Hi Sandy! It's always a little bittersweet welcoming new members to the list, FeLV is such a devastating disease...but you won't find a more knowledgable, more caring group of people!! :) I'm also in the Houston area (Seabrook, to be exact), so if there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to get ahold of me!!
I wouldn't beat yourself up at all over what has happened...given that it's actually quite difficult for a healthy, adult cat to contract the virus (even if he or she has not been vaccinated--and I believe your guys are still covered from their vaccination a few years ago...new research indicates that vaccines are effective way beyond their seemingly arbitrary 1 year "expiration date")...and the fact that kittens are the most susceptible to the virus because of their immature immune systems...it's my hunch that Kuma and your little girl actually had the virus all along (the virus can remain sequestered in the bone marrow causing a "false negative" on an in-house test...this happened to one of our girls). The more likely scenerio is that Kuma passed the virus on to the little orange guy whose immune system wasn't up to fighting off the virus. As for what to do now, you will get alot of advice about treating diarrhea from the list! I would start by making sure everyone is getting a good, quality diet (human-grade ingredients with meat being listed as the first ingredient)! Some good brands are Wellness, Innova, Eagle Pack...Also, try starting him out on L-lysine (you can find tablets at your local grocery store)...just crush up a 500 mg tablet and mix into canned food twice a day. Another medication that you might want to try is Interferon...it helps boost the immune system...if your vet won't get it for you, let me know and I'll get some from my vet and get it to you!! That's all I can think of for now...this is a wonderful list, you'll get alot of great advice, so don't be afraid to ask about anything at all! And like I said, please let me know if you need anything at all! Jen **************************************************** "But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." -- Chief Dan George ----- Original Message ----- From: Dudes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Monday, October 31, 2005 8:30 pm Subject: Introduction > Hello everyone, > I am new to the list and wanted to introduce myself and tell about > why I am > here. I appreciate you taking a minute to read about us. > > My name is Sandy and until recently I've had 3 adult cats who I > love like > fuzzy children. I have a stepdaughter who moved home this summer > for a few > weeks, and brought with her an orange kitten she had adopted from > someoneshe didn't know. She got him to keep her older cat Kuma > (Japanese for > "Bear") compnay. After they got here, her cat Kuma became very > ill, and > within just a day or so of showing symptoms, had to be euthanized. He > experienced multi-organ failure. The vet diagnosed FeLV. > > So we took the orange kitten Cotton to the vet as soon as we > could, since we > knew so little about him. Cotton also tested positive for FeLV. My > stepdaughter has neither the desire nor the means to care for him, > so she > left him. The vet recommended immediate euthanasia, and wouldn't > even check > his little orange ears for ear mites or intestinal parasites or > suggest any > more blood work. Just FeLV positive = death. That was hard to > swallow, but > in the meantime, I gathered up my three established cats to be > tested, and > unfortunately my younger female has also tested positive. The > other two > older cats were negative. > > I am heartbroken and distraught. I've tried to read and learn as > much as I > can about FeLV. I have been angry at myself for letting this all > happen,and feel now that hindsight is always 20-20. But please > don't make me feel > any worse than I do. It had been about 2 years since my cats had > the FeLV > vaccine, becuase they are 100% indoors, and I was worried about > overvaccinating them. > > Now I feel that I need to look ahead and address this head-on, and > I am > hoping for some sound, rational advice. My vet seemed totally > negative and > I do intend to get a second opinion and confirmatory blood tests. > The two > cats that are negative got a vaccine, even though I know it may > not do much > good. They also have boosters scheduled in 3 weeks. > > I fear that even though Kuma (stepduaghter's cat who died) was > sequesteredduring his illness, everyone was exposed before we > realized what we were > dealing with. I now have a household of 4 cats, two of whom are FeLV > negative, and two who are positive, one of whom is symptomatic, as > Cottonthe orange kitten now has swollen glands and diarrhea. > Any words of wisdom would be totally appreciated. > Thank you, > Sandy C. > Houston, Texas area > > > >
