date:20060719

Hi Cindy,

So glad to hear there's another shelter out there
doing what yours is doing.  I second all that Nina and
Michelle said.  They are veterans here.  If the
kittens do develop the virus, nothing may happen at
all for a long time, as long as they are kept stress
free and eat a good diet.  The virus manifests itself
by attacking the immune system and any variety of
illnesses can appear, from anemia to cancer.  Life
expectancy is anywhere from birth to 18 years from
what we've experienced here.  A lot die at the 1.5 to
3 year mark, but only if they have not thrown off the
virus to begin with, and are testing positive and are
symptomatic.  Many live long lives asymptomatic.  My
furbaby died at 4.5, but I believe his anemia was
induced by a stressful environment (we had ten extra
family members living with us for a week during
Hurricane Rita).  Ignore those people giving you grief
about not pts.  Maggie here said it best that you have
to live with the decisions you make and you are the
only one who can make the right decision here, not
those people not personally involved.  I couldn't pts
either!  I will say that separating the pos. from the
neg.'s if you can is probably necessary because
kittens' immune systems are so weak/developing at an
early age and you don't want the others to catch it
while grooming their friends.  Where in East Texas are
you located?  I'm in Rockwall.  

:)
Wendy

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Re: Question about food/feeding

Some members of the list recommended Innova wet food, so I tried it.  I'm feeding Pippin that now and she loves it.  She was eating Science Diet and I, being uneducated about pet food, did not realize that the grains were bad for them.     Gina  kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific.      Thanks,     Karen  How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low PC-to-Phone call
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Re: Question about food/feeding

Some members of the list recommended Innova wet food, so I tried it.  I'm feeding Pippin that now and she loves it.  She was eating Science Diet and I, being uneducated about pet food, did not realize that the grains were bad for them.     Gina  kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific.      Thanks,     Karen  How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low PC-to-Phone call
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To Elizabeth

  I love your story; it made me tear up!  If you aren't going to seek publication, may I put it on my cats website?       Gina        --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:> I have this big sign out front (not visible to> humans)...that says 'sucker' > over my front door. This must be true, otherwise,> every feral cat and > creature in the neighborhood wouldn't stop by Liz's> Kitty Boutique and Day Spa (my > official name for my front porch).> > Year before last, I noticed this possum on my porch> railing. I named her > Pauline. She would climb up the rose bush and hang> out at night. She was so > tame and so friendly. I was worried about her - I> checked all her little feet > and her fur to see
 if she was hurt because I just> didn't think it was > natural for a possum to be so unafraid. > > I did some research online and found the National> Opossum Society and gave > them a call. One of their experts called me and> talked to me for about 45 > minutes. I sent pictures so she could see if there> was anything to be concerned > about. She told me that Pauline had just come to> trust me and that she felt > safe there. She told me to feed her bananas because> they just don't get > enough potassium in their dietalso to feed her> cheese so she would get > enough calcium. She told me not to be surprised if> Pauline had babies nearby.> > Pauline won't eat out of my hand but she comes very> close. She will sniff > the food in my hand and if I set it in front of her,> she will eat it. She > loves bananas and
 cheese...loves any kind of fruit.> > In time, Pauline came to trust me so much that she> would let me pet her! I > don't recommend this with just any possum as they> have 50 very sharp teeth > and their bite is every bit as dangerous as a feral> cat's. When friends, > neighbors, or family would come to visit - they> would just friek when I pointed > out my "pet possum", Pauline. They just wouldn't> notice her there at first and > couldn't believe how friendly she was.> > Last year, Pauline had two babies -- Pierre and> Pinkerton. They are very > trusting too and they like to hang out on the porch> and love it when I give > them treats.> > Mama Kitty stays on the porch a lot - she doesn't> mind in the slightest if > they help themselves to her food. One night last> winter, I opened the door an > startled one
 of the younger possums. He jumped> right in the cat bed with > Mama Kitty LOL Neither one of them seemed to mind> the other.> > I know a lot of you are suckers for all creatures> great and small too and > thought you might get a kick out of my little story> :-)> > Hope everyone has a good weekend. Wishing health> and a good day to all the > kitties too.> > elizabeth> __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com No heaven wil not ever Heaven be Unless my cats are there to welcome me.--epitaph in a pet cemetery        Tiggertales ~ a site about our
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To Karen, Angel's guardian

Hi Karen,

It's great you found this list, but not so great the
reason you had to go looking.  I hope that you've
gotten a lot of your questions answered so far.  I'll
try to add a little more.  Like everyone else said,
the two most important factors in keeping your FeLV+
healthy are a stress free environment (includes your
other two furbabies being nice to Angel) and a great
diet, including immune system supplements, like
L-lysine and Vitamin C.  Make sure the lysine doesn't
contain propylene glycol, which can cause blood
problems.  Both of these will go a long way in caring
for Angel, and could help her to turn on this virus. 
I would not worry about my other two kitties, but I
would booster them, as Tonya I think pointed out.  It
is very rare for older kitties to contract FeLV.  I
mixed my neg's with my pos for four and a half years
before I lost him to what I would call stress induced
anemia.  The negs are still neg.  I second the motion
to drop this vet.  Don't give him anymore of your hard
earned money.  He doesn't have the best interests of
Angel in mind and probably never will.  Find a vet
that you are comfortable with and is pro-care for
FeLV+ kitties.  I think Angel was thanking you for not
deciding to pts when she jumped in your lap at the
vets.  Please keep us posted on all your furbabies.

