I got Yang first, when she was 5 months old. A little over a year later I got Merlot when he was 3 months old. They lived together for over 1.5 years. I think it's more likely that Yang gave it to Merlot, as he was so young when he came in to our house, and I have read that kittens are much more likely to succumb to the virus than adult cats.
On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:57 PM, Katherine K. <kaths...@gmail.com> wrote: > I have been unable to pinpoint who got it from whom in my house, and could > go in circles about it all day if I let myself! Did you get Yang first, and > then Merlot? For how long did they live together? > > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:52 PM, Maya D'Alessio <mde...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Thank you for all of the support everyone. >> >> Katherine - Yang was 3, Merlot is just two years old now. I don't know >> which cat had it and then gave it to the other. I feel terrible, I was not >> informed on FeLV and didn't test for it before I introduced another cat in >> to my house, so one of them gave it to the other. >> >> I will look in to the interfuron and LTCI, thank you! >> >> I was not informed on cat vitamins before, so I will definitely be >> looking in to those as well. >> >> >> >> On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:40 PM, Katherine K. <kaths...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any "boosters" >>> or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually >>> succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make >>> much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically >>> feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give >>> him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Katherine K. <kaths...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Maya, >>>> >>>> I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last >>>> year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of >>>> age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 >>>> year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two >>>> of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last >>>> July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has >>>> some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and >>>> comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a >>>> gift. >>>> >>>> Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is >>>> to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, >>>> and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't >>>> be afraid to trust your gut. >>>> >>>> For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving >>>> him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not >>>> inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is >>>> alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing >>>> list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your >>>> vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. >>>> >>>> Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love >>>> him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's >>>> tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the >>>> good times together. >>>> >>>> We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. >>>> >>>> Katherine >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio <mde...@gmail.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hello everyone, >>>>> >>>>> My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We >>>>> had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting >>>>> ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we >>>>> discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked >>>>> her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy >>>>> cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't >>>>> get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to >>>>> the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. >>>>> They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever >>>>> lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood >>>>> tests >>>>> came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was >>>>> that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, >>>>> where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no >>>>> production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That >>>>> was the hardest day of my life. >>>>> >>>>> Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so >>>>> quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not >>>>> great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny >>>>> bit >>>>> of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do >>>>> to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to >>>>> grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just >>>>> feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the >>>>> disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the >>>>> cat >>>>> becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help >>>>> keep >>>>> him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? >>>>> >>>>> For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they >>>>> stay healthy for? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Maya D'Alessio >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Felvtalk mailing list >>>>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>>>> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Felvtalk mailing list >>> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >>> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Maya D'Alessio >> PhD student >> B1 377B, x32320 >> Graduate Student Endowment Fund Coordinator >> Biology GSA Vice Chair >> GSA Director At-Large >> University of Waterloo >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Felvtalk mailing list >> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > -- Maya D'Alessio PhD student B1 377B, x32320 Graduate Student Endowment Fund Coordinator Biology GSA Vice Chair GSA Director At-Large University of Waterloo
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