Hi Folks, I just joined this list after finding out that my cat, Shane, is FeLV positive. Shane is approximately 3-4 years old. I adopted him about 2 1/2 years ago from our local shelter. I did not have him tested at the time I adopted him, so there is no way to know how long he has been infected (he does spend some time outdoors, though there are few other cats that venture onto our property). In July, he started having a problem with his left eye, which my vet diagnosed as an ocular herpes infection. It took about three months to clear things up and it now appears that it may be coming back. During this time, we also noticed that Shane was developing pretty severe gingivitis that has progressed pretty rapidly. I took him in for a pre-dental blood test on Monday and that is when his FeLV positive status became known. The rest of his blood work was fine--most everything was within normal range. I now have to make a decision about whether to stress him with a dental procedure or just do nothing. On the one hand, the worsening gum disease will have a negative impact on his health but, on the other hand, my vet is concerned that the anesthetic and procedure could potentially create a health crisis as well. I also wonder how long the benefits of the dental would last, considering how fast the gum disease has progressed in just a few months' time. Basically, my vet has left it up to me and says there are arguments for (and against) either option. Shane is in good condition (though he had dropped about 3/4 of a pound since our last visit to the vet), his appetite is excellent and there are no other abnormalities that we have detected so far. Does anyone have any thoughts in regard to the dental? Also, I've been reading through the files regarding interferon alpha, immunoregulin, etc. At what point is it reasonable to consider using those treatments? Do you wait until the CBC starts to show problems (anemia or drop in WBCs, etc.)? I look forward to you input.
Sue and Shane Jerome, AZ