:)
Wendy
Dallas, Tx

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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hi,     I wanted to share a little of what my husband and I are going through as we are in a similar situation to yours.  We are awaiting the second test for our kitten Pippin.  She will be 16 weeks old when she has the second FeLV test on August 18th.       We were not sure what we were going to do when we found out she was a "faint positive".  My vet did not recommend euthanasia right then, but did recommend she take a second test three weeks later.  After we got home, I cried and cried.  I just could not sleep that night.  So, I started doing some research on the Internet and joined this list.  After spending a few days reading information and opinions, I shared the information with my husband and we decided we should wait until she was older to retest.     Since then, we have decided to keep Pippin whether
 she tests positive a second time or not.  We love her and she is part of our family, ill or not.  I wouldn't trade a moment of the time we've had for any guarantees of tomorrow.       So, we are getting our other three cats re-tested and vaccinated (if they are negative.)  And, we are going to take it one day at a time and enjoy having her in our lives.  Because of the experiences of list members who have mixed +/- cats, I have hope that my others will not contract the disease.  But, if they do for some odd reason, my husband and I will deal with it.     The only experience I've had is with FIV which is different as far as transmission and disease progression than FeLV.  My cat Buddy had FIV and lived until he was 18.  I am praying that my Pippin lives as long as some of the cats I've heard about if she has FeLV, but I'm preparing myself for the possibility
 that she will not.     Welcome to the list.  My prayers are with you and your furbaby.     Gina           kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive.  We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive for Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab.  He said we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv.  I am just heartbroken.  SHe has no symptoms and is just the
 sweetest cat ever.  I have to get my other two cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old.  They have never been tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here.  When you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it.  You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my other two cats are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case??  I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the internet.  Would it be possible to keep her??  Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.     Thanks.  __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
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To Beth

Hi Beth,

Will Feral...LOLOLOL.  What a GREAT name!  I am sorry
to hear that he is FeLV+, but that is not a death
sentence.  It is however a challenge.  Many, many vets
will say to pts, but my FeLV group does not believe in
this.  I wouldn't expect three more positives.  FeLV
is such a strange and unpredictable virus.  I would
get all these kitties on a great diet, like Innova
Evo, and also on the immune stimulating supplements
quickly if they are FeLV+.  They can throw off this
virus, so don't lose hope.  If you need anything or
have any questions, please email.  Keep me posted. 
The FeLV online group is the BEST!

:)
Wendy
  

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Re: Question about food/feeding

Karen,

I use Innova Evo, a great product with NO grains in
it; it's one of the best foods you can buy, if not the
best.  Cats cannot process grains, and most cat foods
contain them.  Some kitties like the Evo, some don't. 
You can't get it at Petco or Petsmart; only in smaller
pet boutiques and pet supply stores.  You can find a
dealer at the Natura Pet Products/Innova website under
store finder.

:)
Wendy

--- kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the
> best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested
> positive for felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website
> but didn't find anything specific. 
>
>   Thanks,
>
>   Karen
> 
>   
> -
> How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messengers low
>  PC-to-Phone call rates.

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RE: Question about food/feeding

2006-07-19 Thread clarissa- Floyd

karen,
the group here gave me suggestions when my kittens turned up felv+. i had gotten 2 list's. 1 if i had to shop at a pet store such as petco and another list if i could find a place that sold the brands. of course i cant find those lsits right now.  
i started feeding my group Innova Evo canned kitten food and after a few days convinsed the last 2 to eat it. i also put out a little dry for them Nutra brand kitten food. both are more expensive than the purina ive alwase fed cats i owned in thepast but its worth it. their coats went from dull to glossy they are still putitng on weight and healthy with no felv health related problems. sorry i cant find that list for you. hopefully others here will chip in (they usually do)  ohhh yea i have 8 .. yea 8 4 were finally tested around 5 months and 2 were posative. humane society (i was fostering) wanted to put all 8 down. i havent botherd to test the rest of them, figure they have it or they dont. they are all staying with me either way. other than a tendency to get colds and diarea while they were little, these guys are the healthiest bunch of "sick" cats ive ever seen. they have wy too much energy and creativity some days. 
 
 

I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific. 
 
Thanks,
 
Karen


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To Sherry

Sherry,

I will keep Alex in my prayers.  I just wanted to say
that even though I don't respond to all your emails
requesting prayers for the shelter babies, I read ALL
of them, and put ALL of them in my kitty prayer
journal, and you too!

:)
Wendy

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To Maggie on insight into decision making

Maggie,

I love what you said here.  It is SO true!  And we
forget this oftentimes, as we second guess our
decisions over and over.  Thanks for the insight!

:)
Wendy

--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> Michelle,
> I tend to be an agonizer too. What I have learned
> about myself is that if I make a decision and am
> still agonizing then it's not the right decision for
> me.  I know a decision is the right one when I feel
> the weight lifted and just feel less agonized. There
> is no right or wrong decision - only right or wrong
> for you. I think you know deep down what it is you
> want to do - you may not know what it is yet, but I
> bet if you tune out all the other voices you will
> know in your heart what you want to do. And, because
> she is your cat, and you love her, whatever it is
> that you decide to do will be the "right" answer
> regardless of what anyone else thinks. 
> 
> Maggie 


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Re: I killed Grayson

I add my prayers for your emotional healing and gratitude for what you did for Grayson and his brother.     Ginacatatonya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:I just woke and Grayson was dead.  I think I smothered him.  I think 2:30 was the last time he woke me up to be fed.  I had him up by my neck but remember finding him sleeping down next to me at one point and moving him back up.  I guess it didn't cross my mind at the time that he should have been screaming for food at that point.  I just moved him back up higher on the bed and covered him in his little towel and fell back asleep.  When I woke again I wondered why he hadn't cried yet or moved over to my neck.  He was dead because I had killed him.     
 tonyaNo heaven wil not ever Heaven be Unless my cats are there to welcome me.--epitaph in a pet cemetery        Tiggertales ~ a site about our beloved felines       
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OT: sleeping with small/young animals

I know we were all upset about Tonya's posting, no
more certainly than she was.  I would feel remiss
though if I did not point out that it probably isn't a
good idea to sleep with small animals right next to
us.  When my husband was a young man, about 11, he
rolled over on his small kitten and suffocated it,
something he's never gotten over.  It still bothers
him years later.  So suffocating a small animal while
we are sleeping is a very real possibility, especially
given that the little one could move out of our neck
area while we are asleep.
  
I felt I needed to say something in case this comes up
again.  I hope I haven't offended anyone.  Love you
guys.  And Tonya, bless you for all you do for your
furbabies.  You are a good mom to them, despite your
recent doubts.

