Re: Question about IFA Test Results
I think maybe I should clarify thisI have had Simba for 8-9 years from when he was a kitten and got him from a farm. He was never tested for leukemia til last summer, and came up with a very very faint positive, and then, the IFA done in Anteck, New York, came back negative, and then, in late August, the snap test was run again, and it was a very very faint positive. He has always been as healthy as a horse, and weighs 16 pounds. This whole thing has me puzzled. Thanks. Sheila and Simba ~~ - Original Message - From: Sheila Coyle To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 4:49 AM Subject: Re: Question about IFA Test Results I would be interested in any response to this as well, as the same thing is true with my Simba, age 8-9 years. Thank you. Sheila Nebraska [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~~~ - Original Message - From: Chris Behnke To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 7:38 PM Subject: Question about IFA Test Results Here's the whole story. When Monty was 8 months old, he became very sick. When I took him to the vets, he was diagnosed as FeLV+. At the time, the vet didn't think he would make it. Now, a year later Monty is very healty. He has never been sick since his diagnosis and has not shown any signs. Because of this, we had him tested again. The ELISA test came back with a very faint positive but the IFA test was negative. What exactly does this mean? Thanks, Chris Behnke
Re: Emilio and Frito Our FeLV Story
Hi Chrissy, Welcome, though I am sorry for the circumstances, the kitties sure are lucky to find you though! I have 6 cats, Bailey is my positive, he eats,, sleeps, plays, grooms and occasionally squabbles with all of his sibs, though he is closest to Joey. All of my other guys are tested and vaccinated against FeLV every year. I found Bailey at age 5 months when we lived in Missouri, he tested psoitive then. 3 vets told me to euthanize him, that he wouldn't live three months and would infect all of my other cats. Thankfully I had experience with FeLV and knew that was absolutely not true. Today Bailey is 10 years old and has not had any health problems until this last year. He had mouth problems really bad and even with everything we tried we ended having to pull most of his teeth with pretty much resolved the problem for him. He does also have arthritis now and is taking medication for that. But since I got him on raw food (another thing I've heard is to NEVER feed an immune compromised cat raw, I can attest in our case it has worked out very well, this is not store bought but made by myself so I know exactly what is in their food) which he absolutely loves by the way, and has really thrived on. He has gained back the weight he lost while his teeth were bothering him plus about a pound and a half. He is slightly pudgy now which is fine with me. I personally choose to mix my guys because I firmly believe a healthy, vaccinated adult cat has almost a zero chance of getting infected by a positive even with prolonged contact and in my experience this has proven to be the case for over 10 years. I also believe as my vet says that the virus only lives seconds outside of the host. I know for a fact Joey and Bailey have actually touched tongues while grooming and that is why I have had Joey PCR tested (tests the DNA), and he is negative, he would be the most likely to get it. I also believe that a healthy adult cat, if they were to get the virus from a positive would most certainly be able to fight it off with their own immune system. I can only speak from my 13 years worth of experience and that is what I base my beliefs on, that and knowing other people in similar circumstances. -- Our Story I became aqquainted with FeLV in 1992, I had my Frankie tested because every single year he would get a URI in December, my vet was constantly asking me if they could test him and I constantly declined, he was indoor after all how could he get it?? Well finally in 1992 I told her to go ahead and test, he was really sick and she recommended I euthanize him, in my eyes he had a cold, you don't euthanize because your cat has a URI, and to my absolute disbelief he tested positive. I took in my other 4 cats and 3 of them also tested positive, my Buddie was negative and none of them were vaccinated because they were all indoor and I didn't think they needed to be vaccinated for that (they were vaccinated for everything else). They had all been around each other from kittenhood, and I believe in my heart that Frankie was born with it as he was sickly all his life. In October of 93 I lost my Skeeter to lymphoma at the age of 7 years, in March of 94, I lost my Mikie to kidney cancer at the age of 5 years, and in January of 95, I lost my dear Frankie to anemia at the age of 9 years. Teenye turned negative and was for the rest of her life, she died of a rare cancer at the age of 16 year in 2000. And I just lost my Buddie who was negative all her life to liver cancer in July 2004 att he age of 13 years old. -- Belinda Happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties ... http://www.bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candle Light Service http://www.bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com (affordable hosting web design) http://HostDesign4U.com --- BMK Designs (non-profit web sites) http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Update on Cricket's vet visit
First I want to thank all of you who took the time to say the kind and encouraging words you did, and for the thoughts and prayers. I REALLY appreciate them and so does Cricket. The vet helped to alleviate some of my fears yesterday; he did not come across as hopeless or fatalistic, but rather helpful and calm, which in turn encouraged me. He gave Cricket a shot of Winstol to help stimulate his kidneys to promote red cell production, increase appetite, and build muscle back. He gave me a bottle of Baytril, which is a broader spectrum and stronger antibiotic than the Clavimox Cricket has been on. It also should help fight any hemobartranella, which is a microplasma that could be in his blood and causing or helping increase the anemia. He gave me a bottle of Prednisone, which is also good for stimulating red cell production. He also told me to give him 100 iu.'s of Vitamin E, 8 oz's of liquid, and said a general vitamin would be ok. The only thing I hesitated on was that he would have to refer me out to put Cricket on Immuno Regulin, and I wasn't sure that it would be good to wait to see if he will respond to the current treatment or get him on the IR right now. So I am ok for now; hopeful. Cricket is not happy with me as everytime he sees me, it seems I am sticking something down his throat. He did not tear up the vet though, which is a good thing. I hope to be reporting good news to this group in the next couple of days. God bless all of you and your little furballs of joy. __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: anesthesia question
No, she's acting pretty normal now. Her eyes are still dilated, but hopefully they will go back to normal soon. She can see fine. She's eating, drinking, and wants to know what the big deal is when she tries to jump up on things and I grab her and lift her. If you ask her, she's just fine. Thanks, Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 12:57:04 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: What's going on with Lucy? Is she still acting weird?
