Re: New to the List
Hi Bill. Welcome to the List! First of all, thank you for taking care of these babies- 4 Felv+ cats? That's quite a few, even for this List :) All I know about blood transfusions is that they don't typically work if it is nonregenerative anemia- meaning the virus has destroyed the bone marrow and it is no longer producing red blood cells. If they have anemia BECAUSE of something, like a parasite (hemobartinella for example) or an iron defeciency it can be helpful. Of course you would have to also correct the cause of the anemia by getting rid of the parasites, increasing the amount of iron they are getting, etc. To me it seems that it is just like putting a band-aid on a gun shot wound. It doesn't really fix the problem. They DO get better, temporarily. Drugs such as epogen can help w/ RBC production, but I don't recall many long term success cases with it on this List, at least not as used for Felv related nonregenerative anemia. If you cats are currently healthy, I would focus on prevention. Such as starting Interferon ASAP, increasing vitamin C, maybe some CoQ10, DMG, thymus, or any of the other supplements we all use. I have my Felv+ looked over and a complete blood count done twice per year just to stay on top of things. I also feel him for any unusual lumps and check his gums daily for signs of anemia (pale gums). Sometimes if you catch this stuff early, you can pull them back. If your cats are sick, you may want to look into Immunoregulin or Acemannan. Good luck and welcome to the List! Jamie
Re: New to the list
Hi Michelle, Sorry about your kitty, but hard times will bring people of the same interests closer. The folks here are so knowlegeable you can learn so much from them to help your cat. I have adopted too more since I met these guys becuase I now know for sure that I can make their last home a happy one. My vet never once mentioned treatments, just that it is fatal and make them as comfortable as you can till its time. My baby C didn't eat solid food for months, I didn;t know he had sores in his mouth, now with the treatment that works well for out family Baby C can sometimes eat two cans a day and enjoy every minute of it. Karen
Re: New to the list
Murray On the weekends we don't generate as much email as during the week, so I will answer you as best I can. First, I will leave it to the other experts to tell you about Feline Leukemia and how to treat your foster kitty. Believe me, there will be plenty of advice forthcoming. :) I can answer the question about whether your pet sitter can take it home to her cats. In a wordNO. The Feline Leukemia virus is extremely fragile outside the host body. It only lives until it dries. Dr. John Hardy, the creator of the definitive test (IFA) for Feline Leukemia, says that "when it dries, it dies!" So, if your pet sitter doesn't have anything wet like the cat's saliva or urine on her, her cats will be just fine. I have had a felv+ cat for 4 years. I don't take any precautions except to make sure my hands are dry, and I haven't stepped in anything of his wet when I interact with my other cats. -- Brenda. http://www.whiskersandwicks.com http://www.cheqnet.net/~bksmith "The only risk you ever run in befriending a cat is enriching yourself." - Colette