:)
Wendy

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Re: Alex

Sending prayers for Alex.     Gina     Sherry DeHaan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet Alex,he is not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing what she can for him.He is anemic and just not getting any better.Thanks all  Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander  Do you Yahoo!?Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.No heaven wil not ever Heaven be Unless my cats are there to welcome me.--epitaph in a pet cemetery        Tiggertales ~ a site about our beloved felines       
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Re: Alex





Sending prayers for Alex.  Has Jen tried IR yet?  It's inexpensive and
it seems to have helped other kitties with anemia, fevers and URIs.
Nina

Sherry DeHaan wrote:

  Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet
Alex,he is not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing
what she can for him.He is anemic and just not getting any
better.Thanks all
  Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander
   
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Re: Question about food/feeding





Hi Karen,
You want to read labels to determine how good a food is.  Stay away
from anything that has "meat by-products" or anything other than meat
listed in the first two ingredients.  Veggies and Grains (esp grains)
aren't necessary for a cat's diet and are used as fillers.  Stay away
from chemicals etc.  Here are a couple of websites that I had
bookmarked.  The first is written by a vet that frequented the IBD,
(inflammatory Bowel Disease), group I belonged to and is biased toward
raw feeding.  She does have a list of quality canned on there somewhere
too.  There's some debate about the choice of raw for felv kitties, but
it saved my Gypsy's life, (she's neg).  If you were willing to go that
route, (it's a lot of trouble and probably not necessary), I don't
think there is any danger feeding raw as long as the meat is fresh,
good quality and you have a reliable recipe to insure that they are
getting the other nutrients they need.  The second website talks about
how to read labels and what to look for and I'm pretty sure lists
brands as well.  Basically you want to buy as good a quality food as
you can afford.  Canned is better than dry, but I do free feed dry at
my house.  The best dry I've found so far is Innova Evo, which does
contain veggies, but no grains.  My cats also do well on Katz N Flocken
dry.  Everyone seems to love the dry foods I feed, the "quality" canned
foods are another story.  Basically, I've found that if I pay a dollar
or more for a can of cat food, my cats won't eat it!  At least not all
my cats, all the time.  They do like the crappy food, like Fancy Feast
and Friskies.  The better brands are not sold at Petsmart/Petco, you
have to go to the smaller specialty type Pet supply places usually, or
buy them on line.  I now have my IBD kitty on a home made cooked turkey
recipe.  
Nina

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://cats.about.com/od/catfoodandnutrition/


kandbz_ mom wrote:

  I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the best to feed
Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for felv.  I looked at
the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific. 
   
  Thanks,
   
  Karen
   
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To Jen-FeLV vaccination of recovered cat

Hi Jen,

I don't think that the FeLV vaccine will have any
effect due to her history.  The vaccination will not
help prevent the virus from kicking in if she's
already carrying it.  However, that being said, if she
is an indoor cat only, I wouldn't waste my time or
money vaccinating her.  If she doesn't come into
contact with other cats, she can't contract it.  Many
of us here do not vaccinate, especially considering
some cancers are associated with vaccinating.  And
since she's had the antibodies, I'm not even sure she
can contract it (again?).  Unfortunately, there isn't
enough research on FeLV yet to know all the answers.  

:)
Wendy


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To Maggie

Hi Maggie,

I'm sorry to hear about Izzy's positive test.  Yes, it
still is possible (at any point in time really) to
throw off the virus.  People have experienced their
cats throwing the virus off at just about any age. 
Since you know they are both positive, I wouldn't
worry with all the testing.  Maybe once a year just to
know.  Or not.  It really doesn't matter, imo.  What
does matter is that they remain as stress-free as
possible and that they get a really good diet.  No
grain in their food, which is most "commercial" foods,
including Science Diet.  Cats don't process grains. 
Also, supplements, like Lysine and/or vitamin C to
boost their immune systems will really help.  I don't
know how much vit. C to administer, but a little more
research might get you that info.  Or, you could post
a specific question, with the subject being about vit.
c dosage, and I bet you'll get lots of answers.  Many
posters don't read all the posts due to lack of time,
but if you post a specific question, you'll probably
get a better response.  

I hope this helps, and good luck with your furbabies! 
Congratulations on Lucy's recovery!!!
:)
Wendy


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RE: Question about food/feeding

2006-07-19 Thread Chris









I give mine Wellness and a bit of IAMS
dry.  Basically, I tried to find food that did not have a whole lot of grain
fillers as they’re all sort of lazy indoor cats and they were just
getting really heavy!  

 



Chris

[EMAIL PROTECTED]



-Original
Message-
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of kandbz_ mom
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006
12:24 AM
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Question about
food/feeding

 



I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the
best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for
felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific.






 





Thanks,





 





Karen



  







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Another positive kitten

2006-07-19 Thread Gary Murphy





Wendy,
  Thank you for all the information on coronavirus and FIP!  I am going to ask my vet about about L-lysine, immuno-regulin, and interferon at our exam tomorrow.  Unfortunately, we've had another one go down-hill since Ally crossed.  When I temped everyone on Friday they were normal.  Everyone was eating and playing great all weekend; I particularly noticed Will Feral wolf his Sunday dinner with gusto.  He slept with us all night and was especially loving and snuggly and charming, which he hadn't been for the past week or so.  I didn't see how he did with breakfast, but he was sleeping at the end of the bed when I got up.  He was still there at 10:00, I temped him and he had a very slight fever (102.7)  I made a tentative vet appointment for the next morning, but when he still hadn't moved off the bed a couple of hours later, I temped him again and he was 104.4.  We rushed him in, he got a penicillin injection and a shot of some steroid, we came home with Gentamicin and clavamox for everyone.  We assumed it was corona, maybe FIP that we were dealing with again, had a combo test run, good news is he tests corona negative (not that that means anything, such an unreliable test) as well as FIV-, but is now Felv+.  The others go in for combo tests tomorrow.  They are 14 weeks old, last Felv/Fiv tested at 8 weeks (negative).  Will is doing better, but still feverish.  We are supposed to be camping with friends Thurs afternoon through Sunday, this is our only vacation this year, I don't want to go, but Gary has been looking forward to it.  My mom is caring for all the animals for us, but isn't up to temping.  I just pray she can do the meds right.  She's practicing tomorrow morning.  I'll have the test results Friday, but won't be able to post until Sunday or Monday.  Pretty much expecting 3 more Felv positives.  At least it's not FIP again.  I'll post as soon as I can,
 