Re: anesthesia question
Yes, she did have a pain killer shot. Maybe that was it. She got atropine, which is what they said dilated her eyes-- is that the pain killer or something else? Thanks, Michelle In a message dated 10/24/2005 10:15:58 P.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Did they administer any kind of pain killer? Our Pips had a slightly similar reaction after his "pain killer" injection...dilated pupils, and just generally rolling around obsessively...I could tell the pain killer was "good stuff"... :)
Re: anesthesia question
Hi Michelle- When I took two of my cats to be spayed about nine years ago, I took them to a lot cost clinic. One of the reasons it was low cost is because they don't keep the animals overnight after their surgery. I took them home and they were wide-eyed, pupils dilated, and walking around the room looking pretty crazy. It scared me to death. I am sure it was from the anesthesia. But in a few hours, they were ok, so your baby should be fine. Don't worry. Probably by the time you read this, they'll be back to normal! --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Lucy had her surgery at about 12:30 today and came home at 2. Since that time (4 hours now), she has been wandering around in the room I have her shut in, staring eagerly at the walls and behind the furniture in a hyper-alert state, as if the walls were teeming with mice. She will let me pet her for a second or two but then resumes her wall hunting. I called the vet a few hours ago and they said the anesthesia is probably making her delirious, and that it could last a few hours. I just tried calling them again but they are closed for the night. Her eyes are also very dilated. Has anyone ever seen this kind of reaction to anesthesia? I have seen many animals undergo surgery and have never witnessed something like this. She does not seem to be in distress particularly... if her eyes were not dilated and she had not just had surgery, and if the other cats were not ignoring her behavior, I might think she was eagerly listening to mice or something. But she seems totally insane. Any info you can provide on this would be helpful. I will do some internet research too. They had said she could drink at 4 and then eat, but I have been afraid to feed her while she looks so strange. Thanks, Michelle __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: anesthesia question
Thanks. They used ISO gas. I think it might have been the painkiller shot. Michelle In a message dated 10/24/2005 10:15:43 P.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle – did you find out what they used as anesthesia? They must have not used ISO gas. They might have used kedamin or the other kind (now can’t remember the name!) – they are injectable and will cause the very symptoms you described, if especially if they overdose it (it’s very sensitive to the weight and can’t over dose it) … it happened to my feral, Oliver. and his head were shaking and couldn’t’ t get up for almost 24 hours and it was not normal. My vet freaked out, too.. keep an close an eye on her.. it should go away.. but obviously, if it does not, over night – you need to call them right away tomorrow – Just as a tip, when they do a surgery in the future, make sure to use “ISO” which considered to be least risk of all, and ask them to never use indictable (whether it’s anesthesia or any pain killer medication) - please keep us posted with her progress.
Ginger
Hideyo, Is your kitty eating today? Wendy __ Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. http://farechase.yahoo.com
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
I've heard of atropine, but wasn't sure what it was for...did a quick Google check, but couldn't quite deciper the medical-speak! :) Sounds like it's a kind of pain killer, though...and I found this tid- bit kinda interesting: Atropine extracts from the Egyptian henbane were used by Cleopatra in the last century B.C. to dilate her pupils, in the hope that she would appear more alluring. In the Renaissance, women used the juice of the berries of Atropa belladonna to enlarge the pupils of their eyes, for cosmetic reasons; 'belladonna' is Italian for 'beautiful lady'. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed... --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys. -- Chief Dan George - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:17 am Subject: Re: anesthesia question Yes, she did have a pain killer shot. Maybe that was it. She got atropine, which is what they said dilated her eyes-- is that the pain killer or something else? Thanks, Michelle In a message dated 10/24/2005 10:15:58 P.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Did they administer any kind of pain killer? Our Pips had a slightly similar reaction after his pain killer injection...dilated pupils, and just generally rolling around obsessively...I could tell the pain killer was good stuff... :)
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
Very interesting! Well, that explains her eyes dilating! Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 9:39:51 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I've heard of atropine, but wasn't sure what it was for...did a quick Google check, but couldn't quite deciper the "medical-speak!" :) Sounds like it's a kind of pain killer, though...and I found this tid-bit kinda interesting:"Atropine extracts from the Egyptian henbane were used by Cleopatra in the last century B.C. to dilate her pupils, in the hope that she would appear more alluring. In the Renaissance, women used the juice of the berries of Atropa belladonna to enlarge the pupils of their eyes, for cosmetic reasons; 'belladonna' is Italian for 'beautiful lady'."
Re: Emilio and Frito
Chrissy- Blessings to you for helping these animals in need out. I often chastise myself because many times it seems I am more compassionate for these cats than I am for my own human race. But the love is there, and the only thing we can do to feel right is go with it, which is what you have been doing. I understand about the acquisition of cats. They are social animals. I started out with two, and then along came a stray, who I found a home for, but not before she had a litter. I found homes for two of her kittens, but the third, Cricket, I couldn't. Fell in love with him and that made three. Then my parents moved to Florida and left their 3 cats with me until they found a home. Well they found a home all right, but the HO doesn't allow animals outside the home, and my mom is allergic. So now I'm up to six. The day my husband and I moved into our home, a seventh stray showed up. Then my sister decided to get a divorce and not take care of her son or their 3 cats, so now I have ten cats and a ten year old. LOL. The city has a limit of three, so I pray that none of our neighbors find that out. Four live inside and the rest outside, and the neighbors have been wonderful about the cats it seems. Although I am sure we are known as the cat people. My husband isn't too happy about it, but what can I do? My goal is to become debt free and buy some land and get a barn like one of the other ladies on this site so I have a place for these cats to go. In the meantime... I wouldn't be able to euthanize Emilio and Frito either, so don't feel bad. There is an organization called Best Friends. www.bestfriends.org. They are located in Utah, but they have a lot of sister organizations all over the country that they partner with. I support them financially because I believe in what they are doing. Once I called them because my ailing grandmother was feeding all these cats and they kept multiplying because they were feral and she couldn't catch them to have them fixed. BF called an organization in Greensboro, N.C., where my grandma lives and they came out and caught all the cats, fixed them, and brought them back. There were probably 8 cats. BF is awesome. The main thing they are known for is their sanctuary in Utah, which takes care of hundreds of animals that are unadoptable. People take their vacations there to volunteer. It's really neat. Anyway, maybe they can help you. And maybe you will have luck with the Best Little Cat House in the next month or so. Also, there are some people who take in only FeLV cats, so maybe an ad in the newspaper asking for help??? From what I have studied about FeLV, and from what my vet gave me to read, the transmission of FeLV is either through bite wounds, birth, close casual contact (grooming), and shared dishes or litter pans. So hopefully, play fighting through a door won't qualify, but you can't be too sure. Probably the reason your vet hasn't been too reassuring or the info. you get is contradictory is that the vet professionals and researchers still don't know much about FeLV. They are at a loss as well, although strides have been made in the past ten years in medical research and is ongoing. There may come a time when you may have make the decision to stop feeding any strays that come along, and they will move on to the next house they think they may be able to get food from. I know that sounds horrible, but at some point, you may have to draw the line, whether it be 5 cats, 10, or 20. If you don't, you might end up on TV like these people who have 50 cats in their small apartment and the health department and animal control are busting their door down. ;P Have a great day Chrissy, and take care- God Bless You for your efforts- Wendy __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
How is Lucy today? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:53 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history! Very interesting! Well, that explains her eyes dilating! Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 9:39:51 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I've heard of atropine, but wasn't sure what it was for...did a quick Google check, but couldn't quite deciper the medical-speak! :) Sounds like it's a kind of pain killer, though...and I found this tid- bit kinda interesting: Atropine extracts from the Egyptian henbane were used by Cleopatra in the last century B.C. to dilate her pupils, in the hope that she would appear more alluring. In the Renaissance, women used the juice of the berries of Atropa belladonna to enlarge the pupils of their eyes, for cosmetic reasons; 'belladonna' is Italian for 'beautiful lady'.
