis. But none of the vets suspected feline leukemia. They just explained that her gums are allergic to her teeth. That explanation never made much sense to me. I recently read that there is hope for feline pos cats. I have very little experience with that disease. I always thought it was highly contagious and the cat had to be put down. This vet said that is not the case. I guessm we learn something new every day. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 11:23 AM Sounds like she has gingivitis and could have stomatitis. Clindamycin is an antibiotic that often helps with gingivitis. My cat Patches stopped eating for a day or two because of inflamed gums and a five day course of Clindamycin cleared it up enough for her to feel and act ok again. If it is stomatitis, there are various things that seem to help, from steroids to suppress the symptoms to particular immune supports. The weight loss could be just from her gums hurting, or it could be from something else that she needs treatment for. Do you have a good vet? Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2006 12:53:50 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia. She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other cats that have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assured she was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the web to get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet. If anyone has any other suggestions
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
The vet did a blood test and said that it came back negative for FIP but positive for Feline leukemia. They did a more comprehensive blood test and they said her bone marrow and cbc was normal. I don't know what it means exactly, but hopefully it means her disease is not that unmanageable. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 Belinda [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 11:35 AM Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you? -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
RE: Samantha has feline leukemia
Nancy, it's a very good sign that this vet didn't immediately suggest you put her to sleep. So many still believe the OLD info about contagion. Diane R. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nancy Schneider Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Samantha has feline leukemia It's really hard to find a good vet. I think I found one just recently. Samantha was diagnosed with stomatitis. But none of the vets suspected feline leukemia. They just explained that her gums are allergic to her teeth. That explanation never made much sense to me. I recently read that there is hope for feline pos cats. I have very little experience with that disease. I always thought it was highly contagious and the cat had to be put down. This vet said that is not the case. I guessm we learn something new every day. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties.
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Hey Nancy, I want to clarify that although many of us feel that we are fairly safe mixing (especially since most of us had already exposed the other cats beforehand), there is not enough research on FeLV, so we don't really know how it is exactly transmitted, or how easily it is transmitted. Most of us here though have seen patterns, and we don't believe it is easily passed via food, water, or litter boxes. We do however feel that bites are a form of transmission. The virus can only live seconds outside the body, exposed to air, so that's why we think it's really difficult to pass. And even those that are exposed, in ways other than biting, usually throw off the virus if they are adults. I just wanted to clarify so that you don't think we said it was ok to mix, and you come up with a positive test on one of your others later on. We have just seen that it's very rare, unless there is biting. :) Wendy P.S. I have family in LA (Studio City and Hollywood). __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Keep this vet. He(she) sounds like a good one b/c he doesn't automatically say to pts for FeLV. :) Wendy --- Nancy Schneider [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It's really hard to find a good vet. I think I found one just recently. Samantha was diagnosed with stomatitis. But none of the vets suspected feline leukemia. They just explained that her gums are allergic to her teeth. That explanation never made much sense to me. I recently read that there is hope for feline pos cats. I have very little experience with that disease. I always thought it was highly contagious and the cat had to be put down. This vet said that is not the case. I guessm we learn something new every day. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 11:23 AM Sounds like she has gingivitis and could have stomatitis. Clindamycin is an antibiotic that often helps with gingivitis. My cat Patches stopped eating for a day or two because of inflamed gums and a five day course of Clindamycin cleared it up enough for her to feel and act ok again. If it is stomatitis, there are various things that seem to help, from steroids to suppress the symptoms to particular immune supports. The weight loss could be just from her gums hurting, or it could be from something else that she needs treatment for. Do you have a good vet? Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2006 12:53:50 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have had Samantha for i year. I just found out that she has leukemia. She has red irritated gums and is losing weight. I have 4 other cats that have not contacted the disease. When I adopted her, I was assured she was felv negative. I love her very much and I am researching the web to get info to help her. I am planning on taking her to a holistic vet. If anyone has any other suggestions __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: Samantha has feline leukemia
It's not too surprising that the rescue group is less than up to date on these things. We have a wonderful rescue group in my town, but they're used to dealing with cats that someone has to leave behind or whatever, reasonably healthy and with a known background. Then they set up a temporary shelter for Katrina animals and were inundated with all sorts of unknowns, including some wonderful, loving cats that tested positive for FIV, FeLV, or both, and they were shaken. They did their research, though, and discovered that FIV+ cats can live just as long as others and never show any signs of sickness, and that FeLV+s, though their lives are usually shorter, can also be well and happy with proper care. Of necessity, they kept these cats somewhat segregated from the others, because they still weren't sure how contagious (or not) they might be, but they did find most of them happy new homes. So even when you're dealing with people who are generally animal-savvy, there's still a learning curve about these things. Diane R. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nancy Schneider Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:20 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: RE: Samantha has feline leukemia Samantha is two years old. The other cats are about the same age. They are all rescues. The rescue group said that all the cats tested negative for FIP and Feline leukemia.They are all vaccinated. Maybe that is why none of the others show signs of the disease. Samantha was the exception. When I first took her in she had red gums and horrible breath. I was told she probably has an allergy to her gums. Whatever that means. I think that the rescue group was clueless about her condition as well.All my cats are indoor. Only the dogs go out. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 Rosenfeldt, Diane [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 12:56 PM Other questions might be: Is she positive for both tests? How old is she? How old are the other cats? Any health issues with them that would preclude vaccination? Have they been tested recently? Is she strictly indoor cat, or indoor/outdoor? What about the others? Any signs of sickness other than those related to sore gums? When she was diagnosed, did vet want to pts? Diane R. -- learned at the feet of experts -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:01 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Samantha has feline leukemia That's a good question Belinda. I just assumed she meant felv. N Belinda wrote: Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you? This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties. This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties.