Thanks again,
Beth 
 
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 10:38:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: wendy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: To Beth
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
 
Beth,
 
I have no experience with FIP. I do know that cats
live long lives with it symptom free. I am not sure
if the test for FIP is reliable (I think I read this
somewhere), so I wouldn't worry myself over this. I
read in my Cornell book that the coronavirus is a
group of strains of viruses, one of which causes FIP,
so the test your vet was referring to might have been
one and the same, but not sure because of the
different strains of coronavirus. It said the
coronavirus is very common and as far as FIP goes,
stress is the biggest factor in virus development. 
Cats with FIP usually have moderate to high titers of
coronavirus, so if Alice had very faint, then the FIP
strain might not have been what she had. The book
also says that in multicat households, coronavirus is
extremely common. There is no diagnostic test that
can specifically identify carriers of the
conronavirus, and a definitive clinical diagnosis of
FIP can only be made during a necropsy (autopsy) after
death or by a biopsy (not sure where or how). 
 
I would start giving your kitties L-lysine (make sure
there is no propenol glycol in the ingredients), about
500 mg per day, if they are showing symptoms of the
herpes virus (sneezing, conjunctivitis, etc.), which
is also difficult to test for and believed to be
fairly common (maybe as common as the cold sore virus
that humans get). This will boost their immune
systems to put the herpes virus into remission if
that's what they have. And help their immune system
as far as the coronavirus goes. Once they are symptom
free, you can keep giving them 250 mg. per day of the
lysine, or just keep them as stress free as possible. 
Keep us posted on these babies. And take care of
yourself while you are grieving for Alice. 
 
:)
Wendy
 
 
Gary Murphy
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

To Julia

Hi Julia,

I hope all is going well with your new kitty.  He
sounds like he's going to be a great companion for
you.  Please keep us posted on any antics he has and
how you are doing.  

Bless you,
:)
Wendy


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Question about food/feeding

I'm just wondering what brand of food would be the best to feed Angel.  She is 15 weeks old and tested positive for felv.  I looked at the Petsmart website but didn't find anything specific.      Thanks,     Karen 
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To Helene

Hi Helene,

I am so sorry to hear about sweet Sam.  Bless you for
being so loving and compassionate to him.

:)
Wendy




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Re: ot: Pauline

Elizabeth,

I just love this story!  What great fodder for a
children's book about possums!!!  Animals truly do
love you!  I wish I were living in a place where we
saw more wildlife.

:)
Wendy

--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> I have this big sign out front (not visible to
> humans)...that says 'sucker'  
> over my front door.  This must be true, otherwise,
> every feral cat and  
> creature in the neighborhood wouldn't stop by Liz's
> Kitty Boutique and Day Spa  (my 
> official name for my front porch).
>  
> Year before last, I noticed this possum on my porch
> railing.  I named  her 
> Pauline.  She would climb up the rose bush and hang
> out at night.   She was so 
> tame and so friendly.  I was worried about her - I
> checked all  her little feet 
> and her fur to see if she was hurt because I just
> didn't think  it was 
> natural for a possum to be so unafraid.  
>  
> I did some research online and found the National
> Opossum Society and gave  
> them a call.  One of their experts called me and
> talked to me for about 45  
> minutes.  I sent pictures so she could see if there
> was anything to be  concerned 
> about.  She told me that Pauline had just come to
> trust me and  that she felt 
> safe there.  She told me to feed her bananas because
> they  just don't get 
> enough potassium in their dietalso to feed her
> cheese so she  would get 
> enough calcium.  She told me not to be surprised if
> Pauline had  babies nearby.
>  
> Pauline won't eat out of my hand but she comes very
> close.  She will  sniff 
> the food in my hand and if I set it in front of her,
> she will eat  it.  She 
> loves bananas and cheese...loves any kind of fruit.
>  
> In time, Pauline came to trust me so much that she
> would let me pet  her!  I 
> don't recommend this with just any possum as they
> have 50 very  sharp teeth 
> and their bite is every bit as dangerous as a feral
> cat's.   When friends, 
> neighbors, or family would come to visit - they
> would just friek  when I pointed 
> out my "pet possum", Pauline.  They just wouldn't
> notice her  there at first and 
> couldn't believe how friendly she was.
>  
> Last year, Pauline had two babies -- Pierre and
> Pinkerton.  They are  very 
> trusting too and they like to hang out on the porch
> and love it when I give  
> them treats.
>  
> Mama Kitty stays on the porch a lot - she doesn't
> mind in the slightest if  
> they help themselves to her food.  One night last
> winter, I opened the door  an 
> startled one of the younger possums.  He jumped
> right in the cat bed  with 
> Mama Kitty LOL  Neither one of them seemed to mind
> the other.
>  
> I know a lot of you are suckers for all creatures
> great and small too and  
> thought you might get a kick out of my little story
> :-)
>  
> Hope everyone has a good weekend.  Wishing health
> and a good day to  all the 
> kitties too.
>  
> elizabeth
> 


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Re: Alex

2006-07-19 Thread ETrent





Prayers going up for you and Alex.
 
elizabeth
 
In a message dated 7/19/2006 8:01:09 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

  Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet Alex,he is 
  not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing what she can for 
  him.He is anemic and just not getting any better.Thanks all
  Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander
  
  
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Re: Alex

2006-07-19 Thread gblane


I'm hoping and praying that sweet Alex pulls thru  - Gloria


At 10:00 PM 7/19/2006, you wrote:
Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet Alex,he 
is not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing what she 
can for him.He is anemic and just not getting any better.Thanks all

Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander


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Re: Alex

2006-07-19 Thread Marylyn




Mai Mai had autoimmune hemophilic anemia.  I 
fixed her liver pops (cooked ground liver) that helped a bunch.  I don't 
know that this has anything to do with Alex.  I just have to mention 
it.  Blessings to Alex and to all who care about 
him.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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: 
  Sherry 
  DeHaan 
  To: Felvtalk 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:00 
  PM
  Subject: Alex
  
  Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet Alex,he is 
  not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing what she can for 
  him.He is anemic and just not getting any better.Thanks all
  Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander
  
  
  Do you Yahoo!?Get on board. You're 
  invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
  
  

