Re: New to the list
Hi Emily, I hope you get this post soon. No, pts is not your only option! That is the good news. More and more vets are learning that cats with FeLV can live for years. There is even a cat the the Best Friends Animals Sanctuary who is FeLV+ and 22 years old! I petted him myself last Feb. So my first thought to you is you should find a vet that is willing to work to save Moses's life if this one isn't. Secondly, eating is extremely important for cats because they develop feline hepatic lipidosis, a condition of the liver, very quickly, and it's treatable, but deadly if not treated quickly. Did your vet tell you this? If he's not eating, get a syringe and start assist-feeding him some baby food (Del Monte or Beecher Nut chicken is a good one); there is info. on the internet on how to assist feed if you need to. Or get some Evo, which you can only get from the vet; it's very smooth when mixed with water and high calorie content. You have to do this. It's probably the single most important thing you will do for him at this point. Get 1-2 syringes of food in him as often as you can, every 1-2 hours if possible. There's a good chance it will jump start his appetite; we often see here that it does. And give him water as well in the syringe, but be careful to have him tilted up so that it slides down his throat right and doesn't choke him. If you have him at a 180 degree angle, that's too flat. Is Moses also anemic? Did he have a blood count done (RBC/PCV/HCT)? If so, what was it? I'm assuming that's what the pred and doxy is for. Make sure to keep him on the doxy for at least three weeks because that is what's used to treat hemobartanella, a blood parasite that is more common in cats and can cause the anemia, which is also deadly if not treated. Hemobart is very hard to detect on a slide because it 'disappears'. So vets often treat for this anyway, just in case. Please get back to us with as much info. as possible on his condition and test results so we can best help you Emily. I will check back here around 4ish central time to see if there's any other info you need and then later again tonight. Prayers going out for Moses to make a quick turn around. :) Wendy Dallas, TX Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has! ~~~ Margaret Meade ~~~ - Original Message From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:17:13 AM Subject: New to the list Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail! Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping
RE: New to the list
Get Nutrical- either from your vet, or a lot of pet stores have it- just ask them for it. It's a high calorie supplement for cats. You need to be giving this to him. If he likes it enough, he may just lick it off your fingers. Most cats do like the taste of it. But to get the maximum amount into him, mix it into wet food really good. Also, start feeding him kitten wet food- Wellness brand kitten is really really good. Kitten food is richer, so it may stimulate his appetite more and he'll be very happy getting it! Most important, kitten food is high calorie, whereas adult cat food is not. He needs all the calories he can get right now. For a cat that is struggling weight-wise, the recommended amount of Nutrical is a tablespoon a day. If you can get just 1 tablespoon in him by mixing into wet food and/or by him licking it directly off your fingers, that alone (even without him eating food) with stave off fatty liver disease- which can be fatal and is the most dangerous thing you face with a cat not eating/undernourished. I have a non-felv undernourished 6 mth old kitten (looks 3-4 mths though) that I am nursing back to health- he gets a whole tablespoon of Nutrical added to 1/2 a small can of Wellness kitten food at night. He's improved markedly- the nutrical helps a lot. Others can address your other questions. Best thing to do is scan the archives for subject lines and read those threads. All you questions have been addressed in previous posts and you will find these helpful. Caroline Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:27:23 -0600From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Re: New to the list Hi Emily, Your only option is NOT to put him to sleep. As far as the thinness goes, you can learn to syringe feed him. Sometimes they pull through episodes of illness and sometimes not. I would have the brothers tested - but if they're going to be infected they likely already have been, since they have been together so long. Some people on this list mix + and -, and some don't. After testing, if they are negative, I'd definitely get them vaccinated against FELV, though. Have they ever been vaccinated against it before? There are lots of people here who know more about FELV than I do. I just wanted you to know someone's out here listening, someone cares, and you aren't alone. This is a great list, welcome. On Dec 20, 2007 10:17 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail!-- Rescuties - Saving the world, one cat at a time.http://www.rescuties.orgVist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life!http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home?tag=rescuties-20http://www.zazzle.com/rescuties*Please help Clarissa!http://rescuties.chipin.com/clarissasheart _ Don't get caught with egg on your face. Play Chicktionary! http://club.live.com/chicktionary.aspx?icid=chick_wlhmtextlink1_dec
RE: New to the list
Folks on this list much more knowledgable than me will help. But, how old are they? Have they always been together? What does the vet say is wrong with Moses? FELV itself is not what is making him sick—what he likely has is any one a number of conditions that FELV cats are more prone to. As for eating, get anything you can into him—baby food (without onion!), tuna water from can; cold cuts; treats; ANYTHING you can. Try and make it a bit liquidy so he gets fluids as well. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 11:17 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: New to the list Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... _ More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aimcmp000501 !
RE: New to the list
Hi, Emily -- I'm sorry Moses is so sick. As you can see, you're already getting lots of good ideas on how to treat him. One important thing is, is your vet is willing to work with you to help Moses get better? I hope the fact that he's given you drugs for him is a good sign in that regard. The question is, did the vet suggest putting him to sleep based on his actual condition (i.e. does Moses seem to have lymphoma, severe anemia, etc.) or just on the widely held but erroneous opinion that FeLV is an automatic death sentence? You should ask your vet if he's willing to help you on this -- if he's not, maybe you should go vet-shopping. Unfortunately, once kitties are in crisis, it can be hard to save them, but if it's a case of them being undernourished or generally sickly rather than being in the grip of some actual ugly disease, often good care and good food can bring them out of it. You've come to a good place for help. Sending vibes that Moses gains weight and feels better! Diane R. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:17 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: New to the list Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?nci d=aimcmp000501 ! This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties.
Re: New to the list~ feline assisted feeding info
Join the yahoo group feline assisted feeding. GREAT INFO there re importance of eating and helping them eat. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ Important to get nutrition in him immediately. Start with AD which is easily syringed and high calories. I would keep him separate from your other kitties for now... (( hug)) L - Original Message - From: Kelley Saveika To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:27 AM Subject: Re: New to the list Hi Emily, Your only option is NOT to put him to sleep. As far as the thinness goes, you can learn to syringe feed him. Sometimes they pull through episodes of illness and sometimes not. I would have the brothers tested - but if they're going to be infected they likely already have been, since they have been together so long. Some people on this list mix + and -, and some don't. After testing, if they are negative, I'd definitely get them vaccinated against FELV, though. Have they ever been vaccinated against it before? There are lots of people here who know more about FELV than I do. I just wanted you to know someone's out here listening, someone cares, and you aren't alone. This is a great list, welcome. On Dec 20, 2007 10:17 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail! -- Rescuties - Saving the world, one cat at a time. http://www.rescuties.org Vist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home?tag=rescuties-20 http://www.zazzle.com/rescuties* Please help Clarissa! http://rescuties.chipin.com/clarissasheart
Re: New to the list
Me again. Getting to an internal medicine specialist saved Isabella's life. Wonder if you have one nearby? Diane asks good questions and makes a good observation re the meds. Laurie - Original Message - From: Rosenfeldt, Diane To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 11:22 AM Subject: RE: New to the list Hi, Emily -- I'm sorry Moses is so sick. As you can see, you're already getting lots of good ideas on how to treat him. One important thing is, is your vet is willing to work with you to help Moses get better? I hope the fact that he's given you drugs for him is a good sign in that regard. The question is, did the vet suggest putting him to sleep based on his actual condition (i.e. does Moses seem to have lymphoma, severe anemia, etc.) or just on the widely held but erroneous opinion that FeLV is an automatic death sentence? You should ask your vet if he's willing to help you on this -- if he's not, maybe you should go vet-shopping. Unfortunately, once kitties are in crisis, it can be hard to save them, but if it's a case of them being undernourished or generally sickly rather than being in the grip of some actual ugly disease, often good care and good food can bring them out of it. You've come to a good place for help. Sending vibes that Moses gains weight and feels better! Diane R. -- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 10:17 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: New to the list Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... -- More new features than ever. Check out the new AIM(R) Mail! This electronic mail transmission and any attachments are confidential and may be privileged. They should be read or retained only by the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the transmission from your system. In addition, in order to comply with Treasury Circular 230, we are required to inform you that unless we have specifically stated to the contrary in writing, any advice we provide in this email or any attachment concerning federal tax issues or submissions is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, to avoid federal tax penalties.