RE: Ginger
Thank you for asking.. no she is not eating on her own yet.. she sniffs the food, does not want to eat...but she does not act like she is feeling sick either - I am thinking that she is lonely and depressed... I cried when I was with her this morning because I am not spending as much as time she would like me to.. and I know how fragile FeLV kitties' life can beshe is just so sweet and so good to me. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wendy Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:33 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Ginger Hideyo, Is your kitty eating today? Wendy __ Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. http://farechase.yahoo.com
Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo
Dear Friends, I wanted to welcome all the new folks to the list; as I'm sure you've been told, it's always bittersweet. We're sorry you're dealing with FeLV, but you will never find a group of more wonderful, knowledgeable, compassionate people. For everyone dealing with sickness, I send you hugs and nothing but good wishes for kitties to be comfortable and make a good recovery. Mandy has begun to go downhill rather suddenly. She has lost the verve of her personality and is not finding any food much to her liking, except, and Hideyo, this may interest you for Ginger: Enfamil. Yes, human infant formula. I would not use it regularly because the vitamin/mineral ratio is too high in some cases for kitties, but I'm not exactly concerned with Mandy's longevity at this point. She doesn't want Just Born or KMR anymore, so I decided to try Enfamil and she is eating as best she can and seems to like it. Hideyo, it might be worth a try for Ginger to see if it will kick-start her appetite. The tumor in Mandy's mouth is growing and she is having obvious difficulty swallowing any non-liquid. She wants me to hold and stroke her (taps me when I stop) or to sit on my shoulder if I lay down, but she has virtually stopped purring and is beginning to hunch. She has lost almost all the hair on her chest and inner front arms.I see her now starting to act as though she feels unwell. I have never been so conflicted about the decision to end life. Both my regular vet and the oncologist we saw last week suggested in rather sublte ways that I need to consider it. Well, duh. Obviously I need to consider it since everyone has agreed she is terminal. She just seemed so herself (happy and interested) regardless of how she looked. Until this weekend; it's been obvious her condition is worsening and I can't allow her to suffer. I am having a terrible time letting go of my sweet girl; I would give anything I posess to save her, but nothing can be done. My heart is broken and I have decisions to make. Please keep Mandy in your thoughts. Love to all, Julie"I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man. " "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)Paws Come WITH Claws!!!If you're thinking about de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet. Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
RE: Update on Cricket's vet visit
How is Cricket doing today? -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wendy walker Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:14 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Update on Cricket's vet visit First I want to thank all of you who took the time to say the kind and encouraging words you did, and for the thoughts and prayers. I REALLY appreciate them and so does Cricket. The vet helped to alleviate some of my fears yesterday; he did not come across as hopeless or fatalistic, but rather helpful and calm, which in turn encouraged me. He gave Cricket a shot of Winstol to help stimulate his kidneys to promote red cell production, increase appetite, and build muscle back. He gave me a bottle of Baytril, which is a broader spectrum and stronger antibiotic than the Clavimox Cricket has been on. It also should help fight any hemobartranella, which is a microplasma that could be in his blood and causing or helping increase the anemia. He gave me a bottle of Prednisone, which is also good for stimulating red cell production. He also told me to give him 100 iu.'s of Vitamin E, 8 oz's of liquid, and said a general vitamin would be ok. The only thing I hesitated on was that he would have to refer me out to put Cricket on Immuno Regulin, and I wasn't sure that it would be good to wait to see if he will respond to the current treatment or get him on the IR right now. So I am ok for now; hopeful. Cricket is not happy with me as everytime he sees me, it seems I am sticking something down his throat. He did not tear up the vet though, which is a good thing. I hope to be reporting good news to this group in the next couple of days. God bless all of you and your little furballs of joy. __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo
Dearest Julie, My heart is breaking with yours as you must make the decision of "when" for Mandy's passing. You know as well as the rest of us do how well cats hide their illness and/or pain, so when they start showing, you know it's bad. With what I've seen with my pets and with friend's and family's pets, I would rather be a day early assisting them to the Bridge than even 5 minutes late. Give Mandy extra loving from all of us. Extra e-hugs on the way for you and your hubby too. HUGSJulie Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Friends, I wanted to welcome all the new folks to the list; as I'm sure you've been told, it's always bittersweet. We're sorry you're dealing with FeLV, but you will never find a group of more wonderful, knowledgeable, compassionate people. For everyone dealing with sickness, I send you hugs and nothing but good wishes for kitties to be comfortable and make a good recovery. Mandy has begun to go downhill rather suddenly. She has lost the verve of her personality and is not finding any food much to her liking, except, and Hideyo, this may interest you for Ginger: Enfamil. Yes, human infant formula. I would not use it regularly because the vitamin/mineral ratio is too high in some cases for kitties, but I'm not exactly concerned with Mandy's longevity at this point. She doesn't want Just Born or KMR anymore, so I decided to try Enfamil and she is eating as best she can and seems to like it. Hideyo, it might be worth a try for Ginger to see if it will kick-start her appetite. The tumor in Mandy's mouth is growing and she is having obvious difficulty swallowing any non-liquid. She wants me to hold and stroke her (taps me when I stop) or to sit on my shoulder if I lay down, but she has virtually stopped purring and is beginning to hunch. She has lost almost all the hair on her chest and inner front arms.I see her now starting to act as though she feels unwell. I have never been so conflicted about the decision to end life. Both my regular vet and the oncologist we saw last week suggested in rather sublte ways that I need to consider it. Well, duh. Obviously I need to consider it since everyone has agreed she is terminal. She just seemed so herself (happy and interested) regardless of how she looked. Until this weekend; it's been obvious her condition is worsening and I can't allow her to suffer. I am having a terrible time letting go of my sweet girl; I would give anything I posess to save her, but nothing can be done. My heart is broken and I have decisions to make. Please keep Mandy in your thoughts. Love to all, Julie"I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it isto protection by man from the cruelty of man. " "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)Paws Come WITH Claws!!!If you're thinking about de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet. Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. Barb+Smoky the House Puma+El Bandito Malito"My cat the clown: paying no mind to whom he should impress. Merely living his life, doing what pleases him, and making me smile."- Anonymous Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
RE: still confused.....why do I bother giving shots
I would personally try Sulphur on initial sneezing symptoms (per my holistic vet) it worked great for my cats .. if discharge started turning yellow or green, and if the kitty is very affectionate one, try Pulsattila, From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 11:02 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: still confused.why do I bother giving shots ok Gloria, what do you use for the sneezing and congestion?
