Maggie and Clark, I was saddened to read that Maybelline has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. These little FeLV babies are so special. Thankfully she was able to spend her last days in a loving home.
Her room should be fine for you other kitties to play in. Everything I've read says the virus lives outside the body only for minutes/hours. A word about FeLV. Some kitties are born with it and the vaccine would not be of help to them. My 6 rescue FeLV babies were born with the virus. As a precaution I vaccinate my negative kitties. Sharyl --- On Tue, 7/21/09, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subject: [Felvtalk] Have I done enough to open the room where our beautiful > little FELV+ kitty died? > To: [email protected] > Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 12:12 AM > > > I hope we can get some advice. > > > > Last Monday we had to have our beautiful little foster > kitty euthanized. We belong to a rescue group that pulls > and fosters cats at the local county shelter who are in > danger of being put down. > > > > We found out about a week after pulling little Maybelline > that she was FELV+. Our vet did complete blood work on > her. Her pvc was only 20 (normal being 30-45), but she was > eating and loved attention. We were so hopeful and of > course adopted her immediately. > > > > Within ten days or so Maybelline became listless and > wouldn't eat. Our vet rushed over. Total count was > down to 8% and immediately we rushed Maybelline to the local > vet hospital for a blood transfusion. She did really well; > predisone was also described. Again we were hopeful. Our > vet planned to check her count every week. > > > > At week one it was 15%, not great, but if she could > maintain it and EAT, she could continue on. > > > > In only 5 days we noticed same ominous symptoms again. > Vet rechecked Maybelline's blood. Count was down to 10% > and her gums were terribly pale. In good conscience our > vet said we simply couldn't transfuse every two weeks, it > just wasn't fair to our little girl. > > > > I heard this news when in Boston visitng my aging (95.5 > yrs) mother. My husband had been prepared that Maybelline > might die over the weekend before I returned. My husband > tried everything he knew to get her to eat, but nothing > really worked. She was just too weak. > > > > Thankfully, little Maybelline lasted through the weekend. > Sunday we tried to spend as much time as possible with > her. Monday our vet euthanized her. Both of us were > crying. I'm still having bad spells as it just seemed so > preventable and unnecessary if only Maybelline's first > owners had vaccinated her! > > > > Anyhow, we kept her completely separate from our other five > kitties. We've cleaned the room thoroughly (soap and water > on floors and walls she might have touched) and removed her > litter box. I always kept her food dishes separate. The > perch cover and blankets and sheets she touched or slept on > have been washed with bleach. Only a few furniture > surfaces like the legs on the bed or desk haven't been > washed. Should they be? While we would take another > FELV+ kitty in a heartbeat (just hope we'd have them a > little longer!), we definitely don't want to jeopardize our > other little ones who are 100% healthy and have had > vaccinations against FELV. > > > > Can we open the room at this point? Our other five > kitties used to play in it, but we heard no complaints > when Maybelline occupied it! > > > > We'd appreciate any advice anyone can give on this topic. > I'm sorry our story is so long-winded; we just wished we > could have done more for our poor little girl! > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Maggie & Clark Souers > > > > I am so grateful > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > [email protected] > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list [email protected] http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