RE: New to the list
One of my babies, Monty, was diagnosed at 9 months old. He was incredibly ill and the vet didn’t think he would make it and wanted me to put him to sleep as well. I wasn’t ready to give up, so I went to another vet. 3 years 3 months later, Monty is still with me and have never been sick since his initial diagnosis. He lives in the same house as his brother (Felv negative), his mother (negative), his grandmother (negative), 2 aunts (both negative), 2 uncles (both negative) and 4 other unrelated cats who are all negative. We did lose one of his aunts and his dad who were both positive. They all share the same space and have for over 4 years. Chris From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 11:17 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: New to the list Hi there My name is Emily and I have three cats, Moses (Felv +) Jeremiah and Samson (status yet unknown). I just found out that Moses is + and he's quite sick. the doctor put him on prednesone and doxycline... He's not eating and he's quite thin. The dr wants to put him to sleep. Is this really my only option? Also - if i bring him home to be with his brothers... will he infect them? Should i have them tested? I'm so sad. Any help would be greatly appreciated... THank you thank you thank you... _ More new features than ever. Check out the new HYPERLINK http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aimcmp000501; \nAIM(R) Mail! No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.17.5/1190 - Release Date: 12/19/2007 7:37 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.17.5/1190 - Release Date: 12/19/2007 7:37 PM
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You've all been so awesome and helpful!! As far as having the instinct about diet and vitamins...I just figured that since that's what I'm supposed to do to boost my immune system when I'm sick, I wondered if the same could work for him. I am abig believer in holistic treatmentsfor myself (balanced with medicines, etc.), so hold the same philosophies for Slink. As far as the food, we've made some good progress on that front. I think my problem was that I was trying to introduce too many new things at once (canned food, new dry food, vitamins, etc.). I backed off a bit and have been mixing the Evo dry with the purina (increasing the Evo amounts) and he seems to be having no trouble eating it. Pretty soon we should be able to do just the Evo. THEN, I'll try to start adding canned and then mixing in vitamins, etc. But it looks like there's hope! And the good news is that the pet food store owner gave me samples of the Evo so that if he really won't eat it, I can take back the bag I bought. This weekend I did some of my own research on the different brands of natural foods and it does appear that Evo is just about the best thing I could give him. So hopefully he'll start cooperating! :)I would love to see the info you have from the Natural Cat book. Thanks for sharing!!The only question I have right now (and I think I know the answer, but want to check) is...if he ends up testing positive when I have him retested, can I adopt another positive cat? It sounds like several of you have multiple positive kitties, but I wanted to make sure it would be okay to have 2 together. I just wondered if they would share secondary infections or if one could make the other worse or anything. But if it won't hurt either of them, I've decided that if he tests positive, I will adopt another positive cat. I want to wait 'till I'm sure of his test results, though. I may still adopt another cat (negative) even if he tests negative. :)I'll send more questions (and the names of the vitamins and stuff I bought for opinions) as I think of them.Thanks again everyone for all your support and help!!! MarissaKerry MacKenzie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa And a big welcome, although I'm sorry for the reason you had to find us. First, thanks for opening your heart to this sweet little soul. And, given that you say you've been largely more of a "dog person" I'm hugely impressed by the manner in which you've proceeded so far, eg, your instinct about your vet's diet comments is right on the nail. Your main goal is to keep Slinky's immune system boosted as much as you can, so Number One essential--which you're already doing (if only Slinky would co-operate!)--is go to a good pet food store as you've doneand buy top-quality cat food ie cat food without additives and preservatives and fillers, like Innova, Wellness, or Eagle, to namea few. (Showering him with all that love and affection you're already giving him will sure help keep his immune system boosted too!) If he absolutely won't eat any of the top brands after you've tried a few---and this is just my suggestion--maybe you cd try mixing it to begin with with a "junk" pet food that he will eat and then gradually eliminate the "junk"? Just an idea, and maybe others on the list will have a better idea. Another idea--again just my own suggestion--would be to try finger feeding him the good stuff, and see if that changes his attitude. Tomorrow I'll send you info gleaned from the FeLV section of Anitra Frazier's The New Natural Cat book that I used for my FeLV cats--it's on my work computer. I used her recipe for Vita-Mineral mixfor my FeLV kitts from the time I got them till the time I lost them and I'm convinced that even tho their lives were cut far too short, it helped them enormously. You will get lots more advicethe list can be slow on weekends. Please fire away with any Qs--you can never ask too many. This is thekindest,most supportive, most knowledgeablegroup ever and was my lifeline/godsend when I discovered all my brood had FeLV. Will be in touch again tomorrow Marissa. You are already doing a great job in using your own instinct to guide you--Slinky is a lucky little kit to have found you. take care, Kerry- Original Message - From: Marissa Johnson To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 11:21 AM Subject: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old)
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Wendy. Thanks!! I would LOVE to see your sick cat manual!!! Thanks!Yes, Evo does seem to be just about the best thing out there. The pet food store owner said that with FeLV, raw diet could compromise his immune system, so I decided to go with the Evo. As I said in my last post, he does seem to be getting better about eating at least the dry. Will start adding canned soon. This weekend was interesting. My boyfriend lives 5.5 hours away from me (so when I got Slinky he had to ride up in the car with him, his sister, and his dog!). I go down there every other weekend to see him. I debated about what to do with Slink this weekend while I was gone, and finally decided to take him. I knew it would be stressful, but decided I wanted to teach him to adjust to different situations now while he's young and healthy. Then if he ends up getting sick, going to the vet or hospital or having someone care for him or something hopefully won't be so stressful.I have to say that he did pretty well! He doesn't really like his carrier and usually spends quite a bit of time meowing before he settles down. But by the time we got back last night, he had gotten pretty used to it. He even used the litter box in the car when I stopped for gas! He did fine at my boyfriend's house (kept him in the bedroom, mostly). My boyfriend and his sister each have sheepdogs. Slink and Sam (boyfriend's dog) do fine together - they mostly ignore each other and Sam is very mellow. But Milo (his sister's dog) is used to playing with cats and kept chasing Slinky around. But he found his hiding places and some new toys and seemed to do okay. So all in all I'm glad I took him. I didn't want to leave him for 2 days (would've missed him) and I think he did fine with adjusting, etc. He seemed to have tons of energy when we got back last night and was bounding around and playing with his new toys. So that's good.I think I'll always be a dog person, but now I'll be a cat person too! lol It is great having him around...and you can't beat having him curl up next to you in bed and purr you to sleep! lol Re: the name Slinky...I debated a long time about a name! But then when I first got him, I saw him going down the stairs in my apartment and he looked just like a slinky! And since he's gray, it seemed like a good fit. Now, of course, he's grown quite a bit and has no trouble going down the stairs. When we got home last night, he ran all the way down and then back up again...as if to say, "Look what I can do mom!" But mom isn't so happy about that because the only thing at the bottom of the stairs is the door, so now I have to watch to make sure he doesn't go outside. Hopefully he won't go down there too much, though, since there really isn't anything to interest him there.Anyway...this is getting very long! Thanks again for everyone's wonderful advice!! I'll have to try the chicken broth on him. So far the only kind of treats I've been able to get him to eat are chicken, so he'd probably love some cooked chicken and/or broth! I hope you are all doing well and I'll keep your kitties in my prayers!Marissawendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa,My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since lastOctober and probably will never leave. The peoplehere got me through one of the hardest times in mylife when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia fromthe FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to gethim to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeableand helpful, and I stick around now to try to help newpeople just like you.Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, andsome just carry it around. And even if he does testpositive, there are absolutely things you can do toprolong his life.The two most important things to keep in mind withFeLV positives is a stress free environment and immuneboosting including food and supplements. A lot ofpeople use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerrysaid about mixing the old food with the new and thenslowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry,and it is great stuff. Probably the best on themarket, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has nograins in it. As far as supplements go, there areseveral routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed tobe a great immune booster. Some people even claimthat it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine(WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immuneboosting, especially if he has feline herpes, whicheither can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can'tremember). I say he might have it because sneezingand URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats haveherpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps agreat deal with keeping that in remission. It's kindof like cold sores for us. The lysine is greatbecause kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mixit in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine,and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
--- Marissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hey Marissa, I'm glad that Slinky is doing so well! I agree with you that it's a good idea to get him used to the car now. When my husband and I retire in 30 years or so, we're going to train a kitten or two to ride in a Winnebago so we can see the country! lol. I sent the manual to your email addy. Let me know if you don't get it. :) Wendy Hi Wendy. Thanks!! I would LOVE to see your sick cat manual!!! Thanks! Yes, Evo does seem to be just about the best thing out there. The pet food store owner said that with FeLV, raw diet could compromise his immune system, so I decided to go with the Evo. As I said in my last post, he does seem to be getting better about eating at least the dry. Will start adding canned soon. This weekend was interesting. My boyfriend lives 5.5 hours away from me (so when I got Slinky he had to ride up in the car with him, his sister, and his dog!). I go down there every other weekend to see him. I debated about what to do with Slink this weekend while I was gone, and finally decided to take him. I knew it would be stressful, but decided I wanted to teach him to adjust to different situations now while he's young and healthy. Then if he ends up getting sick, going to the vet or hospital or having someone care for him or something hopefully won't be so stressful. I have to say that he did pretty well! He doesn't really like his carrier and usually spends quite a bit of time meowing before he settles down. But by the time we got back last night, he had gotten pretty used to it. He even used the litter box in the car when I stopped for gas! He did fine at my boyfriend's house (kept him in the bedroom, mostly). My boyfriend and his sister each have sheepdogs. Slink and Sam (boyfriend's dog) do fine together - they mostly ignore each other and Sam is very mellow. But Milo (his sister's dog) is used to playing with cats and kept chasing Slinky around. But he found his hiding places and some new toys and seemed to do okay. So all in all I'm glad I took him. I didn't want to leave him for 2 days (would've missed him) and I think he did fine with adjusting, etc. He seemed to have tons of energy when we got back last night and was bounding around and playing with his new toys. So that's good. I think I'll always be a dog person, but now I'll be a cat person too! lol It is great having him around...and you can't beat having him curl up next to you in bed and purr you to sleep! lol Re: the name Slinky...I debated a long time about a name! But then when I first got him, I saw him going down the stairs in my apartment and he looked just like a slinky! And since he's gray, it seemed like a good fit. Now, of course, he's grown quite a bit and has no trouble going down the stairs. When we got home last night, he ran all the way down and then back up again...as if to say, Look what I can do mom! But mom isn't so happy about that because the only thing at the bottom of the stairs is the door, so now I have to watch to make sure he doesn't go outside. Hopefully he won't go down there too much, though, since there really isn't anything to interest him there. Anyway...this is getting very long! Thanks again for everyone's wonderful advice!! I'll have to try the chicken broth on him. So far the only kind of treats I've been able to get him to eat are chicken, so he'd probably love some cooked chicken and/or broth! I hope you are all doing well and I'll keep your kitties in my prayers! Marissa wendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa, My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since last October and probably will never leave. The people here got me through one of the hardest times in my life when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia from the FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to get him to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful, and I stick around now to try to help new people just like you. Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, and some just carry it around. And even if he does test positive, there are absolutely things you can do to prolong his life. The two most important things to keep in mind with FeLV positives is a stress free environment and immune boosting including food and supplements. A lot of people use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerry said about mixing the old food with the new and then slowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry, and it is great stuff. Probably the best on the market, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has no grains in it. As far as supplements go, there are several routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed to be a great immune booster. Some people even
RE: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Title: Message Hiagain Marissa WhenI discovered in December 2003 that 5 of thecolony of 6 kitties I took in wereFeLVpositive,I had to go on a crash course, so to speak, in dealing with FeLV cats. My most precious references became this wonderful group and Anitra Frazier's The Natural Cat Book. As I said yesterday, 4 of my positives succumbed to the disease. But until that time, they enjoyed quality of life--a far too short life, to be sure. The remaining positive, Mickey,threw off the FeLV. The 6th cat, Momcat,never became positive. (I had them both re-tested 2 months ago, in May.)Momcat continued tolive with the others, sharing everything--I felt it would have been cruelto separate her, and pointless too, since she had already been fully exposed to the FeLV--and is walking testimony to the fact that FeLV is simply not as contagious as many, including vets, think. Here's a copy of what I've sent out in the past with the salient points: ~~Give only filtered water. ~~Buy the best pet food you can afford.Until I joined this group, I didn't even knowthere werehigher quality brands than those found in the chains--Petco, Petsmart etc.--i.e. brands without by-products, additives or preservatives,like Wellness, Innova, Petguard. These are found in the independent pet stores and stores like Wholefoods. ~~Add these supplements morning and evening tothe wet food, to boost the kitties' immune system: a 500mg L-Lysin pill (grind first), easily available from pharmacies/healthfood stores, 1/4 tsp feline enzymes, 1 teaspoon of 'Vita-Mineral Mix'(seedetailsbelow). Also, gradually, as I was able to obtain them (not difficult as it turned out, everything is available in health food stores or Internet) I added most of the remainder of the supplements Frazier recommends: 1 tablet bioplasma, crushed; extra 1/4 teaspoon of bonemeal (ie over and above the bonemeal in the Vita Min Mix below); 10 mg Co-Enzyme Q10; 1/8 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil; and 1 teaspoon chopped alfalfa sprouts And I gave them interferon. Got it thru Walgreen's (eventually) on my vet's prescription, and he made it up for me.Some members eg Nina and Michelle,have worked with their vet to get feline interferon from England. I know they will be more than happy to give you the details. Here's the Vita-Mineral Mix recipe (very easy to make up in bulk -- store in refrigerator) 1 1/2 cups yeast powder (brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast or tarula). (I use nutritional yeast.) 1/4 cup kelp powder or 1/4 cup mixed trace mineral powder (I found kelp first, so I use that) 1 cup lecithin granules 2 cups wheat bran 2 cups bonemeal, calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. (I have only been able to find bonemeal--the Solgar brand). Mix together and store in covered container. MUST be kept in refrigerator as some of these ingredients perish. Add 1 teaspoonful of Vita-Mineral Mix to each cat's meal (ie 2 teaspoonfuls per cat per day). Also recommended by Anitra Frazier: "Give a total of four doses of 250 units Vit C each day (use 1/16 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or sodium ascorbate powder). (I found the powder easily.) Vitamin C is not stored in the body well so is most effective given in several doses throughout the day. Always mix Vitamin C with a little High-Calcium Chicken Broth (I can send you the recipe if you like) or a teaspoon of a food the cat loves. Never give Vit C without a little food. Once a week give each cat 400 units Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol, not mixed tocopherols) and the contents of aVitamin AD capsule." You will get tons more advice and help from others on the list! Good luck,and hugs to you and Slinky. Bless you for loving and caring andlooking out for him.Kerry IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person other than Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP) of that transaction or matter, and (ii) such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayers particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