Encouragement for Julie and Mandy
Julie- I am so sorry you and Mandy are going through this right now. My heart goes out to you both. I told myself that I would not allow Cricket to suffer, so when the time comes that he is visibly suffering and not taking any enjoyment from life, I will take him. I know the time will come for us as well. As long as Mandy wants you to hold her and stroke her, I believe she is able to enjoy herself and feel good. I hope that you will somehow feel peaceful when the time comes to make that decision and you are the only person, and the best, who should be making that decision. I will pray for peace and courage for you and Mandy. Wendy __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com
RE: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo
Dearest, Julie, I am sorry that Mandy is not feeling well I cry reading your message as I can certainly feel what you are going through I am not sure if you would like to consider talking to Mandy via AC I know it certainly helped me and some people on the list.. Please know that you and your baby Many are in my prayers and thoughts all the time and am praying that she will bounce back and take you by surprise! Thank you for about Enfamil. I will certainly try.. I have tried KMR today but she did not want to try.. so I would try Enfamil and goat milk as Nina suggested. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Julie Johnson Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:57 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo Dear Friends, I wanted to welcome all the new folks to the list; as I'm sure you've been told, it's always bittersweet. We're sorry you're dealing with FeLV, but you will never find a group of more wonderful, knowledgeable, compassionate people. For everyone dealing with sickness, I send you hugs and nothing but good wishes for kitties to be comfortable and make a good recovery. Mandy has begun to go downhill rather suddenly. She has lost the verve of her personality and is not finding any food much to her liking, except, and Hideyo, this may interest you for Ginger: Enfamil. Yes, human infant formula. I would not use it regularly because the vitamin/mineral ratio is too high in some cases for kitties, but I'm not exactly concerned with Mandy's longevity at this point. She doesn't want Just Born or KMR anymore, so I decided to try Enfamil and she is eating as best she can and seems to like it. Hideyo, it might be worth a try for Ginger to see if it will kick-start her appetite. The tumor in Mandy's mouth is growing and she is having obvious difficulty swallowing any non-liquid. She wants me to hold and stroke her (taps me when I stop) or to sit on my shoulder if I lay down, but she has virtually stopped purring and is beginning to hunch. She has lost almost all the hair on her chest and inner front arms.I see her now starting to act as though she feels unwell. I have never been so conflicted about the decision to end life. Both my regular vet and the oncologist we saw last week suggested in rather sublte ways that I need to consider it. Well, duh. Obviously I need to consider it since everyone has agreed she is terminal. She just seemed so herself (happy and interested) regardless of how she looked. Until this weekend; it's been obvious her condition is worsening and I can't allow her to suffer. I am having a terrible time letting go of my sweet girl; I would give anything I posess to save her, but nothing can be done. My heart is broken and I have decisions to make. Please keep Mandy in your thoughts. Love to all, Julie I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Paws Come WITH Claws!!! If you're thinking about de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet. Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
Pretty normal, except for her eyes still being dilated. She is sleeping a lot now. Which is understandable, since she had major surgery yesterday and then hardly slept afterwards or during the night due to her obsession with the invisible wall mice (amusingly, at one point I actually heard a real mouse in the wall, but she did not seem to notice that). I have her locked in my office with me as I work (I work from home) and she is sacked out on a cat bed next to a portable heater. Thanks for asking, Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 10:54:33 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: How is Lucy today?
RE: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
Does she see have fever by any chance, do you know? What was the surgery about? From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 10:14 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history! Pretty normal, except for her eyes still being dilated. She is sleeping a lot now. Which is understandable, since she had major surgery yesterday and then hardly slept afterwards or during the night due to her obsession with the invisible wall mice (amusingly, at one point I actually heard a real mouse in the wall, but she did not seem to notice that). I have her locked in my office with me as I work (I work from home) and she is sacked out on a cat bed next to a portable heater. Thanks for asking, Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 10:54:33 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: How is Lucy today?
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
I have not taken her temp, and she does not feel overly warm. She is eating and drinking well. She has diarrhea though. The surgery was to remove a very large bladder stone which did not dissolve from the S/D diet and so is probably oxylate ( they are having it analyzed to tell for sure). She had a struvite stone before which did dissolve, and then I think the food I put her on to prevent another struvite stone may have caused the oxylate stone. I am going to try to keep her on Royal Canin S/O now, which is the only food that is supposed to prevent both types of stones. In a message dated 10/25/2005 11:19:19 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Does she see have fever by any chance, do you know? What was the surgery about?
RE: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
Wow.. it does sounds like a major surgery I am so glad to hear that Lucy is drinking and eating! Keep us posted with her progress. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 10:21 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history! I have not taken her temp, and she does not feel overly warm. She is eating and drinking well. She has diarrhea though. The surgery was to remove a very large bladder stone which did not dissolve from the S/D diet and so is probably oxylate ( they are having it analyzed to tell for sure). She had a struvite stone before which did dissolve, and then I think the food I put her on to prevent another struvite stone may have caused the oxylate stone. I am going to try to keep her on Royal Canin S/O now, which is the only food that is supposed to prevent both types of stones. In a message dated 10/25/2005 11:19:19 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Does she see have fever by any chance, do you know? What was the surgery about?
