I think it's a judgment call about whether or not to keep positives and negatives separated. I haven't met a vet yet (or read anything from a vet for that matter), that didn't suggest that keeping them separated wasn't the safest course of action. And of course it is! I knew from the very beginning that I would not segregate my positives. I found out that my kittens were positive long after they had been living together. When I had my other cats tested, everyone else was negative, including a little street urchin that had only had one series of shots. In my opinion it's all about quality of life, we're all one big happy family here, (at least that's what I strive for), and keeping them apart is not an option for me. I do make sure that my positives are kept current on their FeLV vac., and everyone gets supplements negs and pos alike. Try not to be too concerned, keep yourself informed and make the decisions that you can live with. One of the hardest things about dealing with this disease is there are so many instances of "damned if you do, damned if you don't". It can be infuriating at times, and it's usually frightening. It sounds like you're doing great at giving your babies the best chance they can have. Have you heard about the feline interferon? It's the only option I found while doing my research that held new promise. If you're interested I'll send you some back posts about it.
Welcome to our loving nightmare, Nina
Cherie A Gabbert wrote:
Barbara,
I am not too stressed, I just am concerned, with Snowball gone I have one positive and she is on Interferon this week, and 4 negatives...they all share litter boxes and eat out of each others dishes, I also am goin with hearsay on all this, my vet (whom I trust greatly) tells me one thing then I read in books and online other things, like sharing food and litter boxes can spread FeLV, my vet tells me that is wrong, but how can so many books be wrong?
By the way pick up Ginko downtown.
Cherie
*/Barbara Lowe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>/* wrote:
wait wait don't get stressed reading what I wrote. remember I am no doctor. have no medical training. I oly have the books and the wonderful people on this list and the internet to guide me. my cats all share litter boxes and i have 2 postiives and 5 negatives-and the little monsters run to each other's plates--I just to keep them from sharing. And i also just remembered that Clancy who is one of my postives gave Dopey a very nasty puncture wound 2 0r 3 years ago that I came home from a weekaway taking care of my mom to find Dopey with a huge -oh what the heck is it called?-a big squishy abscess on her back. she still is negative. I now have Dopey separated as she fights with Clancy who is usually a big baby --more so for just peace of mind in the household here. lysine is a supplement and I sound like an idiot to say I dont' know what it is exactly but even my non-holistic vet recommended it. I can't look it up in one of my books right now as I have to run to post office. if no one else explains by time I get back this evening I will look it up. adn I'm sorry. I forget what exactly is your situation with your pets-how many and which are +/-? barbara oops remind me i have to get more gingko while i'm downtown....
----- Original Message ----- *From:* Cherie A Gabbert <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 12, 2005 11:46 AM *Subject:* Re: Sharing food
All, 5 share boxes and they all share food, now I am worried. What is Lysine? What does it do for Princess?
*/Barbara Lowe <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>/* wrote:
i do not let mine share food dishes because the little buggers lick their plates and to me, that's "sharing saliva"(tho they do try claiming they're starving!!) ...however nothing i can do about litter boxes sharing in a mixed household. Jelly roll tested negative at 8 wks old then was positive a year later even tho he'd had vacs and was on vit c and other supplements. he came from a litter of 3 and his biggest sister died at 12 weeks and i never had an autopsy done. his other sister, Princess who is negative(knock on wood), does have feline herpes-and red that runs from her eyes and sneezes if I dont' keep her on lysine 2x day 500 mg. barbara
----- Original Message ----- *From:* Cherie A Gabbert <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *To:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> *Sent:* Wednesday, January 12, 2005 11:13 AM *Subject:* Sharing food
Hi, I am curious since all of this has happened with Snowball and now Amber, I have read numerous things, it is said that if cats share foods, the uninfected cat can be infected, but I have also read and heard from this group that the FeLV virus pretty much dies as soon as it hits air. When I asked my vet she said prolonged nose to nose contact and a bite from the infected cat, I am confused, can someone give my some correct information. Thank you Cherie