the only thing i've heard about mixing positives with possibly positives is that, if a cat is in the process of throwing the virus off, exposure to other positive cats (who might have a different strain of the virus) MAY make it more difficult for them to do so. other than that, definite positives live quite happily with other positives with no appreciable problems--we had close to 200 at one point at the sanctuary, and we have one wonderful family that adopts only positives from us, whenever one of theirs go to the bridge. actually, they come down from up north to get one new positive, and sometimes leave with as many as 5! hee hee boy, do we need more families like that! On 7/31/06, MacKenzie, Kerry N. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hiagain Marissa WhenI discovered in December 2003 that 5 of thecolony of 6 kitties I took in wereFeLVpositive,I had to go on a crash course, so to speak, in dealing with FeLV cats . My most precious references became this wonderful group and Anitra Frazier's The Natural Cat Book. As I said yesterday, 4 of my positives succumbed to the disease. But until that time, they enjoyed quality of life--a far too short life, to be sure. The remaining positive, Mickey,threw off the FeLV. The 6th cat, Momcat,never became positive. (I had them both re-tested 2 months ago, in May.)Momcat continued tolive with the others, sharing everything--I felt it would have been cruelto separate her, and pointless too, since she had already been fully exposed to the FeLV--and is walking testimony to the fact that FeLV is simply not as contagious as many, including vets, think. Here's a copy of what I've sent out in the past with the salient points: ~~Give only filtered water. ~~Buy the best pet food you can afford.Until I joined this group, I didn't even knowthere werehigher quality brands than those found in the chains--Petco, Petsmart etc.--i.e. brands without by-products, additives or preservatives,like Wellness, Innova, Petguard. These are found in the independent pet stores and stores like Wholefoods. ~~Add these supplements morning and evening tothe wet food, to boost the kitties' immune system: a 500mg L-Lysin pill (grind first), easily available from pharmacies/healthfood stores, 1/4 tsp feline enzymes, 1 teaspoon of 'Vita-Mineral Mix' (seedetailsbelow). Also, gradually, as I was able to obtain them (not difficult as it turned out, everything is available in health food stores or Internet) I added most of the remainder of the supplements Frazier recommends: 1 tablet bioplasma, crushed; extra 1/4 teaspoon of bonemeal (ie over and above the bonemeal in the Vita Min Mix below) ; 10 mg Co-Enzyme Q10; 1/8 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil; and 1 teaspoon chopped alfalfa sprouts And I gave them interferon. Got it thru Walgreen's (eventually) on my vet's prescription, and he made it up for me.Some members eg Nina and Michelle,have worked with their vet to get feline interferon from England. I know they will be more than happy to give you the details. Here's the Vita-Mineral Mix recipe (very easy to make up in bulk -- store in refrigerator) 1 1/2 cups yeast powder (brewer's yeast, nutritional yeast or tarula). (I use nutritional yeast.) 1/4 cup kelp powder or 1/4 cup mixed trace mineral powder (I found kelp first, so I use that) 1 cup lecithin granules 2 cups wheat bran 2 cups bonemeal,calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. (I have only been able to find bonemeal--the Solgar brand). Mix together and store in covered container. MUST be kept in refrigerator as some of these ingredients perish. Add 1 teaspoonful of Vita-Mineral Mix to each cat's meal (ie 2 teaspoonfuls per cat per day). Also recommended by Anitra Frazier: Give a total of four doses of 250 units Vit C each day (use 1/16 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or sodium ascorbate powder). (I found the powder easily.) Vitamin C is not stored in the body well so is most effective given in several doses throughout the day. Always mix Vitamin C with a little High-Calcium Chicken Broth (I can send you the recipe if you like) or a teaspoon of a food the cat loves. Never give Vit C without a little food. Once a week give each cat 400 units Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol, not mixed tocopherols) and the contents of aVitamin AD capsule. You will get tons more advice and help from others on the list! Good luck,and hugs to you and Slinky. Bless you for loving and caring andlooking out for him.Kerry IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE. Any advice expressed above as to tax matters was neither written nor intended by the sender or Mayer, Brown, Rowe Maw LLP to be used and cannot be used by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed under U.S. tax law. If any person uses or refers to any such tax advice in promoting, marketing or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, then (i) the advice was written to support the promotion or marketing (by a person
To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Marissa, My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since last October and probably will never leave. The people here got me through one of the hardest times in my life when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia from the FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to get him to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful, and I stick around now to try to help new people just like you. Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, and some just carry it around. And even if he does test positive, there are absolutely things you can do to prolong his life. The two most important things to keep in mind with FeLV positives is a stress free environment and immune boosting including food and supplements. A lot of people use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerry said about mixing the old food with the new and then slowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry, and it is great stuff. Probably the best on the market, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has no grains in it. As far as supplements go, there are several routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed to be a great immune booster. Some people even claim that it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine (WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immune boosting, especially if he has feline herpes, which either can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can't remember). I say he might have it because sneezing and URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats have herpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps a great deal with keeping that in remission. It's kind of like cold sores for us. The lysine is great because kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mix it in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine, and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty with hyperthyroidism that gets chicken broth twice a day, which some kitties love, and cooked chicken at night. The chicken broth is just the byproduct of cooking the chicken in water. I always feed it to my sick kitties; not all eat it though. I have also compiled a sick kitty manual that has a lot of good info. in it. It's good even if your kitty is not sick. I took months of posts and info. from this site along with personal research and combined it to make the manual. It's in glossary form and cross-referenced in a Word document. Let me know if you'd like it and I'll send it to you directly as the list won't allow attachments. I always say people who are dog people have never been loved by a cat. We'll see what you have to say in a few months about that. LOL. I love the name Slinky, btw. If you have ANY questions, just ask. We're here to help. :) Wendy Dallas, Tx __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: To Marissa (MJ) Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Wendy,I'm not the person you were talking to, but would you mind sending me this info for Angel? Thanks, Karenwendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Marissa,My name is Wendy. I've been on this list since lastOctober and probably will never leave. The peoplehere got me through one of the hardest times in mylife when my baby Cricket was sick with anemia fromthe FeLV, and died after three weeks of trying to gethim to turn around. Everyone here is so knowledgeableand helpful, and I stick around now to try to help newpeople just like you.Your vet is right. Many cats throw the virus off, andsome just carry it around. And even if he does testpositive, there are absolutely things