You are sooo correct; after all that time, it really won't matter. BUT WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL FOR THE DAY TO ACTUALLY COME TO CELEBRATE???!!!!!
I've already told Gunnar - no matter what the test results say - HE WILL NOT SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE WEARING A "LABEL." UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S A DESIGNER LABEL! ;D He's not going to be "negative" or (especially) "positive" - he's just going to be our newest addition, Gunnar. >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9/11/06 3:42:46 PM >>> i'd definitely go for the IFA instead of the elissa--the false positive rate is just too high on the latter. i don't know how much actual research there is on how long it can take to clear on the IFA--i'd seen a cite of up to 8 months from exposure, tho that one no longer appears where i saw it. belinda says it was a year. part of the issue is that, if after all that time, the cats is still positive, does it really matter? for keeping on eye on things, yes, but if the kitty's been in your family that long, it's not likely that his status will really make much difference in whether he stays, is it? others will have more info re: mixing positives with negatives, and/or mixing unvaccinated negatives with positives. personally, i would vaccinate my negatives and mix with no problem, but there's an ongoing debate about the safety of vaccinations that each individual needs to weigh. MC On 9/11/06, Susan Franklin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > You guys, as I've said before, are FANTASTIC. Whenever I get down about > stuff I read on other Internet sites regarding mixing or throwing off > the virus, I can always count on coming to you and getting an > optimistic, truthful and knowledgeable answer. > > Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I will reschedule Gunnar's > appointment for 120 days from August 3. Instead of re-testing with the > ELISA, I will have the IFA test done. That is correct?? > > And if, God forbid, the IFA is positive after 120 days, how many more > days would you recommend I wait before I retest again?? > > And are you guys okay with mixing?? My girls are 16 and almost 8. > Gunnar is 1-1/2 or 2. The girls are in the process of being vaccinated. > I'm sure they won't be grooming each other, so all I need to do is keep > the litter box clean and worry about the food/water bowls. I can pick > up breakfast/lunch/dinner dishes immediately after meals, but what's the > best route to take regarding the water bowl? And I guess I would clean > the litter box in the morning and when I get home each night from work. > Does this sound like a safe plan? Any other suggestions would be > appreciated. > > Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your advice and > words of wisdom. You've made a nervous "sister" to three cats a more > calmer person. Like I told our vet, who said "don't count on it" when > I told her we were literally praying to throw the virus, I trust and > believe more in what I read on this site than I would the vet's office. > You guys have "been there, done that." And you've got love, which is > the strongest feeling of all. > > God bless all of you and your kitties!! > > Keep the faith. > > Susan F. > Chicago, Illinois > sister to Kelly (16 - just had her Sweet 16 on Saturday), Meagan > (7-1/2) and Gunnar (1-1/2-2). > > > > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9/11/06 3:07:48 PM >>> > retest using the IFA at a minimum of 90 days--i go for 120 days since > most > times it takes between three and four months to clear the virus--so > unless > you are absolutely sure that he couldn't have been in contact with an > infected cat that entire amount, better to wait. > > statistically, 70% of those originally tested positive on the ELISA > will > test negative on the IFA--if you do not test too soon. as belinda says, > even > if an IFA is positive after 90-120 days, it's still not a > definite--the > virus can still clear itself. > > > On 9/11/06, Nina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I'm confused about who is asking what here. Who's the person that > is > > using caps to talk with? Anyway, this was just posted on my feral > list in > > answer to questions about ELISA vs IFA. I don't know this person, > (and I > > hope he wouldn't mind my copying his post for our list), but his > response > > seemed knowledgeable and even in my foggy state of mind, a > reasonable > > explanation. I had thought that it wasn't possible to detect felv > antigens > > in the bone marrow, (sequestered), even with an IFA. I thought I'd > throw > > his comments out there for others to comment on. > > Nina > > > > > the ELISA is about 100 times more sensitive than the IFA- but > > not as specific- which accounts for the high % of false positives. > The > > ELISA detects soluble (circulating) P27 antigen while the IFA detects > P27 > > antigen in nucleated cells, neutrophils and platelets, or in bone > marrow > > cells. > > > > IFAs depend upon advanced stages of infection to detect the presence > of > > antigen and thus will not usually pick up early infections or > sequestered > > infections. The increased sensitivity of the ELISA allows the > detection of > > early infections, transient infections, and sequestered infections > that may > > not be picked up by the IFA. > > > > Neither the ELISA nor IFA will not detect viral latency, because > during > > viral latency P27 antigen is not being produced. > > > > > > > > > Susan Franklin wrote: > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9/11/06 8:37:18 AM >>> > > > > > > Susan, > > I would wait *at least* 90 days and then get the IFA test. WOULD > I > > NOT WANT TO GET THE ELISSA TEST AGAIN??? ISN'T THE IFA TEST "THE > FINAL > > SAY"??? IF THE IFA CAME BACK POSITIVE, WOULD I CONTINUE TO RETEST > WITH > > THE IFA? AND HOW OFTEN? > > > > Keep > > giving the Mega C and good food and hopefully he will clear the > virus. > > > > But if not and it could take longer than 90 days, he'll still be > > healthier with the supplements and better food, which gives him a > > better > > chance of fighting off any opportunistic diseases or viruses. WILL > DO. > > THANK YOU. > > > > I had Bailey tested once a year for about the first 5 years by then > it > > > > was obvious he wasn't going to throw it off, this is after the > initial > > > > retest in 90 days. I had him PCR tested when he was about 8 years > old > > > > and it was in his DNA. But he was healthy up until he got sick at > > almost 11 years of age, and he tested positive at 5 months of age, > so > > he > > lived a very good life for about 11 years being positive. AND THANK > > THE GOOD LORD BAILEY HAD YOU!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO DO ALL I CAN FOR > MY > > GUNNAR. > > > > AND HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T SEE ANY HUGE PROBLEMS WITH HIS MIXING WITH > > KELLY AND MEAGAN (NEGS)?? I'VE GOT TO SAY....THIS SITE HAS GIVEN ME > SO > > MUCH HOPE FOR OUR FUTURE. REGARDING MIXING, ETC. THANK GOD YOU > GUYS > > WERE THERE TO TELL ME ABOUT THE WELLNESS FOOD AND THE MEGA C. MY > VET > > WASN'T EXACTLY ENCOURAGING ABOUT HIM THROWING OFF THE VIRUS - AND > OTHER > > SITES ARE JUST SO "DOWN" ON MIXING. > > > > God bless you all - you are generous with your time and advice and > it's > > just so obvious how much you love your furry friends!! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! > Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... > > MaryChristine > > AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats > MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ICQ: 289856892 > _________________________________________________________________________ > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: > This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to > which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, > confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the > reader of this e-mail message is not the intended recipient, or the > employee or agent responsible for delivery of the message to the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution > or copying of this communication is prohibited. If you have received > this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at > (312) 554-3300 and also indicate the sender's name. Thank you. > > -- Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... MaryChristine AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 289856892 -- Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... MaryChristine AIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCats MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 289856892 _________________________________________________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this e-mail message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at (312) 554-3300 and also indicate the sender's name. Thank you.
