Hi Caroline,
It sounds like you're doing everything you can. I'm sure by now someone has
mentioned taking doxy in case it's hemobartonella. If it's not hemobart the
anemia is hard to beat, but there are people on the list who have bought 'good'
time for their cats with various methods. 13 pounds is a good weight, and his
behavior sounds good too. I hope the best for Monkee.
tonya
Caroline Kaufmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi everyone. I wanted to provide an update on my FeLV pos. and
lymphosarcoma cat Monkee. He saw his Vet yesterday to determine whether the
Epogen had helped his anemia. The news was very bad. Apparently last week,
when the anemia started, his Red Blood cell count was 13%. After a week (& 3
doses of the Epogen), his RBC count was actually worse, 10%. However, Monkees
White Blood Cell count is normal (it was down last week) and his lymphocyte
count is normal. Dr. Daley also found a lymph node in his groin that is
enlarged (but it cant be felt from the outside- it runs along the artery in
the leg). His Vet said she thinks the FeLV is causing the problem, or it could
be the lymphosarcoma, but when pressed, she said that she honestly doubted it
was the cancer. She presented 3 options: (1) a bone marrow aspirate/biopsy to
determine what is going on at the cellular level; however, it is invasive and
Monkee would need sedation- which he couldnt get anyway while
so anemic (so he'd need a blood transfusion 1st, just to be able to do the
biospy); However, the biopsy, in her opinion, would probably just tell us its
FeLV causing the anemia; (2) a blood transfusion to literally buy me more time
with him; (3) try another dose of chemo in hopes that the anemia is being
caused by lymphosarcoma, although, as I said previously, she doubted it and
that was a shot in the dark.
My mother and I did not want to put this cat through chemo again (although he
did very well with the first round). But now that he is actively anemic, there
was no way I would do it, especially knowing that Dr. Daley really didnt think
the chemo would actually help the situation. We also didnt want to put him
through a bone marrow biopsy that would probably tell us what we already know,
but dont want to admit
that for four years, I had the healthiest, beefiest,
toughest cat in the world, who never even suffered from a urinary tract
infection; who was so healthy, I wanted to test him a 3rd time this summer for
FeLV because I was sure he didnt have it
.To now, out of nowhere, in a span of
2 months, we have gone from that, to a severely anemic, suffering, FeLV cat
with lymphosarcoma.
Dr. Daley gave him days. Days. Which my mom and I were not prepared to hear
at all. I mean, he is eating, drinking, using the litter box, he is thick (he
was slightly overweight to begin with, so that is helping him now). Yes, hes
not Monkee as I have known him, but he just doesnt look to me like hes on
his last leg. When we questioned her on the days prognosis she explained
that due to the FeLV virus, and the anemia, his body is not making RBC and his
brain is not getting enough oxygen and although he seems okay now, he is dizzy,
lightheaded, probably having vertigo, and all of that will continue to get
worse because his body is not manufacturing RBC- which carry oxygen in the
blood, and eventually, his eating/drinking and making it to the litter box will
all drop off.
We asked what could be done and she said, if you are not ready yet, she
recommended the blood transfusion, which will give him about two weeks, and
then the benefits of the transferred blood will wear off and he will start
suffering the anemia symptoms again because his body is not producing its own
RBC. She also said that morally, with FeLV cats, she will do 2 blood
transfusions, and then that is it. It is fighting a losing battle and that is
as far as she will take it.
I was wrecked and my mother was crying too. I decided to pull myself
together and still take Monkee to the Holistic Vet, Dr. Susan Maier, after we
left Dr. Daleys. It was our first visit and I thought, I am so desperate
right now, it cant hurt. A funny story about this visit: Monkee totally
perked up as soon as we left Dr. Daleys (he hates it there!). Dr. Maier has a
few black and white clinic cats that roam around and as soon as we walked in,
Monkee, in his carrier, freaked out (he hates other catswhich is probably why
he ended up with FeLV to begin with!). I was carrying his carrier on my
shoulder to an exam room and I instantly felt the carrier get completely light-
there was no longer 13 lbs of weight on my shoulder! I didnt understand what
happened, but I turned around and all I saw was black and white x 3 (Monkee is
black and white), and I just grabbed the first black and white form that was
closest to me, and thank god, it was Monkee! He had opened
the front flap of his pet carrierwidened the zipper I guess with his paw and
then his face, and jumped out
in an effort to get the clinic cats that were
following us to the exam room! I grabbed him just in time because he was
already facing off against them ready to attack, and because he has FeLV, it
scared me to death! But that is not the behavior of a cat on his last leg! As
soon as we got in the room, he walked around and dug his paws under the door
and meowed and basically, obsessed about the cats just outside the door! It
was so funny! He really put on quite a show for Dr. Maier at his first visit!
So there I am, with my tear streaked face, Kleenex all over the place and
swollen eyes, and my cat is basically prancing around Dr. Maiers exam room
acting like the King of the Jungle!
Dr. Maier said there are things she can do to help support Monkees blood
transfusion and make him feel better. So, we are trying Phosporus 30C,
Clostrum, Thuja 30C and essence of flowers. Has anyone else tried these on an
anemic cat and had any success? At this point, we will try anything. Plus,
Monkee seemed to enjoy his Dr. Maier visit and the whole office had a totally
different feel (far less clinical and hospital-like), which was good for both
of us. Dr. Maier said he looks great and she is by no means ready to "give up
on him yet."
However, the one thing that is troubling me the most is that, my mom asked
Dr. Daley if a FeLV cat suffering from anemia could ever come out of it/beat
the anemia to a point were the anemia is in remission and the FeLV goes dormant
again? (She was a biology teacher so she was thinking in terms of how other
viruses behave). Dr. Daley responded, flat-out, no. Meaning, once its
started, all you can do is buy more time via blood transfusions because it is a
losing battle. I wanted to know what people on this list serve thought about
that? I know I need to work on my denial- this is my first and only FeLV
cat, so its all new. But this just seemed like such a troubling response?
Monkee is at Dr. Daleys right now (and pissed!) getting his blood
transfusion.
I would appreciate any insight that anyone may have, now that I finally have
some more info about Monkees condition
.
Thx,
Caroline in Kentucky
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