you can do toprolong his life.The two most important things to keep in mind withFeLV positives is a stress free environment and immuneboosting including food and supplements. A lot ofpeople use the Evo. I think what Maggie and Kerrysaid about mixing the old food with the new and thenslowly decreasing the old might work for your baby. It will take time. Mine are on the Evo, wet and dry,and it is great stuff. Probably the best on themarket, in my opinion. Some do the raw diet. Whatever you end up feeding him, make sure it has nograins in it. As far as supplements go, there areseveral routes you can go. Vitamin C is supposed tobe a great immune booster. Some people even claimthat it can turn positives to negatives. L-lysine(WITHOUT) propylene glycol is also good for immuneboosting, especially if he has feline herpes, whicheither can't be or isn't easy to be tested for (can'tremember). I say he might have it because sneezingand URI's are typical symptoms. Many cats haveherpes, so it's no big deal. The L-lysine helps agreat deal with keeping that in remission. It's kindof like cold sores for us. The lysine is greatbecause kitty won't be able to taste it. I just mixit in with the wet food. I leave out dry for mine,and feed wet in the morn and eve. I have a kitty withhyperthyroidism that gets chicken broth twice a day,which some kitties love, and cooked chicken at night. The chicken broth is just the byproduct of cooking thechicken in water. I always feed it to my sickkitties; not all eat it though.I have also compiled a sick kitty manual that has alot of good info. in it. It's good even if your kittyis not sick. I took months of posts and info. fromthis site along with personal research and combined itto make the manual. It's in glossary form andcross-referenced in a Word document. Let me know ifyou'd like it and I'll send it to you directly as thelist won't allow attachments.I always say people who are dog people have never beenloved by a cat. We'll see what you have to say in afew months about that. LOL. I love the name Slinky,btw.If you have ANY questions, just ask. We're here tohelp.:)WendyDallas, Tx__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory infection, he's had ear mites (gone now) and he now has tape worm which they'll treat him for in 2 weeks when I go for his next round of vaccinations. But beyond that, he's healthy, energetic, playful, and seems to have a healthy appetite.Anyway...positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! But I could REALLY use some advice/perspectives/information to help me make the right decisions!!!Thanks in advance! I'll be praying for all your special kitties.Slinky's Mom (MJ)p.s. Sorry this is so long__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Thanks! Yes, it did seem that at least the vet was fairly positive. Told me to try not to worry about it too much. He said about 25% of the time, they "grow out of it", about 25% of the time, they have it all their lives with no affects, about 25% of the time they have it for several years before they start having symptoms, and about 25% of the time they start having symptoms fairly quickly. So I'm hoping for the first (or even second) 25%!!!Thanks for the welcome. I've been so confused and frustrated!!! I hope I'll get some good advice on the list.Thanks again and good luck with Angel!! Sending prayers and positive vibes your way.MJkandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person.But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory infection, he's had ear mites (gone now) and he now has tape worm which they'll treat him for in 2 weeks when I go for his next round of vaccinations. But beyond that, he's healthy, energetic, playful, and seems to have a healthy appetite.Anyway...positive thoughts and prayers would be appreciated! But I could REALLY use some advice/perspectives/information to help me make the right decisions!!!Thanks in advance! I'll be praying for all your special kitties.Slinky's Mom (MJ)p.s. Sorry this is so long __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hi Marissa, I'm really glad you found this list. Everyone here is great. I joined when I had a kitten test positive, and she did test negative later. I just stayed because everyone is so very nice here. Others will chime in with more advice, but I wanted to say welcome.-- Vist the Austin Siamese Rescue store and save a kitty life!http://www.cafepress.com/austinsiamese
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Aw! Thanks!! I was so glad to find the list! My boyfriend's sister used to be a vet tech, and she's been a huge help. But it's hard to find anyone who's really well versed in FeLV and/or nutrition, medicine, etc!!! Thanks for the welcome! Glad your kitten tested negative!MJKelley Saveika [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi Marissa,I'm really glad you found this list. Everyone here is great.I joined when I had a kitten test positive, and she did test negative later. I just stayed because everyone is so very nice here.Others will chime in with more advice, but I wanted to say welcome.-- Vist the Austin Siamese Rescue store and save a kitty life!http://www.cafepress.com/austinsiamese Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Many of the people here will be able to answer your questions. This isa great board. After the vet walked up to me and told me that Angel tested positive, he said I may want to think about euthanizing her. I said, "Can't we wait and give her the second test?" He said "there probably isn't much point because when a kitten tests positive the results are not likely to change with the second testI consider her not only a carrier, but a spreader!"So, I am looking for a new vet...one that will feel comfortable treating her. Good luck to you and I'm sending prayers your way, also!Thanks,KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Thanks! Yes, it did seem that at least the vet was fairly positive. Told me to try not to worry about it too much. He said about 25% of the time, they "grow out of it", about 25% of the time, they have it all their lives with no affects, about 25% of the time they have it for several years before they start having symptoms, and about 25% of the time they start having symptoms fairly quickly. So I'm hoping for the first (or even second) 25%!!!Thanks for the welcome. I've been so confused and frustrated!!! I hope I'll get some good advice on the list.Thanks again and good luck with Angel!! Sending prayers and positive vibes your way.MJkandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! You have definitely found the right place to ask questions! I am new myself, I started posting about a week and a half ago. Unlike your vet who seemed optimistic, my vet wanted me to have Angel euthanized. I was devastated, until I found this email group. KarenMarissa Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hi all. So I'm new to all of this! I recently took in a stray that was living under my boyfriend's house (his mom gave birth there and we found homes for all the kittens...one being mine. Mom still lives there and he feeds her).My family had cats when I was in high school but they were indoor/outdoor (we lived in the country) and I never bonded with them too much. They were mostly my step-mom's pets. I've generally been more of a dog person. But now i have this WONDERFUL, adorable little baby (about 14-15 weeks old) named Slinky. He's a gray and white DSH and the sweetest cat ever. And when I took him to the vet (last weekend...I just got him recently), he tested positive for FeLV. :(The vet said that he had about a 25% chance of "growing out of it" (or fighting it off or being a fals positive or whatever it is that causes cats to test positive as kittens and negative as adults), and about a 25% chance of having it his whole life and not being affected by it. The only "symptom" he's had is that he had an upper resperatory infection about 3 weeks ago. My boyfriend's sister took him to the vet (it was before I got him) and they gave him amoxicillan and eye drops and he seemed to recover pretty quickly. He still sneezes a fair amount, but that's it.So...I brought him home and I'm praying for the best. He was kind of lethargic and quiet for a couple days after the vet visit, but I assume that's probably from the trauma and the vaccinations (other than FeLV). He's been pretty much back to his normal self for a few days now. But his mom still has a TON of questions!!! My first thought was to wonder whether vitamin supplements or diet or something might help to boost his immune system and either help him fight off the virus or keep secondary infections at bay. The vet said as long as his diet is sufficient, he doesn't need them, but I'm not sure the vet is the best (I'm also new to the area, so trying to find a vet is a challenge!).I was giving him dry Purina kitten chow (it was all I knew to get) and the vet said that was as good as anything. I don't really believe him though. So I went toa natural pet food store and the owner gave me some canned food and some dry...all natural, no grains (innova evo). But he won't eat it. He won't touch the dry food at all! And the canned he'll only eat if it's the only option...and he won't really even eat it if I mix it with the purina. Ugh!I also bought a vitamin powder and something to help his digestive track (which he isn't too crazy about). But I'm a little leary of using those. Some articles I found online said that vitamin C would help him (esp. since he's only eating dry food right now), but others said too much could cause crystals in his urine, etc. Some articles/websites said to only give him canned, others say raw, others say a mixture. Everything contradicts itself What am I supposed to do???I love this little guy so much and I know he's totally dependent on me to make the best decisions for his care. But I don't know what those are!!! I'm doing my best to educate myself, but since so much of the information is contradictory, it's hard. Is there anything I can do to help prolong his life? They're going to retest him in about 6 months the vet said. Other than the upper resperatory