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  7/18/2006

Re: wavering on internist appointment again

2006-07-19 Thread Kerry Roach

Michelle,  I am glad to hear Lucy is much better...I wouldn't put her through the vet visit yet..  My vet put Inky on 10mg of pred for 3 to 4 wks at the beginning of his treatment last year..then we went down to 5 for another several weeks...He isn't even on pred now as I finally weaned him off it...If he seems to be having trouble going to the bathroom as his seems to be more straining than diarrhea, I give him 2.5mg of pred for a couple of days...then he gets better...or every other day.    When my kitty had lymphoma, her worst symptom was vomiting more so than the other...her obstruction was causing it...then after chemo the vomiting stopped with only 1 treatment and after 2 she started gaining weight again...she got adriamycin once monthly IV and was on 20mg of pred the rest of her life with no ill side effects..  Just my opinion and experience with it...  Keep us posted,  Kerry and
 Bandy 
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Alex

2006-07-19 Thread Sherry DeHaan

Hi all I was wondering if I could get some prayers for sweet Alex,he is not doing real well and he is at the clinic,Jen is doing what she can for him.He is anemic and just not getting any better.Thanks all  Sherry,Rafferty,CousCous and Xander 
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Re: Stomatitis gone south?

2006-07-19 Thread Belinda


  Anne,
  It never was while he was alive, my vet found after he passed that he 
had a pancreatic tumor, and that's when we put two and two together.  
The unease when feeding, the lethargy, diarrhea, his symptoms were 
pretty mild.  Even the ultra sound didn't show any problems with his 
pancreas. 


--

Belinda
happiness is being owned by cats ...

Be-Mi-Kitties
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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hey, I didn't realize your 2 older cats were vaccinated. They are probably safe. You might want to boost them though. tkandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Thanks to the two people who have responded so far! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV vaccine something they should be getting every year? I was told that since they are indoor cats, the only shots necessary were the first sets. Is that correct? I am going crazy with worry.[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi there,I would not euthanize a cat because they tested
positive, unless they are very ill and suffering.You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will happen every time, but it does happen.If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have contracted it.Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some hope.Thanks,Kelley- Original Message -From: kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 amSubject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELVTo: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The > lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested > positive. We went to the vet for
a checkup on Monday and she > tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I > may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could > wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said > we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does > have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is > just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats > tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been > tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When > you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely > give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You > would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be > testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are > going to> have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to
have all > three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still > learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. > Would it be possible to keep her??> Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.> > Thanks.> > __> Do You Yahoo!?> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hi, Kittens often fight off the virus. If your cats have never been tested they could have given it to her actually. My advice would be to vaccinate everyone and then retest in 3 months to see if anyone is truly negative. At that point I would only vaccinate the negatives. The virus is not spread that easily and it doesn't sound like your vet is very up to date on felv. Good luck. One of our members just lost an felv positive cat this week who was 16 years old. There's certainly no need to euthanize your new kitten. tonyakandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady I got her from emailed me and
said my kittens brother tested positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are going to have it now, too. Does anyone know,
would I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. Would it be possible to keep her?? Any advice would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks. __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Marylyn




Goodness..keep the cats and let them enjoy 
life as long as they can.  It may be a few minutes or it may be 20 
years.  No one knows the time they are to leave this world.  The 
question came up with Dixie Louise (then an unnamed throw away now Dixie Louise 
Doodle Katt, Junior Partner) in June of last year.  She had been around my 
mother's for months and I decided to get her spayed. My vets tested her and, 
unfortunately, it came back positive.  My vet was broken hearted when he 
told me.  I was, am still, building a log home on a farm I have, was 
staying at my mother's who couldn't handle a cat in the house, and on and on and 
on.  Things have worked out.  13 months after the test she is the most 
alive, happy cat I have ever seen.  She is about to become a farm house cat 
and she is very excited.  FELV + is not a death sentence and, even if 
you want to think of it that way, consider...we all start dying the 
day we take our first breath.  Love your little ones, take them to a good 
holistic vet who can supplement your regular vet and just handle things on a 
daily basis.  Would you want to be killed because you tested positive for a 
potentially deadly disease?  I wouldn't.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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: 
  kandbz_ 
  mom 
  To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org 
  
  Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:01 
  AM
  Subject: I'm Newkitten tested 
  positive for FELV
  
  Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The 
  lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested 
  positive.  We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested 
  positive for Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I may want to 
  think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the 
  other test, the one done at the lab.  He said we can, but since she came 
  up positive so young, she probably does have Felv.  I am just 
  heartbroken.  SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat 
  ever.  I have to get my other two cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 
  and 3 yrs old.  They have never been tested for Felv because they don't 
  automatically test here.  When you take a cat or kitten in for a 
  "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you 
  ask for it.  You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they 
  would be testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my other two cats 
  are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I have to have 
  all three of them euthanized if that were the case??  I'm still learning 
  about this disease from reading things on the internet.  Would it be 
  possible to keep her??
  Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
   
  Thanks.
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FW: I killed Grayson

2006-07-19 Thread Helene Hand

-Original Message-
From: Helene Hand [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 12:58 PM
To: 'felvtalk@felineleukemia.org'
Subject: RE: I killed Grayson

Oh, Tonya, a truth to hold to right now is that Grayson snuggled into your
loving heart for a short time and of course you deeply  mourn his passing
 he was not an just another kitty to care for. He may have been
facing months and years of medicines, pain and limitations. His lack of
immunity might  have contributed to his death.  But he is free of pain, now,
and has crossed the bridge...I sent a little prayer message up to my sweet
Sam to look for a very new soul and welcome him to the peaceful
meadows Please, please know that I am putting my arms around you
from a distanceYou did not kill Grayson, no, you did not.   Helene

