Dear Kristen: You definately need to find a different vet who is sympathetic with regards to treating FeLV+ cats and one who is more knowledgeable. I would recommend you find, if possible, a holistic vet who is open to alternative strategies as there is a limit to what drugs and traditional medicine can do as far as supporting immune function, and that is the key in dealing with a virus like FeLV that severely compromises the immune system.
What area do you live in? You can check with a website called Holisticat.com to find out if anyone on that list can recommend a good vet in your area. There are members of that list who are very knowledgeablae and can offer info and support with regards to a healthy, natural diet and are more familiar with alternative and homeopathic treatments than I am. If you can find a copy of Dr. Martin Goldsmith's book, The Nature of Animal Healing, there is a source guide in the back that is very helpful...I recommend it highly. If not, you can email me and I can look in my book and send you any pertinent info about resources in your area that are mentioned. As far as the immediate problem of Luci vomiting, keep in mind that symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea are usually efforts by the body to cleanse itself of something toxic either from food, bacteria or a virus. If you just try to suppress the symptoms with traditional meds, that does not necessaraily mean you have solved the problem...it is better if you can figure out the probable cause so you can find a more lasting resolution. With regards to vomiting, specifically, it can be due to a number of factors. Sudden change in diet is a common one, i.e. there's something in the new food that the cat's body is unaccustomed to so it is being rejected. How long had Luci been doing OK on the dry food before she started vomiting? Were you feeding the same food all the time, or have you used different brands? If she was doing well for some time on the dry food and suddenly started vomiting, then it could be a case of something in the food that became irritating over time. You mentioned you had changed to a moist food ...did she also vomit after that? Does she vomit soon after eating or much later? The suggestion of giving her smaller meals, more often, might be helpful if she is eating too much too quickly and her GI system is being overwhelmed. If she was formerly feral, she may have developed a survival habit of eating as much as she could as quickly as possible before other cats chased her away. What brand(s) of food have you been feeding Luci? Not all pet foods are created equal and many commercial foods are literally garbage from the slaughter industry that has been artificially flavored, colored and laced with preservatives then supplemented with vitamins to make it "nutritionally complete". And even the very best of commercial pet foods are essentially "dead" nutrients from being cooked. Nature does not serve up cooked meals to its creatures. Cats, especially, are true carnivores and require condsiderable protein, nor were their digestive systems designed to process a large amount of carbohydrates (i.e. grains). All dry kibbled foods are grain-based, though some of the best ones such as Wellness, Nature's Variety, and some others do not use grains as the No. 1 ingredient. You really need to read the ingredients on the labels and educate yourself as to what is and isn't truly healthy for cats to be eating. There is a lot of info available on the web and some books I can recommend from my personal experience are: Dr. Pitcairn's "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats", Dr. Billinghurst's "The B.A.R.F. Diet" (Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods) and Dr. Goldstein's "The Nature of Animal Healing." There are some very good commercial pet foods available, but I do not include Science Diet, Iams and many other very well-advertised brands among them. You could try adding probiotics to Luci's food to help her digest it and absorb the nutrients. Such additives are not expensive and generally not gnarly tasting. I have used both ProBi (which is a liquid and only requires a few drops; it's a mix of Lactobacillus acidophilus, aloe vera, chlorphyll and some herbs) and Prozyme (which provides the enzymes Lipase, Alpha-Amylase, Cellulase and Protease) with good results. Both are available from KV Vet Supply (www.kvvet.com; (800)423-8211); their prices are significantly discounted. I've also used a homeopathic remedy for "Digestive Upsets" from Homeopet (available from KV). Another product I've had good results with as a supportive measure for both vomiting and diarrhea is Animal Stress Pack from 4Life Products (available from KV)...it contains electrolytes, transfer factors and other immunosupportive ingredients. My most notable success with this product was in using it in conjunction with fluid therapy and abx to successfully nurse a 10 wk. old kitty through Panleukopenia after the vet had given her almost no chance for survival unless she was hospitalized. Dr. Goldstein suggests the homeopathic remedy Nux vomica, for vomiting. I can't locate my copy of Dr. Pitcairn's book right now to check on what he recommends. It could also be something unrelated to the food. Is Luci long or shorthaired? The possibility of hairballs has been mentioned, but you would notice something other than food coming up eventually. Other things that can cause vomiting are worms, pancreatitis and toxicity due to liver and kidney involvement in response to aging, bacteria or viruses. As Luci is a young cat, the probability of liver and kidney problems is less likely, but not out of the question. Did your vet run (or suggest running) a blood panel on Luci? If her symptoms persist and she does not respond to any other treatment for minor gastric upset, or diet modification, and you can afford to do that, it could give an indication of any imbalances in her organ functions that might cause vomiting. The FeLV virus by itself does not cause vomiting but, as the virus progresses, it can adversely affect various organ systems of the body and resulting toxicity can become symptomatic via diarrhea and vomiting as ways in which the body tries to eliminate such toxicity. The fact that Luci has made it past the age of one is a factor in her favor...it has been estimated by some sources that 50% of kittens born to FeLV+ moms don't make it to their first birthday. That she has yet to present with any symptoms characteristic of the disease is very encouraging. At present there is no cure for FeLV and about all that can be done for cats who are persistently viremic (not able to shuck the virus), is to feed them the best quality, most natural diet possible with antioxidant and immunosupportive supplements such as Vit. C, CoQ10, Transfer Factors, DMG, etc. added, keep them indoors and away from other cats that could be a source of pathogens and keep their lives as stress-free as possible to limit assaults on their immune system. Some listmembers have reported having good results in giving their cats Interferon, but only human interferon is presently available here in the US. I used it with my first two FeLV+ cats and it did not seem to benefit either one. There is the possibility that feline-specific interferon may soon be available on a case by case basis due to the dedicated and persistent efforts of listmember Nina and many of us are anxiously awaiting the outcome and possibility of cooperation with other vets in our respective areas. Do keep us updated on how Luci is doing. Sally in San Jose
