Hi Gary, Wolfie hasn't had any transfusions yet. We've done ultrasounds, x-rays, lots of panels of testing, etc. We have discussed transfusions with the internal med at Cornell but I won't put him through repeated ones just to buy him a little more time. I totally understand why other people do it and I would do it in a crisis until we could try other stuff if needed.
Anyways, I did hear that I'd have to wean off the pred if trying LTCI and that's why I was asking if anybody has seen this stuff turn around a cat like this. I've talked to numerous vets and they all agree they wouldn't risk taking a stable cat off the pred and having him crash just to try the LTCI. I'd feel awful if I made things worse. I'm torn because I'm willing to do anything to help him but at $90 a dose, I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons. Amy > I have had a number of cats that were FeLV positive and had > anemia. I have > tried Epogen and if it did anything at all, it wasn't > noticeable. It is too > bad you live in such an expensive area, I'll bet those > treatments Wolfie has > had would be half that here in Arkansas. You are > fortunate that Wolfie does > so well with transfusions, many times they don't last very > long and don't > raise the HCT all that much. I also tried > Immunoregulin on a couple. It > appeared there was a very short term improvement and then > they went > downhill. That doesn't mean it wouldn't work for > you. I believe the > protocol says if there isn't an improvement in a very short > time after > starting treatment, you know it isn't going to work. > > Now is definitely the time to try something while his HCT > is still at a > reasonable level. I haven't tried the LTCI, mostly > because I can't afford > it. I recently took in two kittens that tested > positive for FeLV, both were > thin and anemic. I tried some Acemannan on them and > they are both doing > great now. It is much less expensive than LTCI, but I > could not guarantee > it would help in any particular situation. I wish I > had the chance to try > it on a couple of the adult FeLV cats I have lost to > anemia. > > Personally, I don't think any of the available supplements > that people > (including myself) give these babies to build their immune > systems, will > reverse non-regenerative anemia. Something a bit more > proactive is needed. > If you decide to try LTCI or Acemannan, I believe you will > have to stop the > pred. before starting either of those. > > Gary > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Amy > Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 9:02 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Felvtalk] WBC/RBC/platelet count decreasing > > I've posted before about my cat Wolfie. He's 7 years > old and has been > losing weight for the past 4 years. His HCT is also > down (currently 25). > We've treated for hemobart and retested and he's now > negative (was positive > before). He has started gaining weight and has put on > a pound but I'm sure > the leukemia is in his bone marrow. He's been tested > and has > non-regenerative anemia. He's been stable for a few > months but his WBC, > RBC, and platelet counts are all gradually declining. > I was expecting him > to crash when I got the confirmation of non-regenerative > anemia but he's > holding his own. I was told he's probably making red > blood cells in his > liver or spleen, just no longer in the bone marrow. > > Has anybody ever had luck with LTCI or any of the other > things mentioned > once it has gotten to this point? I've done all sorts > of testing for > digestive issues, lymphoma, IBD, etc. We have made a > couple trips to > Cornell and decided to just keep him on pred and monitor > trends for now. I > keep hoping for some miracle but I know the prognosis is > not good. > > Thanks > Amy > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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