Hard To Diagnose SymptomsPlsHelp
I am craving support and helpful advice please help !! have a number of questions different areas. One, Has anyone heard of enlarged salivary glands, in conjunction with FLV ? Our cat had needle aspirate samples sent to a pathologist and he was stumped, there was no cancer and the combo of things in it was 'bizarre' he said. But we wouldn't know for sure without a biopsy. Two. Vet is concerned with no real change in his demeanour, eating, and his liquid stool. symptoms Meanwhile, the gut feels like there are enlarged lymph nodes there. He has had a reduction in the neck swelling with prednisone. I can get him to be a bit interested in lapping liquid, and he likes water. No solid food tho. I give him a liver shake, and his regular raw food diet with supps like Respond, Moducare, probiotics, c, e, sometimes nutrigest, slippery elm, colostrum. While still on atbx for long campylobacter infection, he tested inhouse positive for FLV. I personally wonder if he's positive due to illness and stress of campylobacter. It took us weeks to get the right antbx, so he went thru that for a long time between tests and vets without the azythromycin. I am at a loss what to do and vet is saying we're in a difficult situation, with contradcitory approaches; if he has surgery to do biopsies we're conerned he'll not be able to cope after and heal. This vet tho has advanced training in chinese herb approach and treatment. Can anyone comment or advise any of this ?? Thanks so much Lynne for Frodo __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Re: Hard To Diagnose SymptomsPlsHelp
Lynne, I would take him to see an internist, which is a vet who is board-certified in internal medicine. They are usually located at larger animal hospitals and places called veterinary referral centers, and definitely at vet school hospitals. They often know more about hard-to-diagnose stuff, and more about cancer, and usually work closely with oncologists. I have found them helpful in the past. Michelle
Re: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo
Julie, I'm so sorry to hear that Mandy is going downhill. If it's any help to have a second opinion on the matter... from what you said about her, I do think it is time to let her go. I send you all the positive energy I can muster, and I hope the decision brings you peace in knowing that you have done the best you could for her, whatever you decide. You have given her so much love and support through it all, and I want you to know that we all know that you have done everything you could do for her. Mandy could not have been blessed with a better human in her life than what you have been for her, and I am sure she knows this. You know what you need to do, please take comfort knowing that you have done EVERYTHING you could to make Mandy as happy and comfortable for as long as possible that you could! Sincerely, Jenn -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/148 - Release Date: 10/25/2005
Emilio and Frito
I just wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to read my story and for your advice and feedback. It's been a really, really tough week, and I know I haven't even seen the worst of this disease. My heart really goes out to you all, as I ready your stories. I'm dealing with FeLv with three cats I intended to put up for adoption, so I didn't allow myself to get too attached to them, and yet, my heart is just broken over this. Sheesh! I came from a dog family, we were not permitted to have cats as kids, and now here I am with a pack of them, and I'm amazed at their ability to creep in and grab hold of my heart! I'm still worried to death about the health of my own cats, but I certainly take comfort in knowing that this group exists; I am so grateful for everything that I've learned about food, vitamins, longevity, and the power of love, in the short time I've been reading the posts here. I heard from Lynn at The Best Little Cat House in PA, and she'll take Emilio and Frito; I convinced my mother, who is not a cat person, to take the Mama cat, at least until the holidays, when we can have her retested. I'm hoping, but not overly optimistic, about her chances, but she might be a carrier, rather than a victim. I'm hoping my mom will finally see how wonderful cats are, and decide to keep the kitty, no matter what the test results are. But if not, we'll deal with the situation then. Thanks again for everything. With love to you all - Chrissy
Re: Emilio and Frito
Chrissy, I volunteered to foster 7 FeLV+ cats from a shelter. One got sick within two weeks, I brought him back to the shelter, and they euthanized him without telling me first. Two died six months later at my home. I officially adopted the other four right after that, and still have three of them (knock on wood!) over 3 years later. So much for fostering! I consider the two who died 6 months after I took them in to have been mine also, at this point. I loved them the same. So these things happen! Saying we will not get attached does not actually seem to control our emotions. After several failed "fostering" attempts like this, I am under a strict oath to my partner that I will not volunteer at any more shelters or agree to "foster" anyone else, at least for a while. Michelle
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
atropine dries the mouth and other secretions. I'm really not sure about the painkiller part--bet against it though. - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 10:38 AM Subject: Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history! I've heard of atropine, but wasn't sure what it was for...did a quick Google check, but couldn't quite deciper the medical-speak! :) Sounds like it's a kind of pain killer, though...and I found this tid- bit kinda interesting: Atropine extracts from the Egyptian henbane were used by Cleopatra in the last century B.C. to dilate her pupils, in the hope that she would appear more alluring. In the Renaissance, women used the juice of the berries of Atropa belladonna to enlarge the pupils of their eyes, for cosmetic reasons; 'belladonna' is Italian for 'beautiful lady'. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed... --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys. -- Chief Dan George - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:17 am Subject: Re: anesthesia question Yes, she did have a pain killer shot. Maybe that was it. She got atropine, which is what they said dilated her eyes-- is that the pain killer or something else? Thanks, Michelle In a message dated 10/24/2005 10:15:58 P.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Did they administer any kind of pain killer? Our Pips had a slightly similar reaction after his pain killer injection...dilated pupils, and just generally rolling around obsessively...I could tell the pain killer was good stuff... :)
Re: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo
Threesuggestions: Discuss her wishes with her.either by yourself or with the assistance of an animal communicator. Get the powered Just Born and mix it stronger (more powder) that the instructions suggest. Listen to your heart. Not any one. Mandy will talk to your heart. - Original Message - From: Julie Johnson To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 11:57 AM Subject: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo Dear Friends, I wanted to welcome all the new folks to the list; as I'm sure you've been told, it's always bittersweet. We're sorry you're dealing with FeLV, but you will never find a group of more wonderful, knowledgeable, compassionate people. For everyone dealing with sickness, I send you hugs and nothing but good wishes for kitties to be comfortable and make a good recovery. Mandy has begun to go downhill rather suddenly. She has lost the verve of her personality and is not finding any food much to her liking, except, and Hideyo, this may interest you for Ginger: Enfamil. Yes, human infant formula. I would not use it regularly because the vitamin/mineral ratio is too high in some cases for kitties, but I'm not exactly concerned with Mandy's longevity at this point. She doesn't want Just Born or KMR anymore, so I decided to try Enfamil and she is eating as best she can and seems to like it. Hideyo, it might be worth a try for Ginger to see if it will kick-start her appetite. The tumor in Mandy's mouth is growing and she is having obvious difficulty swallowing any non-liquid. She wants me to hold and stroke her (taps me when I stop) or to sit on my shoulder if I lay down, but she has virtually stopped purring and is beginning to hunch. She has lost almost all the hair on her chest and inner front arms.I see her now starting to act as though she feels unwell. I have never been so conflicted about the decision to end life. Both my regular vet and the oncologist we saw last week suggested in rather sublte ways that I need to consider it. Well, duh. Obviously I need to consider it since everyone has agreed she is terminal. She just seemed so herself (happy and interested) regardless of how she looked. Until this weekend; it's been obvious her condition is worsening and I can't allow her to suffer. I am having a terrible time letting go of my sweet girl; I would give anything I posess to save her, but nothing can be done. My heart is broken and I have decisions to make. Please keep Mandy in your thoughts. Love to all, Julie"I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it isto protection by man from the cruelty of man. " "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948)Paws Come WITH Claws!!!If you're thinking about de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet. Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
Re: Question about IFA Test Results