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
See if you can find an alternative vet. There are lots of things that can be done. I've started Dixie Louise on Brush Away that a vet + alternative vet recommended. Dr. Maiers says the product has kept a number of older animals from being sedated for teeth cleaning. Dixie also gets Just Born as a treat sometimes or when she is not feeling well because of the colostrum. These are just things you may want to consider. Bless you. If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man. St. Francis - Original Message - From: Rosenfeldt, Diane [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:48 PM Subject: RE: Samantha has feline leukemia It's not too surprising that the rescue group is less than up to date on these things. We have a wonderful rescue group in my town, but they're used to dealing with cats that someone has to leave behind or whatever, reasonably healthy and with a known background. Then they set up a temporary shelter for Katrina animals and were inundated with all sorts of unknowns, including some wonderful, loving cats that tested positive for FIV, FeLV, or both, and they were shaken. They did their research, though, and discovered that FIV+ cats can live just as long as others and never show any signs of sickness, and that FeLV+s, though their lives are usually shorter, can also be well and happy with proper care. Of necessity, they kept these cats somewhat segregated from the others, because they still weren't sure how contagious (or not) they might be, but they did find most of them happy new homes. So even when you're dealing with people who are generally animal-savvy, there's still a learning curve about these things. Diane R. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nancy Schneider Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 3:20 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: RE: Samantha has feline leukemia Samantha is two years old. The other cats are about the same age. They are all rescues. The rescue group said that all the cats tested negative for FIP and Feline leukemia.They are all vaccinated. Maybe that is why none of the others show signs of the disease. Samantha was the exception. When I first took her in she had red gums and horrible breath. I was told she probably has an allergy to her gums. Whatever that means. I think that the rescue group was clueless about her condition as well.All my cats are indoor. Only the dogs go out. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 Rosenfeldt, Diane [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 12:56 PM Other questions might be: Is she positive for both tests? How old is she? How old are the other cats? Any health issues with them that would preclude vaccination? Have they been tested recently? Is she strictly indoor cat, or indoor/outdoor? What about the others? Any signs of sickness other than those related to sore gums? When she was diagnosed, did vet want to pts? Diane R. -- learned at the feet of experts -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:01 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Samantha has feline leukemia That's a good question Belinda. I just assumed she meant felv. N Belinda wrote: Hi Nancy, Is she FeLV+ or does she actually have the cancer form of leukemia? Can you give more details about what your vet told you? This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties. This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Hopefully you are right about the mixing. The vet stated that the virus can be transmitted via food bowls. I don't see evidence of it in my household. I really hope and pray that your feelings about the difficult transmission of the disease to other cats is accurate. I feel that it is hard to transmit , because of the fact that the virus is very sensitive outside the body. I have read this fact before. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 1:32 PM Hey Nancy, I want to clarify that although many of us feel that we are fairly safe mixing (especially since most of us had already exposed the other cats beforehand), there is not enough research on FeLV, so we don't really know how it is exactly transmitted, or how easily it is transmitted. Most of us here though have seen patterns, and we don't believe it is easily passed via food, water, or litter boxes. We do however feel that bites are a form of transmission. The virus can only live seconds outside the body, exposed to air, so that's why we think it's really difficult to pass. And even those that are exposed, in ways other than biting, usually throw off the virus if they are adults. I just wanted to clarify so that you don't think we said it was ok to mix, and you come up with a positive test on one of your others later on. We have just seen that it's very rare, unless there is biting. :) Wendy P.S. I have family in LA (Studio City and Hollywood). __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Nancy An average cat needs to eat about one 5.5 oz can of food each day.. If she is eating much less than that than that explains the weight loss... FeLV is spread in the saliva so it is possible to spread by grooming or food and water... It dies as soon as it dries out but if it is kept moist ... If the