>
>
>

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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hi, Nina! Thanks for your message! My name is Karen and my kittens name is Angel. What brand and type of food do you feed your felv cats? I want to make sure I get Angel on a good one that will benefit her. Thanks, KarenNina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Thank Goodness you didn't listen to that vet! How ridiculous is that, to not want to "waste time" on a kitten, that doesn't happen to be showing symptoms, but will most likely be sick sometime down the road?! What exactly did he go to vet school for? I hate to think about vets like that out there, giving antiquated advice to people that might not be as caring as you, who might not follow their heart and start looking for answers. He needs to be educated,
but for now, you need to find yourself a different vet. Start looking for a board certified Internist that will be versed in anything that you may run up against. Developing a relationship, or at least knowing where you can go, before you need a specialist, will save time and give you some peace of mind. Why was your baby's, (what's her name?), brother tested? Is he sick? Try to make sure whoever adopted the brother and the other kits from the litter know that there are ways to help keep them healthy and that felv is not necessarily the death sentence some still believe it to be. Tell them to join our list!As to your fears for your other cats... They are both adults, and if I'm understanding you correctly, they've both been vaccinated for felv at least once in their lives. They probably are just fine, (quick, say a prayer!). My negs and pos were all mixed in our household for months before we discovered that
there was felv in the house. Everyone remained together and the negs never turned up pos. Most people don't realize just how prevalent felv is. It's all around us, all the time. Most healthy adult cats either get it and clear it, or don't get it at all. It's kittens, geriatrics, or sickly cats that have a problem with felv because of their weakened or immature immune systems. They're the ones that end up at the vet's and when they don't get better, they are tested for felv. That's probably why some vet's are so pessimistic about it, by the time they discover it, the poor kitty is in dire shape. If I were you, I'd get your other two cats tested, just so you know what you're dealing with. Felv is like aids in that it weakens the immune system and allows other secondary, or "opportunistic" illnesses to take hold. These other diseases, that an otherwise healthy cat would not be as susceptible to, can wreak havoc,
(they are also more prone to the same things that all of us live in danger of, like cancers). That's why taking an aggressive approach to health care, (don't wait to see if they get better on their own when they are sick), doing your best to eliminate stress, and boosting their immune system with sups and quality food, is so important.Welcome to our group, (what's your name btw?),Ninakandbz_ mom wrote:> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady > I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive. > We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive > for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I may want to think > about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the > other test, the one done at the lab. He said we can, but since she > came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv. I am
just > heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever. > I have to get my other two cats tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 > yrs old. They have never been tested for Felv because they don't > automatically test here. When you take a cat or kitten in for a > "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test > unless you ask for it. You would think that as fast as this disease > spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my > other two cats are going to have it now, too. Does anyone know, would > I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case?? > I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the > internet. Would it be possible to keep her??> Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.> > Thanks.
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Re: wavering on internist appointment again

I think you're more knowledgeable, but even if you're not you actually REMEMBER what you learn. I'm like 'oh yeah, someone said something about that I can't remember what they said!' lol I must be older than you. t[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Tonya, I am so not more knowledgeable. I only know what i have dealt with myself, and what I have learned from you and others on this list. I value your opinion a lot. Michelle -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 7:25 AMSubject: Re: wavering on internist appointment againMichelle, I always go with what you say because you are so much more knowledgeable than I am. That being said. I have an IBD cat and I ALWAYS keep him on the same food. Anytime he gets a treat or different type of food he has problems. That's all I can tell
you, and I'm sure the circumstances are different. If he does get a treat of any sort he gets maybe half a teaspoonful and that's all. t[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:So Lucy has been herself for the past 4 or 5 days, since going back on 10 mg/day of pred. She eats fairly well (roasted duck or raw food mixed with Beechnut baby food), has completely normal bowels, runs around like normal (in fact, brought in a half-dead mole a few hours ago, which I tried to pick up but dropped when it bit me, and it died, and it was horrible), and is not losing weight and may have gained an ounce or two. So now, of course, I am wavering about whether to drive her 1.5 hours each way to see an internist on Friday, where she would probably have to stay several hours to
get an ultrasound, etc. When I made this last appointment, when she was sick, I swore I would take her even if she got better, but now I really feel bad putting her through so much stress when she is happy and feeling good. Does it seem unlikely to you that she would be totally normal within a few days on 10 mg/day of prednisone if she had developed intestinal lymphoma? I know pred helps with lymphoma, but don't cats with intestinal lymphoma usually not feel completely better until they get leukeran? I haven't canceled yet, so would like some advice. My mom is giving me major guilt trips about putting her through so much stress (Lucy is one of those cats who is completely hysterical in the car and terrified of all strangers, including vets) when I have her symptoms totally under control. Besides checking for lymphoma (which is notoriously hard to distinguish from IBD if there are no masses, and which is harder to distinguish
when the cat is on pred), I had wanted to ask for budesonide or prednisolone instead of prednisone, neither of which my local vet uses or will give to me (says if the pred is working stick with it). In the past I was able to taper Lucy to very little pred, though when I tried to do it last week, after one week on 10 mg/day, she immediately got worse (she was ok on 7.5, but not on 5). I know that sometimes they need to be on it for weeks or months before tapering, though, and that her IBD may simply have progressed. I also know, though, if lymphoma does develop, that it is better to start the leukeran earlier than later. But it also can have bad side efffects... Gray gets home tomorrow, and I know he will tell me I am crazy to take her while she seems fine on the pred. Any advice would be appreciated. Nina, I know you probably hope I take her so that I stop asking this question! :) But
with the FeLV I do worry about causing problems where there are none through unnecessary stress, and it seems like 3 hours in the car and all day at the vet with lots of tests would probably qualify as stress for Lucy. If I do not take her, I will leave her on 10 mg/day of pred for another week or so and then try to taper her again, much more slowly (maybe go to 8.75, then 7.5, then 6.25, etc. every week). Thanks, Michelle Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.