Sounds to me like he may have thrown off the virus. I'd continue with interferon (or start it if you're not administering it), and re-test in 90 days. Terri in NJ =^..^= Terri, Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, Travis, and 6 furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth, Alec Salome' =^..^= Furkid Photos! http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/My Personal Page: http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350 - Original Message - From: Chris Behnke To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 8:38 PM Subject: Question about IFA Test Results Here's the whole story. When Monty was 8 months old, he became very sick. When I took him to the vets, he was diagnosed as FeLV+. At the time, the vet didn't think he would make it. Now, a year later Monty is very healty. He has never been sick since his diagnosis and has not shown any signs. Because of this, we had him tested again. The ELISA test came back with a very faint positive but the IFA test was negative. What exactly does this mean? Thanks, Chris Behnke
Re: Emilio and Frito
Hi Chrissy, Wow. Whata big heart you have. There are no FeLV+ shelters in this area (I'm in Bordentown, right around the corner from you). Taffy's Place in the Flemington area is full I think. Any shelter you take them to will PTS. I think Nikki's FeLV Rescue is full too. She's way up in the Sparta, NJarea. No doubt you've got your hands full. I'm full myself (in a 1 bedroom apartment), and all the cats are FeLV free at the moment. I mostly lurk on the list nowadays -- I've been with the group since 1999. Since we're so close (geographically), maybe give me a call sometime and we can chat. If nothing else, at least I can be a sounding board for you. 324-1604 Terri in Bordentown, NJ =^..^= Terri, Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, Travis, and 6 furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth, Alec Salome' =^..^= Furkid Photos! http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/My Personal Page: http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350 - Original Message - From: Christine Ott To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:43 PM Subject: Emilio and Frito Hi everyone,I'm brand new here, and am so happy to have found you! How wonderful to have found such a group! Of course, it's sad news in my life that brings me here, though, but it's good to know there are other people out there doing what they can.We moved to Trenton, NJ, last year with a dog, Lacey, and two young, (felv - ) cats, Monkey and Simon, and within a day, acquired a new cat, Angus, whom we kept in seclusion for months until we could determine if he had any of the feline nasties (he was tested twice, several months apart). Of course, we didn't seek to get another cat, but cats have the ability to acquire us. He came up negative for FIV and Leukemia, and we were so thankful. Monkey and Simon may not feel the same way, since he's much bigger than they are, but we're working out the issues!Four months later, I heard a terrible crying sound coming from the hedges, and honestly had no idea what it was -- despite the growing number of cats in my household, they're all pretty young; I didn't have a cat until I was 31, so I was not well versed in the wide range of noises they're capable of making. I went to check it out, and discovered Platooski, a kitten about 4 weeks old, in the bushes.We figured three cats was enough; since Platooski was a kitten, we thought it would be easy enough to get him adopted. And as luck would have it, THREE people said they'd take him. We offered him to the first person who asked, and of course, she fell through, but not before the other two women got other kittens. So, we figured, "What's one more?" And then came Crabcake, another kitten. And again, we figured we could adopt her out, and planned to take her to adoption day at PetSmart, but she developed a horrible eye infection. Despite her hideous oozing face, all of my cats fell in love with her while she was healing, and by the time she got better, we couldn't bear to give her up.Platooski and Crabcake also came up negative for FIV and FeLv. All of my cats are indoors only. Angus, by the way, the bully, adores the kittens, though he still gets a scary blank stare when he looks at Simon and Monkey...So, last month, on our one year anniversary in the house, a mommy cat and two young kittens show up, smelling a sucker, I guess. The neighborhood has a bad cat problem, and we've been talking about a trap-neuter-release program, but of course, every time a cat shows up, circumstances go weird, and we're not able to do the TNR thing. I volunteered at the shelter for a bit to get a sense what was going on with that, and while I admire so much of what the volunteers do, I will do my best to never surrender an animal to them, since it's a kill facility, and the city is so hard pressed for resources. So we figured we'd do our best to "take care of our backyard," so to speak. We fed Mommy and babies (whom we named Emilio and Frito), and they stayed on the back porch. I asked around again to see if we could find a taker for these cats, and again, we got lucky and found someone who'd take Emilio and Frito, if they came up negative for FIV and FeLv.Because we live in a city with a stray cat problem, as well as a number of other problems, I brought the crew inside and put them in the spare room, so nothing would happen to them before we could get them to their new home. We let them adjust for a week or so, and then we separated the mom from the babies -- we figured they were at least 8 weeks old. They were still nursing, but were also eating solid food. Called the vet, who makes housecalls, and shecame by last Monday, and tested Mommy, who's staying in my office: negative. Tested Emilio: Positive. My heart sank, but my vet tried to reassure me
Re: Emilio and Frito
I was wondering about Tabby's Place, but couldn't remember the name. Isn't there one one on Long Island too? Again, can't remember the name! Gloria At 06:40 PM 10/26/2005, you wrote: Hi Chrissy, Wow. What a big heart you have. There are no FeLV+ shelters in this area (I'm in Bordentown, right around the corner from you). Taffy's Place in the Flemington area is full I think. Any shelter you take them to will PTS. I think Nikki's FeLV Rescue is full too. She's way up in the Sparta, NJ area. No doubt you've got your hands full. I'm full myself (in a 1 bedroom apartment), and all the cats are FeLV free at the moment. I mostly lurk on the list nowadays -- I've been with the group since 1999. Since we're so close (geographically), maybe give me a call sometime and we can chat. If nothing else, at least I can be a sounding board for you. 324-1604 Terri in Bordentown, NJ =^..^= Terri, Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, Travis, and 6 furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth, Alec Salome' =^..^= Furkid Photos! http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/ My Personal Page: http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350 - Original Message - From: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]Christine Ott To: mailto:Felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgFelvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:43 PM Subject: Emilio and Frito Hi everyone, I'm brand new here, and am so happy to have found you! How wonderful to have found such a group! Of course, it's sad news in my life that brings me here, though, but it's good to know there are other people out there doing what they can. We moved to Trenton, NJ, last year with a dog, Lacey, and two young, (felv - ) cats, Monkey and Simon, and within a day, acquired a new cat, Angus, whom we kept in seclusion for months until we could determine if he had any of the feline nasties (he was tested twice, several months apart). Of course, we didn't seek to get another cat, but cats have the ability to acquire us. He came up negative for FIV and Leukemia, and we were so thankful. Monkey and Simon may not feel the same way, since he's much bigger than they are, but we're working out the issues! Four months later, I heard a terrible crying sound coming from the hedges, and honestly had no idea what it was -- despite the growing number of cats in my household, they're all pretty young; I didn't have a cat until I was 31, so I was not well versed in the wide range of noises they're capable of making. I went to check it out, and discovered Platooski, a kitten about 4 weeks old, in the bushes. We figured three cats was enough; since Platooski was a kitten, we thought it would be easy enough to get him adopted. And as luck would have it, THREE people said they'd take him. We offered him to the first person who asked, and of course, she fell through, but not before the other two women got other kittens. So, we figured, What's one more? And then came Crabcake, another kitten. And again, we figured we could adopt her out, and planned to take her to adoption day at PetSmart, but she developed a horrible eye infection. Despite her hideous oozing face, all of my cats fell in love with her while she was healing, and by the time she got better, we couldn't bear to give her up. Platooski and Crabcake also came up negative for FIV and FeLv. All of my cats are indoors only. Angus, by the way, the bully, adores the kittens, though he still gets a scary blank stare when he looks at Simon and Monkey... So, last month, on our one year anniversary in the house, a mommy cat and two young kittens show up, smelling a sucker, I guess. The neighborhood has a bad cat problem, and we've been talking about a trap-neuter-release program, but of course, every time a cat shows up, circumstances go weird, and we're not able to do the TNR thing. I volunteered at the shelter for a bit to get a sense what was going on with that, and while I admire so much of what the volunteers do, I will do my best to never surrender an animal to them, since it's a kill facility, and the city is so hard pressed for resources. So we figured we'd do our best to take care of our backyard, so to speak. We fed Mommy and babies (whom we named Emilio and Frito), and they stayed on the back porch. I asked around again to see if we could find a taker for these cats, and again, we got lucky and found someone who'd take Emilio and Frito, if they came up negative for FIV and FeLv. Because we live in a city with a stray cat problem, as well as a number of other problems, I brought the crew inside and put them in the spare room, so nothing would happen to them before we could get them to their new home. We let them adjust for a week or so, and then we separated the mom from the babies -- we figured they were at least 8 weeks old. They were still nursing, but were also eating solid food.
