Okay, the results are not all in, but I finally talked to the Vet about the
blood tests from the sick kitten I took in- which he suspect FIP in. The cat
was NEGATIVE for Felv (so that's the second time he's tested neg.- first at
approx. 2 mths old, now at 6 mths). He NEGATIVE for FIV (which he had not yet
been tested for ever). The vet also says that so far, it looks like it's not
FIP and he talked about how there is no conclusive test, etc., so for now, he
has to go by the presence of antibodies- which he says are usually higher if
the cat has "dry" FIP and then even higher if it's "wet" FIP. He says the
antibodies are just not high enough to for it to be FIP- either the dry or wet
form. So he remains concerned tho that it's a an infectious (i.e., contagious)
disease. What he is waiting on now is the toxoplasmosis test b/c now he is
suspecting that. He said the results of that test will be in tomorrow. He
also said the blood is showing high globulin levels and high white blood cells-
both of which indicate some kind of an infection, but he just doesn't know what
kind yet.
I do have a phone consultation appointment tomorrow at 5:00 with the holistic
vet (Marylyn-- Dr. Maier) who treated Monkee at the end of his life and whom
Monkee loved- at a time when he was utterly miserable and fed up with vets! We
are consulting on this kitten and then also to discuss general care of fosters
and things I can do holistically to help them rehab faster. I may end up
taking Yoda to her anyway b/c of the diarrhea that I can't get traditional vets
to address. Hopefully, I will have the blood tests results on my sick kitten
emailed to me before then, so I can forward them to her for her review and
"second" opinion. I feel better because I am finally getting some freaking
vets lined up so that I can finally take care of these fosters without always
feeling like I'm supposed to do so without ever having veterinary access unless
a cat is pretty much dying in my arms. Monkee died in my arms despite all the
things we did to save him and there is NO WAY I'm going to allow another cat to
die in my arms- especially these fosters who seem to have totally treatable
(possibly preventable) things going on with them! Urg. So we continue to
forge ahead.
Poor kitty feels so much better and I'm worried about continuing to give him
fluids. Dr. Maier said in an email that if he is doing that much better and
has had 3 treatments of subcu fluids, it's probably not necessary to do them
today. But when I talked to the conventional vet that saw the cat on Monday,
he said to continue them b/c "extra fluids are extra fluids," "it can't really
hurt him" (I beg to differ- it's very traumatic b/c it's just me and him in a
contest of wills and strength and it's pretty horrible- he gets that huge
needle out everytime and I have to re-stick him-- which is hell for me and
him), and "without really seeing the cat, he can't tell me to discontinue
fluids." Well, my mom and I have discussed it and I'm doing them tonight.
It's too much on him and me. He's feeling too "good" now so that he really
fights the fluid giving. I always recall that Dr. Maier- in all her holistic
wisdom- said (when I first took Monkee to her), that "you don't want the
treatment to be worse than the disease." I think that solves my dilemma for
now.
Caroline
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