Re: wavering on internist appointment again

You are not bothering the list.  It's just that we don't really know what to tell you.  Keep talking and someone will maybe give you some advice.  I don't know what I'd do.     t[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Nina, that's what I think, too. Thanks.     I go round and round because she goes up and down. When she seems sick it seems obvious I should take her to a specialist, and when she feels good it seems stupid to.     I promise not to bother you guys with it again.     Michelle      In a message dated 7/18/2006 11:35:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:  Michelle,You crack me up!  I know it's not funny, but you can certainly go 'round and 'round with the best of them!  If you are asking what I'd do...  I wouldn't take her on such a horrendous vet trip if she's catching and bringing you moles with enough fight in them to bite you in their final moments.  Esp since being on Pred can skew results that are not definitive under the best conditions.  But that's me.  I think the plan about keeping her on pred for a little while longer and then tapering it is a good one.  Btw, I hope you poured peroxide on that bite!Nina

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Maggie, Thanks so much for your message! By reading all the responses on here, I now know that I made the right decision by not allowing the vet to euthanize Angel. I kept telling my mom how I couldn't live with myself if I allowed a kitten with no symptoms to be killed. Angel is such a sweet kitty...while we were waiting for the vet to come in the room, she jumped in the chair with me and laid on my lap. Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! Karen[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! I've only been on this board a little over a month, so I don't have a lot of practical advice to give you. I can tell you that my kitten was diagnosed at 6 months after being sick off and on from the time I got her at 4
months. The vet believes she contracted it from her mother. I went through a lot of tears and agonizing in the beginning too. At first there were some family members and friends who said I should euthanize Lucy to keep her from endangering her sister Izzie, who was negative at the time, some said to separate them, others said I should start her on various drug treatments. Four weeks ago I was told Lucy was days away from death, I just gave her antibiotics, love, and her sister spent lots of time with her, and she bounced back. When Lucy was diagnosed as positive her sister Izzie tested negative but I decided to keep them together. Izzie is now positive, but there is no way to know if the first negative was a false negative or if she actuall y did contract it in the time after I made the decision to keep them together.When Izzie was diagnosed two weeks ago I went through the tears again - with the added guilt of wondering if deciding to keep them
together was the right decision or not. Last night, when it finally cooled down a bit, my girls spent the evening trying a new cat food with shrimp, crab, and sardines, then running laps around my place, and then woke me up at 3 am to show me that they had taken the drain cap off the bath tub and dropped four of their toy mice down the pipe - they desparately wanted me to get the mice out for them. In other words, they were kittens being kittens - and while I may have cursed them at 3:00 by 3:01 they had me laughing. What I have come to realize is that there is a ton of information out there and lots of opinions - it is great to hear them all, but to make your own decisions. I stand by my decisions, because I see the way they love each other and love their time together. I truly believe that they would rather be together for a shorter time on this earth than apart for a longer time. So my advice is this,
collect information, seek advice and opinions, and then make a choice and stick t o it with no regrets or recriminations. I am so glad I didn't euthanize Lucy, so glad I didn't separate them, and so glad they know they can count on me at 3:00 am to rescue their toy mice. I don't know what to expect - they could be gone by a year, or last several more. It is frustrating not knowing, but for now I'm just enjoying their company. Good luck to you and your kitty! Maggie __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Thank Goodness you didn't listen to that vet!  How ridiculous is that, 
to not want to "waste time" on a kitten, that doesn't happen to be 
showing symptoms, but will most likely be sick sometime down the road?!  
What exactly did he go to vet school for?  I hate to think about vets 
like that out there, giving antiquated advice to people that might not 
be as caring as you, who might not follow their heart and start looking 
for answers.  He needs to be educated, but for now, you need to find 
yourself a different vet.  Start looking for a board certified Internist 
that will be versed in anything that you may run up against.  Developing 
a relationship, or at least knowing where you can go, before you need a 
specialist, will save time and give you some peace of mind. 

Why was your baby's, (what's her name?), brother tested?  Is he sick?  
Try to make sure whoever adopted the brother and the other kits from the 
litter know that there are ways to help keep them healthy and that felv 
is not necessarily the death sentence some still believe it to be.  Tell 
them to join our list!


As to your fears for your other cats...  They are both adults, and if 
I'm understanding you correctly, they've both been vaccinated for felv 
at least once in their lives.  They probably are just fine, (quick, say 
a prayer!).  My negs and pos were all mixed in our household for months 
before we discovered that there was felv in the house.  Everyone 
remained together and the negs never turned up pos.  Most people don't 
realize just how prevalent felv is.  It's all around us, all the time.  
Most healthy adult cats either get it and clear it, or don't get it at 
all.  It's kittens, geriatrics, or sickly cats that have a problem with 
felv because of their weakened or immature immune systems.  They're the 
ones that end up at the vet's and when they don't get better, they are 
tested for felv.  That's probably why some vet's are so pessimistic 
about it, by the time they discover it, the poor kitty is in dire 
shape.  If I were you, I'd get your other two cats tested, just so you 
know what you're dealing with. 

Felv is like aids in that it weakens the immune system and allows other 
secondary, or "opportunistic" illnesses to take hold.  These other 
diseases, that an otherwise healthy cat would not be as susceptible to, 
can wreak havoc, (they are also more prone to the same things that all 
of us live in danger of, like cancers).  That's why taking an aggressive 
approach to health care, (don't wait to see if they get better on their 
own when they are sick), doing your best to eliminate stress, and 
boosting their immune system with sups and quality food, is so important.


Welcome to our group,  (what's your name btw?),
Nina


kandbz_ mom wrote:

Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady 
I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive. 
 We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive 
for Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I may want to think 
about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the 
other test, the one done at the lab.  He said we can, but since she 
came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv.  I am just 
heartbroken.  SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever.  
I have to get my other two cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 
yrs old.  They have never been tested for Felv because they don't 
automatically test here.  When you take a cat or kitten in for a 
"checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test 
unless you ask for it.  You would think that as fast as this disease 
spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my 
other two cats are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would 
I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case??  
I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the 
internet.  Would it be possible to keep her??

Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
 
Thanks.

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread etrent


Oh how funny!  :0)  Kittens are so wonderful. 
Shrimp,crabmeat, and Sardines in aspic is the hands-down family
favorite at Liz's Kitty Boutique and Day Spa. 

 

*Save the earth.  It's the only planet with chocolate.*

 
 
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV











Welcome!


I've only been on this board a little over a month, so I don't
have a lot of practical advice to give you. I can tell you that my
kitten was diagnosed at 6 months after being sick off and on from the
time I got her at 4 months. The vet believes she contracted it from her
mother. I went through a lot of tears and agonizing in the beginning
too.  At first there were some family members and friends who said
I should euthanize Lucy to keep her from endangering her sister Izzie,
who was negative at the time, some said to separate
them, others said I should start her on various drug treatments.
Four weeks ago I was told Lucy was days away from death, I just gave
her antibiotics, love, and her sister spent lots of time with her, and
she bounced back. When Lucy was diagnosed as positive her sister Izzie
tested negative but I decided to keep them together. Izzie is now
positive, but there is no way to know if the first negative was a false
negative or if she actuall
y did contract it in the time after I made the decision to keep them
together.When Izzie was diagnosed two weeks ago I went through the
tears again - with the added guilt of wondering if deciding to keep
them together was the right decision or not. 