Re: Patches coughing, Lucy needs surgery
Michelle, I live in texas would it be economical to have it shipped here? at my expense of course.
Re: Patches coughing, Lucy needs surgery
Good wishes coming your way for Lucy's surgery. My Bob cat came through bladder stone removal fine nearly 10 years ago. I hope Lucy's goes well. As for the coughing, I'd go ahead with the ultrasound. Popeye had one a year or so ago and it was truly no big deal. In fact he had a great time because the vet and all the office staff carried on over him so much.. I know I'm behind on my mail so I hope to read good news by the time I catch up! take care, tonya --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Patches has occasionally been coughing for about a week. I had noticed it a few times a day, now I do not notice it at all during the day but am woken up by it about once per night. It sounds like a hairball but nothing comes up (and when she gets hairballs she vomits, has never coughed before). Other than that she seems fine. I have been doing research and see that coughing at night could be from heart disease, and I think my new vet said she detected a heart murmer. I am thinking about getting her checked. I hate to over-intervene with my positives though, due to stress factor if it turns out nothing is wrong. Have any of your cats had this symptom before and had it be nothing? Lucy's bladder stone is bigger rather than smaller from the month on S/D and so is getting it removed surgically on Monday. Please pray for her and send her good thoughts to get through the surgery easily and not get sick afterwards, as she is positive too. Thanks, Michelle
Re: Question about IFA Test Results
Sounds like it to me too. I would wait and retest as Terri said. I have learned the hard way that a 'faint positive' doesn't mean much. It may mean that the cat is healthier... My positive cat was a strong positive when she was sick. Once she recovered she was a 'faint positive'. I saw the various results with my own eyes. We were very excited that maybe she would throw the virus. He lived around 6 years perfectly healthy, but then succombed to the virus. But of course a negative IFA is a whole new ball game. THAT sounds very promising! Good luck! tonya --- Terri Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sounds to me like he may have thrown off the virus. I'd continue with interferon (or start it if you're not administering it), and re-test in 90 days. Terri in NJ =^..^= Terri, Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, Travis, and 6 furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth, Alec Salome' =^..^= Furkid Photos! http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/ My Personal Page: http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350 - Original Message - From: Chris Behnkemailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgmailto:felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 8:38 PM Subject: Question about IFA Test Results Here's the whole story. When Monty was 8 months old, he became very sick. When I took him to the vets, he was diagnosed as FeLV+. At the time, the vet didn't think he would make it. Now, a year later Monty is very healty. He has never been sick since his diagnosis and has not shown any signs. Because of this, we had him tested again. The ELISA test came back with a very faint positive but the IFA test was negative. What exactly does this mean? Thanks, Chris Behnke
Re: Emilio and Frito
Hi Chrissy, Welcome to the group. I have no advice for you. All I can do is tell you that I admire you for taking care of all the cats as you have. I was in your situation pretty much when I got my first positive cat. After crying for a few weeks (I found out on December 23, Merry Christmas!), trying to find her a home, taking her to my mom's for a while (where she was miserable). I boostered all my negative cats and brought my positive kitten back home. And there she stayed until she died at around 6 years old. At the time I had 11 or 12 negative cats. Since that time none of my negatives ever 'caught' felv from my first positive, and I've even brought in another positive since then. A lot of people on this list mix their cats and some do not. No one can tell you what's 'best' in your situation. You just have to do the best you can and what you feel comfortable with. I hope you can find a positive home, but that is hard to do. I wasn't able to find anyone to take a positive cat. I couldn't put her to sleep. So I took my chances. I'm glad now that I did. Best of luck to you. I know how upsetting this is. tonya --- Terri Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Chrissy, Wow. What a big heart you have. There are no FeLV+ shelters in this area (I'm in Bordentown, right around the corner from you). Taffy's Place in the Flemington area is full I think. Any shelter you take them to will PTS. I think Nikki's FeLV Rescue is full too. She's way up in the Sparta, NJ area. No doubt you've got your hands full. I'm full myself (in a 1 bedroom apartment), and all the cats are FeLV free at the moment. I mostly lurk on the list nowadays -- I've been with the group since 1999. Since we're so close (geographically), maybe give me a call sometime and we can chat. If nothing else, at least I can be a sounding board for you. 324-1604 Terri in Bordentown, NJ =^..^= Terri, Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, Travis, and 6 furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth, Alec Salome' =^..^= Furkid Photos! http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7sgqa/ My Personal Page: http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350http://www.geocities.com/ruthiegirl1/terrispage.html?1083970447350 - Original Message - From: Christine Ottmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgmailto:Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:43 PM Subject: Emilio and Frito Hi everyone, I'm brand new here, and am so happy to have found you! How wonderful to have found such a group! Of course, it's sad news in my life that brings me here, though, but it's good to know there are other people out there doing what they can. We moved to Trenton, NJ, last year with a dog, Lacey, and two young, (felv - ) cats, Monkey and Simon, and within a day, acquired a new cat, Angus, whom we kept in seclusion for months until we could determine if he had any of the feline nasties (he was tested twice, several months apart). Of course, we didn't seek to get another cat, but cats have the ability to acquire us. He came up negative for FIV and Leukemia, and we were so thankful. Monkey and Simon may not feel the same way, since he's much bigger than they are, but we're working out the issues! Four months later, I heard a terrible crying sound coming from the hedges, and honestly had no idea what it was -- despite the growing number of cats in my household, they're all pretty young; I didn't have a cat until I was 31, so I was not well versed in the wide range of noises they're capable of making. I went to check it out, and discovered Platooski, a kitten about 4 weeks old, in the bushes. We figured three cats was enough; since Platooski was a kitten, we thought it would be easy enough to get him adopted. And as luck would have it, THREE people said they'd take him. We offered him to the first person who asked, and of course, she fell through, but not before the other two women got other kittens. So, we figured, What's one more? And then came Crabcake, another kitten. And again, we figured we could adopt her out, and planned to take her to adoption day at PetSmart, but she developed a horrible eye infection. Despite her hideous oozing face, all of my cats fell in love with her while she was healing, and by the time she got better, we couldn't bear to give her up. Platooski and Crabcake also came up negative for FIV and FeLv. All of my cats are indoors only. Angus, by the way, the bully, adores the kittens, though he still gets a scary blank stare when he looks at Simon and Monkey... So, last month, on our one year anniversary in the house, a mommy cat and two young kittens show up, smelling a sucker, I guess. The neighborhood has a bad
