Re: [Felvtalk] newly diagnosed woth non-regenerative anemia

[Margo]

Hi Susan,                     I haven't dealt with anemia in FeLV+ cats, but have with other causes. That's the problem, there are so many possible reasons for the anemia. Without knowing what's actually causing it, it's tough to treat. sensibly. I'd always include B vitamins and an iron source. You don't give the actual HCT, so this may not apply; From http://www.felinecrf.org/anaemia.htm "Unfortunately the reticulocyte test (which at most laboratories only measures aggregate reticulocytes) is unlikely to be reliable unless the anaemia is relatively severe. Anaemia needs to be pretty bad before a brisk regenerative response is considered necessary by the cat's body, so there is little point testing for reticulocytes unless the PCV has been below 20% for five days or longer. In addition, most vets cannot test reticulocytes in house, so the test has to be sent out to a lab, which takes more time.   Because of this, some vets simply assume that a CKD cat with anaemia is suffering from non-regenerative anaemia caused by a lack of erythropoietin production and treat accordingly. For cats with milder anaemia (PCV above 20%), they may recommend B vitamins. For cats with PCV below 20%, it is trickier. In these cases, the anaemia is a more urgent problem and you need to act quickly, especially if your cat seems poorly, so your vet may recommend the use of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs) (Epogen, Aranesp etc.), which are used for non-regenerative anaemia caused by a lack of erythropoietin production. In view of the possible risks associated with this treatment, you might wish to wait five days and have the reticulocyte test done to be sure you really are dealing with non-regenerative anaemia; but on the other hand, ESAs take up to two weeks to start taking effect, so waiting may be risky because your cat will not be feeling well and the anaemia may worsen while you wait."                    If possible, I'd ask what other causes the Vet thinks possible, and rule them out. If it's FeLV related, I don't think basic treatment would be any different, but it might help to rules some options out or in.   Sorry I can't be more help, I'll keep looking.   Margo     -----Original Message----- From: Susan Loesch To: felvtalk Sent: Tue, Feb 25, 2014 12:56 pm Subject: [Felvtalk] newly diagnosed woth non-regenerative anemia Hello, folks...I haven't had any Felv kitties in a while but now have a positive who is close to a year old. She was just pulled from a local shelter...she had begun eating litter and wasn't going to get any vet care. She had been tested when she came to the shelter a few months ago and they knew she was positive but no followup care or testing was done. We immediately took her to our vet for bloodwork...she is anemic but not bad enough yet for a transfusion, and the anemia is definitely non-regenerative. We think that she was probably born positive...the group of cats she came in with...30 or so...had a number of positive adults, none altered. So her life will likely be quite short, and already being anemic doesn't bode well. SO...those of you who have dealt with a kitty in this situation...what do you recommend to give her the best chance at the most quality time? I have always found that info from this list was better than from vets who deal only marginally with Felv. Thank you! _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org

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