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Hello Marissa, Welcome to the group! You will find valuable information here and advice as well. I'm sorry you had to find us but glad your here. I have been on the list since 2001 I think. I don't have any positive kitties right now but that can change at any given time. I continue to stay on because this is the best group of caring people you will find on the internet. Some of us have met each other. Someday we plan on celebrating the cure for Felv together eating "Cheesecake" even though I don't like it but will eat it out of happiness and those that have passed on to the bridge. It sounds like you have a caring Vet and didn't suggest euthanization which I'm glad to hear. My Vets will not euthanized healthy Felv kitties either. So anyway welcome look forward to hearing more about you and your furbaby! Terrie Mohr-ForkerTAZZY'S ANIMAL TRANSPORTSSIAMESE COLLIE RESCUEOwner/DriverCheck sites for available Siameses for adoption!http://www.tazzys-siameses-collies.petfinder.org/Click Here to Join WASHINGTON SIAMESE RESCUE Yahoo Group!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wasiameserescuehttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNOHOMISH_COUNTY_PETS_in_WAhttp://hometown.aol.com/tatorbunz/index.htmlhttp://hometown.aol.com/tatorbunz/myhomepage/petmemorial.htmlPetfinder.comAdopt a Homeless Pet!http://www.petfinder.com/http://www.felineleukemia.org/http://www.petloss.com/TAZZY'S ANIMAL TRANSPORTShttps://www.paypal.com/http://www.frappr.com/wasiameserescue
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, euthanize!. www.adopt.bemikitties.com and everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/ (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Yep :) (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties http://bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candlelight Service http://bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting web design] http://HostDesign4U.com BMK Designs [non-profit animals websites] http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Welcome! I have two 8 month old kittens who are positive. I free feed them on Innova dry (different from evo) and for wet food they eat Wellness, when they were younger I fed them Nutra Kitten. If he won't eat a new food try mixing a little of the new food in with the old and then slowly start decreasing the amount of the old until it's just the new. Maggie
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, "euthanize!".www.adopt.bemikitties.comand everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/(i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday)MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
http://www.aafponline.org/find_results.php?name=city=Anystate=AZcountry=Anyzipcode=Submit=Submit that's from the American Assn of Feline Practitioners, and while there's no guarantee they're gonna be FeLV-friendly, there's probably a better chance than working with non-cat-specialists! On 7/28/06, kandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, euthanize!. www.adopt.bemikitties.com and everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/ (i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday) MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!?Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta. -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892
Re: New to the List, Cats, and FeLV!!
Thank you for the link!!! There is one on the list that is not too far from me!! I am going to call them and go from there! Thanks again!KarenTenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:http://www.aafponline.org/find_results.php?name=city=Anystate=AZcountry=Anyzipcode=Submit=Submit that's from the American Assn of Feline Practitioners, and while there's no guarantee they're gonna be FeLV-friendly, there's probably a better chance than working with non-cat-specialists!On 7/28/06, kandbz_ mom [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I know it's a long shot, but if anyone knows ofa good, felv friendly vet in Arizona, please let me know! I'm gonna start calling them out of the phone book!! TenHouseCats [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: good time to remind everyone to post their vet's names/contact info for newbies needing to find medical care that goes beyond, "euthanize!".www.adopt.bemikitties.comand everyone, add yourself to our frappr map, too!: http://www.frappr.com/felvtalk/(i'm gonna make someone a great secretary someday)MC -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!?Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta. -- MaryChristineAIM / YAHOO: TenHouseCatsMSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED]ICQ: 289856892 Do you Yahoo!? Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
Re: New to the list - hello.
Elizabeth,I think if your other cats are vaccinated they are either fine, or possibly already positive. Being with an felv cat at this point won't make a difference if they've been vaccinated. Lots of times people test as kittens and get a negative result and vaccinate. Well, the cat was positive all along. It just didn't show because the kitten had been too recently exposed.Good luck. It sounds like you're doing everything you can. And I would do exactly the same as you've done. I've been on the list around 10 years now tootonya[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm sorry this is so long - but it's my first post but I feel I need to give some background information in the hope that some of you with more experience may have recommendations. First and foremost - thank you for being here...and to you who are going through the pain of having a catfamily member suffer with this disease or who have lost someone close - my heart is with you.Monday I noticed that a member of my cat family had a distinctly visible nictating membrane on both eyes - nearly half way closed on one side. The next morning, I took her to my vet's office. On a gut feeling, I asked them to test her for FeVL. Although she had been vaccinated a little over a year ago, she tested positive. The vet and the vet tech gently prodded me to make a 'quality of life' decision that day. She had lost about 14% of her body weight and didn't have enough of an immune system to run a fever.(She was initiallya feral cat who adopted me two years ago and blessedme with 12 kittens. My vet saidthat was a record)Iam notready to say goodbye - she will let me know when it is time. Right now she's not feeling that great (anemia) but sheseems to have a decentquality of life. She ran up the steps to greet me the next day with tail straight up in the air. I don't want to selfishly keep her going just for me if she is truly suffering but myheart says it isn't time.I asked if there was anything that would make her more comfortable. They gaveher ammoxi dropsand 'Pet Tinic' to build her blood. I told them toexpect me to have a lot of questions and they were very understanding. Itook offwork the rest of the day...came home and did my research. That's when I found the Felineleukemia.org website. Thanks totheinformation provided, I found out about Acemannan - a drug my veterinarian had never heard about. I tracked down the manufacturer and distributors and sent my vet a lot of information about it and asked if this would be a reasonable course of treatment and if he would assist me. My vet was also able to find information about this drug and he got it here in 2 days. We began treatment yesterday.Since my vet is not familiar with this drug - he told me that he really didn't know what to expect in terms of how she would feel after the shot so I've been watching her closely. It may be a coincidence but since she got the shot - she's been eating more than I've seen her eat in a while. For days I've been trying to get her to eat a teaspoon of canned foodseveral times a day without muchsuccess and she wouldn't touch her dry food. Yesterday after her first treatment, she ate dry food and also about half a can of canned food. I'm trying not to have false hope but I couldn't help but be encouraged.All the kids hereeat 'Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul' cat food. I have a feeling that nutrition is going to play a huge role inhelping her to copewith thisand so I am currently looking for diet and supplementation information too.I'm trying to keep a level head - which isn't easy when it's your baby - and I know and accept that realistically, the oddsmay not bein our favor...but I believe I would be remiss if I didn't try. One concern is that this is an eight cat household. Entirely too many cats..but that is another story.While this number will not increase - giving up even one is not an option. They live inside. Everyone elsehas been vaccinated and is in good health. MK is in the habit of being outside in the day and inside at night...but she doesn't leave the yard (truly an extraordinary cat person). Since she's been sick though - I've been keeping her inside except for brief periods in the afternoon when she wants to sunbathe on the front porch. I am concerned about infecting the other indoor cats who range in age from 2-7.Any information or recommendation would be most welcome.Thank you, elizabeth