Julie
Julie, I'm so sorry to hear this about Mandy. You will know when it's time to make the decision. You've been here long enough and have read that many times I know. It's so hard to go through this process. Try to enjoy the time you have with Mandy and trust yourself to know when you need to make a decision to help her to the Bridge. Maybe she will pass on her own when she's ready. But either way try to trust yourself and Mandy to know what to do. take care, t - Original Message - From: Julie Johnson To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 11:57 AM Subject: Mandy Update, Welcome, For Hideyo Dear Friends, I wanted to welcome all the new folks to the list; as I'm sure you've been told, it's always bittersweet. We're sorry you're dealing with FeLV, but you will never find a group of more wonderful, knowledgeable, compassionate people. For everyone dealing with sickness, I send you hugs and nothing but good wishes for kitties to be comfortable and make a good recovery. Mandy has begun to go downhill rather suddenly. She has lost the verve of her personality and is not finding any food much to her liking, except, and Hideyo, this may interest you for Ginger: Enfamil. Yes, human infant formula. I would not use it regularly because the vitamin/mineral ratio is too high in some cases for kitties, but I'm not exactly concerned with Mandy's longevity at this point. She doesn't want Just Born or KMR anymore, so I decided to try Enfamil and she is eating as best she can and seems to like it. Hideyo, it might be worth a try for Ginger to see if it will kick-start her appetite. The tumor in Mandy's mouth is growing and she is having obvious difficulty swallowing any non-liquid. She wants me to hold and stroke her (taps me when I stop) or to sit on my shoulder if I lay down, but she has virtually stopped purring and is beginning to hunch. She has lost almost all the hair on her chest and inner front arms. I see her now starting to act as though she feels unwell. I have never been so conflicted about the decision to end life. Both my regular vet and the oncologist we saw last week suggested in rather sublte ways that I need to consider it. Well, duh. Obviously I need to consider it since everyone has agreed she is terminal. She just seemed so herself (happy and interested) regardless of how she looked. Until this weekend; it's been obvious her condition is worsening and I can't allow her to suffer. I am having a terrible time letting go of my sweet girl; I would give anything I posess to save her, but nothing can be done. My heart is broken and I have decisions to make. Please keep Mandy in your thoughts. Love to all, Julie I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Paws Come WITH Claws!!! If you're thinking about de-clawing your cat, you need to re-think your decision to acquire a pet. -- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
Re: apologies.. off topic
Hey Kerry, Just curious as to what you're doing that involves katrina? t --- Kerry MacKenzie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Apologies to all my dear friends for my absence in posting, which is likely to continue for another week (at least) due to temporary doubling of my workload to impossible level. Thankfully it's all in a good cause (Hurricane Katrina). Please know I'm thinking of you all and praying for all your sick kitties, and I send my condolences to you for all those dear souls that have crossed the bridge. The good news (albeit another reason I've been chasing my tail this week) is that I have a new (negative) foster kitty, 15-year-old Pookie. He's white with blue eyes. I have very little info on him (deaf, kidney problem) but am directed to give him subQs every other day, or daily if nec. He seems happy enough, but he is SO SO thin--his weight isn't on his chart, but I figure 5 lb (his sex doesn't even seem determinate--chart says 'F -- shelter director says male). I desperately want to fatten him up. I've had no time to research yet, apart from reading Frazier re the subQ, but any info wd be welcome on what I can do to help this little guy put some weight on. Hope to be back in the swim very soon. love to y'all. Kerryxx
Re: Emilio and Frito
Chrissy, I'm glad it will work out for the two little guys :) I have faith Momma will convert your Mom, they really do have a way about them don't they?? -- Belinda Happiness is being owned by cats ... Be-Mi-Kitties ... http://www.bemikitties.com Post Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittens http://adopt.bemikitties.com FeLV Candle Light Service http://www.bemikitties.com/cls HostDesign4U.com (affordable hosting web design) http://HostDesign4U.com --- BMK Designs (non-profit web sites) http://bmk.bemikitties.com
Re: anesthesia question-atropine's interesting history!
Good to hear surgery went well! Keep us posted on how she feels. t --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Pretty normal, except for her eyes still being dilated. She is sleeping a lot now. Which is understandable, since she had major surgery yesterday and then hardly slept afterwards or during the night due to her obsession with the invisible wall mice (amusingly, at one point I actually heard a real mouse in the wall, but she did not seem to notice that). I have her locked in my office with me as I work (I work from home) and she is sacked out on a cat bed next to a portable heater. Thanks for asking, Michelle In a message dated 10/25/2005 10:54:33 A.M. Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: How is Lucy today?
Re: Question about IFA Test Results
Hey guys I have been off the list for what two or three years now...I want to say that I am seeing so many more over coming the virus to negative. Back in the day it was very rare at times I thought some people might have made it up or the tests were not accurate. What do you contribute the success to? Karen see our available orphans at:http://members.petfinder.org/~TX418/index.htmlKaren 817-453-4888
Re: apologies.. off topic
the law firm I work for decided they would do a cookbook, with all the recipes contributed by staff (it's a huge international firm), and the sales $$ going to Katrina victims. As I've worked on zillions of cookbooks .. well, you can guess the rest. I'm not complaining--i did volunteer--but i did not expect that the whole caboodle would land on my desk a mere week before the deadline (tomorrow)...along with the strict proviso that I can only work on it when there's no real work to doso I'm burning a LOT of midnight oiland you can be sure tomorrow's deadline ain't gonna be metI hate not being able to keep up with the list...hope to be back soon. V. soon. Kerry - Original Message - From: catatonya [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:37 PM Subject: Re: apologies.. off topic Hey Kerry, Just curious as to what you're doing that involves katrina? t --- Kerry MacKenzie [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Apologies to all my dear friends for my absence in posting, which is likely to continue for another week (at least) due to temporary doubling of my workload to impossible level. Thankfully it's all in a good cause (Hurricane Katrina). Please know I'm thinking of you all and praying for all your sick kitties, and I send my condolences to you for all those dear souls that have crossed the bridge. The good news (albeit another reason I've been chasing my tail this week) is that I have a new (negative) foster kitty, 15-year-old Pookie. He's white with blue eyes. I have very little info on him (deaf, kidney problem) but am directed to give him subQs every other day, or daily if nec. He seems happy enough, but he is SO SO thin--his weight isn't on his chart, but I figure 5 lb (his sex doesn't even seem determinate--chart says 'F -- shelter director says male). I desperately want to fatten him up. I've had no time to research yet, apart from reading Frazier re the subQ, but any info wd be welcome on what I can do to help this little guy put some weight on. Hope to be back in the swim very soon. love to y'all. Kerryxx