neg. cats are healthy and a year old or older they have a good resistance to FeLV... It spreads among strays that are in run down condition and under the stress of being homeless... It is very unpredictable and you have to be happy knowing that you gave them all the good life that you could within your means... It may be a good long while and they may be happy right up to the end and pass in their sleep or it can be a long illness and you may have to make the decision that you will have to help them to the Rainbow Bridge... This is a great group and we are all here to help each other with much experience and to be with you during the sad times when we are loosing one of our babies... Tad Nancy Schneider wrote: Hopefully you are right about the mixing. The vet stated that the virus can be transmitted via food bowls. I don't see evidence of it in my household. I really hope and pray that your feelings about the difficult transmission of the disease to other cats is accurate. I feel that it is hard to transmit , because of the fact that the virus is very sensitive outside the body. I have read this fact before. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 1:32 PM Hey Nancy, I want to clarify that although many of us feel that we are fairly safe mixing (especially since most of us had already exposed the other cats beforehand), there is not enough research on FeLV, so we don't really know how it is exactly transmitted, or how easily it is transmitted. Most of us here though have seen patterns, and we don't believe it is easily passed via food, water, or litter boxes. We do however feel that bites are a form of transmission. The virus can only live seconds outside the body, exposed to air, so that's why we think it's really difficult to pass. And even those that are exposed, in ways other than biting, usually throw off the virus if they are adults. I just wanted to clarify so that you don't think we said it was ok to mix, and you come up with a positive test on one of your others later on. We have just seen that it's very rare, unless there is biting. :) Wendy P.S. I have family in LA (Studio City and Hollywood). __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
That's my approach. As I understand, an adult cat with a healthy immune system can generally repel the virus if casual contact is made. I have mixed with no problem, do not now because I have foster cats. There's so much that's not known about FELV. It's scarey how much vets do vary in their approach to FELV (also FIV). I never trust a vets opinion, I always research it if possible. But then vets can vary in a lot of ways. Gloria - Original Message - From: Nancy Schneider [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 5:01 PM Subject: Re: Samantha has feline leukemia Hopefully you are right about the mixing. The vet stated that the virus can be transmitted via food bowls. I don't see evidence of it in my household. I really hope and pray that your feelings about the difficult transmission of the disease to other cats is accurate. I feel that it is hard to transmit , because of the fact that the virus is very sensitive outside the body. I have read this fact before. Nancy Schneider Management Analyst Dept of Transportation 12544 Saticoy St N Hollywood 91605 Voice(818) 756-9558 Fax (818) 756-9245 wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/25/06 1:32 PM Hey Nancy, I want to clarify that although many of us feel that we are fairly safe mixing (especially since most of us had already exposed the other cats beforehand), there is not enough research on FeLV, so we don't really know how it is exactly transmitted, or how easily it is transmitted. Most of us here though have seen patterns, and we don't believe it is easily passed via food, water, or litter boxes. We do however feel that bites are a form of transmission. The virus can only live seconds outside the body, exposed to air, so that's why we think it's really difficult to pass. And even those that are exposed, in ways other than biting, usually throw off the virus if they are adults. I just wanted to clarify so that you don't think we said it was ok to mix, and you come up with a positive test on one of your others later on. We have just seen that it's very rare, unless there is biting. :) Wendy P.S. I have family in LA (Studio City and Hollywood). __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Samantha has feline leukemia
Not trusting vet's opinions is a good rule of thumb. The lack of consistency is shocking, not to mention how many vets will throw up their arms and give up when a cat tests pos for either fiv or felv. I only use my vet's opinions as part of the means to guide my decisions. Research, research, research. I value the experience and opinions of the people on this list far more than any vet I've encountered. Nina Gloria B. Lane wrote: That's my approach. As I understand, an adult cat with a healthy immune system can generally repel the virus if casual contact is made. I have mixed with no problem, do not now because I have foster cats. There's so much that's not known about FELV. It's scarey how much vets do vary in their approach to FELV (also FIV). I never trust a vets opinion, I always research it if possible. But then vets can vary in a lot of ways. Gloria