Re: New to the list - hello / Re: To Elizabeth
Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my first post. The encouragement means everything to me. Wendy, I would definitely like to have a copy of the manual - thank you. Acemannan is an Aloe Vera derivative. It is manufactured by Vererinary Products Laboratories. Here is a link to the information about this drug on their website: Veterinary Products Laboratories (http://www.vpl.com/product.php?catmain=mainkey=pid=80key=carravetcat=Wound%20Management) The drug has been approved and there have been some studiesconcerning the efficacy of this drug. There are other applications of this drug aswell. The VPL website also has a link to distributors.The treatment for FeVLis ashot once a week in the tummy (but only under the skin). A typical course of treatmentis six weeks. This article was encouraging to me (although I am leery of articles by companies selling products): FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS - TREATED WITH ALOE VERA (ACEMANNAN) (http://www.aloevera.co.uk/felinelv.htm) All of MK's (Mama Kitty)kittens who have been tested have been negative. One of my cats, Tori, was the runt of her litter and is she is healthy and doing very well. A little over a year agoMK did get a very bad bite near the base of her tail which abscessed and required surgery. I can't help but wonder if this isn't how she acquired this disease. From what I've been able to determine, the nearest holistic veterinarian is about a 90 minute drive one way (same for a veterinary specialist). I don't know anything about that person and it may not be practical to make the drive. I was, however, able to find an interesting website that you may already be familiar with called 'Only Natural Pet Store': Only Natural Pet Store - Dogs Cats Holistic Supplies Products Food Treats Vitamins Medicine Supplements (http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/) From there I've ordered some 'New Life Colostrum Plus' for MKand the 'Only Natural Pet Super Daily Feline Multi-Vitamin Mineral' supplement for all of my cats. They have an interesting range of products there. I got disgusted with Science Diet ayear or two agoand that is when I started having 'Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul' delivered here every month - as that product is not available where I live. The ingredients seem to be very high quality and the kids do like it. I've been checking out the Innova too since it's been mentioned here and it also has a very good ingredient list. The company that delivers the CSCLSalsohas that product available. I really appreciate all the good tips and insight. Since we started the Acemannan on Friday and haven't missed a dose of ammoxi drops or pet tinic...MK is much perkier. I don't know if this is due to the treatment or due to the unpredictable nature of the disease but I am hopeful. She's eating much better than she was before and just seems to sparkle when she 'talks'. I'm making everyeffort to sterilize water and food bowls more frequently and washing bedding more often in very hot water just in case it will be beneficial. I've used ImmunoRegulin on the man of the house, Phelix, for his allergies. The shots were very reasonable - I'll discuss this with my vet when I return. I'll keep you all posted on how this treatment goes. Thank you all again for the encouragement, insight, and stories of your own experiences. I've only been here a day or two but I already believe I have gained some valuable information.
Re: New to the list - hello / Re: To Elizabeth
Where are you located (generally)? Some of us may know a closer holistic vet. I understand the distance problem. The one I use is over 3 hours away. Dixie doesn't see her very often--maybe every couple of months--and Betty is always available if I need to check something out over the phone. She has Dixie on some drops (sorry, I forget what all she put together for her a long time ago) which seem to be keeping the virus at bay. Good luck. If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man. St. Francis - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 2:16 PM Subject: Re: New to the list - hello / Re: To Elizabeth Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my first post. The encouragement means everything to me. Wendy, I would definitely like to have a copy of the manual - thank you. Acemannan is an Aloe Vera derivative. It is manufactured by Vererinary Products Laboratories. Here is a link to the information about this drug on their website: Veterinary Products Laboratories (http://www.vpl.com/product.php?catmain=mainkey=pid=80key=carravetcat=Wound%20Management) The drug has been approved and there have been some studiesconcerning the efficacy of this drug. There are other applications of this drug aswell. The VPL website also has a link to distributors.The treatment for FeVLis ashot once a week in the tummy (but only under the skin). A typical course of treatmentis six weeks. This article was encouraging to me (although I am leery of articles by companies selling products): FELINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS - TREATED WITH ALOE VERA (ACEMANNAN) (http://www.aloevera.co.uk/felinelv.htm) All of MK's (Mama Kitty)kittens who have been tested have been negative. One of my cats, Tori, was the runt of her litter and is she is healthy and doing very well. A little over a year agoMK did get a very bad bite near the base of her tail which abscessed and required surgery. I can't help but wonder if this isn't how she acquired this disease. From what I've been able to determine, the nearest holistic veterinarian is about a 90 minute drive one way (same for a veterinary specialist). I don't know anything about that person and it may not be practical to make the drive. I was, however, able to find an interesting website that you may already be familiar with called 'Only Natural Pet Store': Only Natural Pet Store - Dogs Cats Holistic Supplies Products Food Treats Vitamins Medicine Supplements (http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/) From there I've ordered some 'New Life Colostrum Plus' for MKand the 'Only Natural Pet Super Daily Feline Multi-Vitamin Mineral' supplement for all of my cats. They have an interesting range of products there. I got disgusted with Science Diet ayear or two agoand that is when I started having 'Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul' delivered here every month - as that product is not available where I live. The ingredients seem to be very high quality and the kids do like it. I've been checking out the Innova too since it's been mentioned here and it also has a very good ingredient list. The company that delivers the CSCLSalsohas that product available. I really appreciate all the good tips and insight. Since we started the Acemannan on Friday and haven't missed a dose of ammoxi drops or pet tinic...MK is much perkier. I don't know if this is due to the treatment or due to the unpredictable nature of the disease but I am hopeful. She's eating much better than she was before and just seems to sparkle when she 'talks'. I'm making everyeffort to sterilize water and food bowls more frequently and washing bedding more often in very hot water just in case it will be beneficial. I've used ImmunoRegulin on the man of the house, Phelix, for his allergies. The shots were very reasonable - I'll discuss this with my vet when I return. I'll keep you all posted on how this treatment goes. Thank you all again for the encouragement, insight, and stories of your own experiences. I've only been here a day or two but I already believe I have gained some valuable information.
Re: New to the list - hello.
Hi Elizabeth, I'm sorry that you and your cat (MK?) are going through this, but it does sound like you're doing the right things. I think you should consider testing and vaccinating the other cats. I'd definitely test everyone, but the vax part is a bit more iffy. You won't deal with that decision until the other felines come back as negatives. If it's possible to isolate MK without too much stress to her and everyone else, that might also be something to consider as a temporary measure until you figure out the status of the other cats. Nutrition is important, and Chicken Soup... seems to be a pretty good brand of food. My FeLV+ girl has been on their dry food and on Innova EVO canned. We'll probably be going to an all Innova EVO diet this weekend or early next week (our Chicken Soup... is about to run out). My Ember is also on Transfer Factor (the feline version), and while I don't know if it's helping anything yet (she has not begun to show symptoms yet), it doesn't seem like it could hurt. I'll be interested to hear more about what you see happening with the Acemannan. It sounds like it's helping out your girl. My vet doesn't seem to think much of it, but I was also pretty interested in it. We're using low dose human interferon (1cc/day; 5 days on/5 days off). Ember tolerates it just fine, and it is non-invasive. Before she realizes that anything is going on, we've gotten the interferon down her throat, and she'll often just stay cradled in my arms for half a minute afterwards. Please keep coming back here with any questions you have, and keep us updated on how your feline family members are doing. Take care. Lance
Re: New to the list - hello.
First, don't let yourself be talked into killing her just because someone else has quality of life issues. You and she will know if and when it is time for her to leave this world with help. She may do like Kitty Katt and leave on her own. And that may be years and years from now. When Kitty was diagnosed with cancer the experts expected her to live a very few monthsshe lived 15 months and the quality of life was wonderful until the last 2-3 weeks. Listen to your heart and trust her to help you. She will. Dixie Louise Doodle was diagnosed with FeLV + a year ago. She is also just fine. We are having minor tooth problems but nothing you would not expect from a cat who was thrown away and lived pretty much on her own for several months. Given Kitty and Dixie I strongly suggest you forget about odds. The odds of being killed crossing a street are very small--unless you are the person killed then the odds are 100%. Concentrate on loving and caring for all your cats. Enjoy every minute with them (ok, almost every minute--sometimes it is hard). I like EVO myself and so does my holistic vet-by the way, holistic vets are great with FeLV+. I don't know where you are but my holistic vet is E A Boswell in Louisville KY. She has treated two of my dogs and two cats. She has definitely improved their lives and mine. Good luck. If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow man. St. Francis - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2006 9:50 AM Subject: New to the list - hello. I'm sorry this is so long - but it's my first post but I feel I need to give some background information in the hope that some of you with more experience may have recommendations. First and foremost - thank you for being here...and to you who are going through the pain of having a catfamily member suffer with this disease or who have lost someone close - my heart is with you. Monday I noticed that a member of my cat family had a distinctly visible nictating membrane on both eyes - nearly half way closed on one side. The next morning, I took her to my vet's office. On a gut feeling, I asked them to test her for FeVL. Although she had been vaccinated a little over a year ago, she tested positive. The vet and the vet tech gently prodded me to make a 'quality of life' decision that day. She had lost about 14% of her body weight and didn't have enough of an immune system to run a fever. (She was initiallya feral cat who adopted me two years ago and blessedme with 12 kittens. My vet saidthat was a record) Iam notready to say goodbye - she will let me know when it is time. Right now she's not feeling that great (anemia) but sheseems to have a decentquality of life. She ran up the steps to greet me the next day with tail straight up in the air. I don't want to selfishly keep her going just for me if she is truly suffering but myheart says it isn't time. I asked if there was anything that would make her more comfortable. They gaveher ammoxi dropsand 'Pet Tinic' to build her blood. I told them toexpect me to have a lot of questions and they were very understanding. Itook offwork the rest of the day...came home and did my research. That's when I found the Felineleukemia.org website. Thanks totheinformation provided, I found out about Acemannan - a drug my veterinarian had never heard about. I tracked down the manufacturer and distributors and sent my vet a lot of information about it and asked if this would be a reasonable course of treatment and if he would assist me. My vet was also able to find information about this drug and he got it here in 2 days. We began treatment yesterday. Since my vet is not familiar with this drug - he told me that he really didn't know what to expect in terms of how she would feel after the shot so I've been watching her closely. It may be a coincidence but since she got the shot - she's been eating more than I've seen her eat in a while. For days I've been trying to get her to eat a teaspoon of canned foodseveral times a day without muchsuccess and she wouldn't touch her dry food. Yesterday after her first treatment, she ate dry food and also about half a can of canned food. I'm trying not to have false hope but I couldn't help but be encouraged.All the kids hereeat 'Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul' cat food. I have a feeling that nutrition is going to play a huge role inhelping her to copewith thisand so I am currently looking for diet and supplementation information too. I'm trying to keep a level head - which isn't easy when it's your baby - and I know and accept that realistically, the oddsmay not bein
Re: New to the list - hello.
Hi Elizabeth and welcome. I'm sorry your baby isn't feeling well and has tested pos for felv. We've all been were you are right now and understand how upset you must be. Of course you're not ready to say goodbye! I'm so glad you are willing to fight for her! Take a deep breath, there are things you can do to help her. If you've had MK for two years, it doesn't make any sense to create added stress by separating her from the rest of your cats, (imo). Feeding a good supplemented quality diet and keeping the stress level low are the two best ways to help keep her asymptomatic. If your other cats were going to contract felv from her, they probably already have. You could have them all tested for your peace of mind, or test them if they become sick. Since MK doesn't venture from your backyard and doesn't have contact with neighborhood cats, (felv is a "social" type disease, they have to have direct contact with a carrier to become infected, she wouldn't get it from the environment. "When it dries, it dies".), chances are she's had it all along. Most healthy adult cats, esp if vaccinated, either don't contract it when exposed, or have strong enough immune responses to fight it off and clear the virus. I have no experience with Acemannan, so I can't help you with that. One thing I would strongly suggest is for you to find a board certified Internist to help you. Felv is so darn unpredictable. It's not the Felv itself that our kitties succumb to, it's the secondary illness and cancers that take hold because their immune systems have been compromised. Bolstering their immune response and treating any sign of illness immediately are your best weapons. An Internist will be knowledgeable in kitty diseases and you won't waste time with GP vets that would have to refer you to a specialist at some point anyway. If she's showing symptoms of anemia, pale gums, licking concrete, lethargy etc, you need to find out what the reason for the anemia is and treat for that. The abx that your vet prescribed isn't a broad spectrum, it may or may not help. Have you run blood tests? Has she been tested for blood parasites? My Grace had problems with anemia and even though the Hemobartinella, (blood parasites), test came back negative my Internist was intuitive enough to put her on Doxycycline anyway, it saved her life more than once. I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice from the group. Weekends are notoriously slow for us. Hang in there and post as many times as you like about anything at all that you feel like talking about. This is the nicest, best informed group of people you'll ever run across. I'm so glad you found us. Keep your chin up and give your babies a head bump from me. One other thing... You mentioned that MK had a litter of 12 kittens. Do you have contact with any of them? If she has been infected since you got her, she very well may have passed the felv on to her babies invitro. You might want to contact anyone that you can and tell them about her status. Nina [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm sorry this is so long - but it's my first post but I feel I need to give some background information in the hope that some of you with more experience may have recommendations. First and foremost - thank you for being here...and to you who are going through the pain of having a catfamily member suffer with this disease or who have lost someone close - my heart is with you. Monday I noticed that a member of my cat family had a distinctly visible nictating membrane on both eyes - nearly half way closed on one side. The next morning, I took her to my vet's office. On a gut feeling, I asked them to test her for FeVL. Although she had been vaccinated a little over a year ago, she tested positive. The vet and the vet tech gently prodded me to make a 'quality of life' decision that day. She had lost about 14% of her body weight and didn't have enough of an immune system to run a fever. (She was initiallya feral cat who adopted me two years ago and blessedme with 12 kittens. My vet saidthat was a record) Iam notready to say goodbye - she will let me know when it is time. Right now she's not feeling that great (anemia) but sheseems to have a decentquality of life. She ran up the steps to greet me the next day with tail straight up in the air. I don't want to selfishly keep her going just for me if she is truly suffering but myheart says it isn't time. I asked if there was anything that would make her more comfortable. They gaveher ammoxi dropsand 'Pet Tinic' to build her blood. I told them toexpect me to have a lot of questions and they were very understanding. Itook offwork the rest of the day...came home and did my research. That's when I found the Felineleukemia.org website. Thanks totheinformation provided, I found out about Acemannan - a drug my veterinarian had never heard about. I tracked down the manufacturer and distributors and sent my vet a lot of information about it and asked if