 


Last night, when it finally cooled down a bit, my girls spent the
evening trying a new cat food with shrimp, crab, and
sardines, then running laps around my place, and then woke me up
at 3 am to show me that they had taken the drain cap off the bath
tub and dropped four of their toy mice down the pipe - they desparately
wanted me to get the mice out for them.  In other words, they were
kittens being kittens - and while I may have cursed them at 3:00 by
3:01 they had me laughing. What I have come to realize is that there is
a ton of information out there and lots of opinions - it is great to
hear them all, but to make your own decisions.  I stand by my
decisions, because I see the way they love each other and love their
time together. I truly believe that they would rather be together for a
shorter time on this earth than apart for a longer time. So my advice
is this, collect information, seek advice and opinions, and then make a
choice and stick t
o it with no regrets or recriminations. I am so glad I didn't euthanize
Lucy, so glad I didn't separate them, and so glad they know they can
count on me at 3:00 am to rescue their toy mice.  I don't know
what to expect - they could be gone by a year, or last several
more. It is frustrating not knowing, but for now I'm just enjoying
their company. Good luck to you and your kitty! 


 


Maggie

 




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Maggie and all the decisions

Aww Maggie, thanks so much for this post.  I couldn't agree with you 
more.  I went through the same agonies with decisions, should I separate 
them, should I let them play outside, all the medical decisions, 
conflicting advice, but like you, I soon realized it was the decision to 
let them live their lives with as much loving quality as possible that 
really mattered.  Bless you and your sweet little family, may your 
'kittens be kittens' for a very long time to come!!  Enjoy those babies, 
and thanks for sharing the joy with us!

Nina

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


Welcome!
I've only been on this board a little over a month, so I don't have a 
lot of practical advice to give you. I can tell you that my kitten was 
diagnosed at 6 months after being sick off and on from the time I got 
her at 4 months. The vet believes she contracted it from her mother. I 
went through a lot of tears and agonizing in the beginning too.  At 
first there were some family members and friends who said I should 
euthanize Lucy to keep her from endangering her sister Izzie, who was 
negative at the time, some said to separate them, others said I should 
start her on various drug treatments. Four weeks ago I was told Lucy 
was days away from death, I just gave her antibiotics, love, and her 
sister spent lots of time with her, and she bounced back. When Lucy 
was diagnosed as positive her sister Izzie tested negative but I 
decided to keep them together. Izzie is now positive, but there is no 
way to know if the first negative was a false negative or if she 
actuall y did contract it in the time after I made the decision to 
keep them together.When Izzie was diagnosed two weeks ago I went 
through the tears again - with the added guilt of wondering if 
deciding to keep them together was the right decision or not.
 
Last night, when it finally cooled down a bit, my girls spent the 
evening trying a new cat food with shrimp, crab, and sardines, 
then running laps around my place, and then woke me up at 3 am to show 
me that they had taken the drain cap off the bath tub and dropped four 
of their toy mice down the pipe - they desparately wanted me to get 
the mice out for them.  In other words, they were kittens being 
kittens - and while I may have cursed them at 3:00 by 3:01 they had me 
laughing. What I have come to realize is that there is a ton of 
information out there and lots of opinions - it is great to hear them 
all, but to make your own decisions.  I stand by my decisions, because 
I see the way they love each other and love their time together. I 
truly believe that they would rather be together for a shorter time on 
this earth than apart for a longer time. So my advice is this, collect 
information, seek advice and opinions, and then make a choice and 
stick t o it with no regrets or recriminations. I am so glad I didn't 
euthanize Lucy, so glad I didn't separate them, and so glad they know 
they can count on me at 3:00 am to rescue their toy mice.  I don't 
know what to expect - they could be gone by a year, or last several 
more. It is frustrating not knowing, but for now I'm just enjoying 
their company. Good luck to you and your kitty!
 
Maggie

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Barb Moermond

oh maggie, thank you for that story!! I'm laughing myself silly because that's just sooo "kitten" ehhehehe[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Welcome! I've only been on this board a little over a month, so I don't have a lot of practical advice to give you. I can tell you that my kitten was diagnosed at 6 months after being sick off and on from the time I got her at 4 months. The vet believes she contracted it from her mother. I went through a lot of tears and agonizing in the beginning too. At first there were some family members and friends who said I should euthanize Lucy to keep her from endangering her sister Izzie, who was negative at the time, some said to separate them, others said I should start her on various drug treatments. Four weeks ago I was told Lucy was days away from death, I just gave her
antibiotics, love, and her sister spent lots of time with her, and she bounced back. When Lucy was diagnosed as positive her sister Izzie tested negative but I decided to keep them together. Izzie is now positive, but there is no way to know if the first negative was a false negative or if she actuall y did contract it in the time after I made the decision to keep them together.When Izzie was diagnosed two weeks ago I went through the tears again - with the added guilt of wondering if deciding to keep them together was the right decision or not. Last night, when it finally cooled down a bit, my girls spent the evening trying a new cat food with shrimp, crab, and sardines, then running laps around my place, and then woke me up at 3 am to show me that they had taken the drain cap off the bath tub and dropped four of their toy mice down the pipe - they desparately wanted me to get the mice out for them. In other words,
they were kittens being kittens - and while I may have cursed them at 3:00 by 3:01 they had me laughing. What I have come to realize is that there is a ton of information out there and lots of opinions - it is great to hear them all, but to make your own decisions. I stand by my decisions, because I see the way they love each other and love their time together. I truly believe that they would rather be together for a shorter time on this earth than apart for a longer time. So my advice is this, collect information, seek advice and opinions, and then make a choice and stick t o it with no regrets or recriminations. I am so glad I didn't euthanize Lucy, so glad I didn't separate them, and so glad they know they can count on me at 3:00 am to rescue their toy mice. I don't know what to expect - they could be gone by a year, or last several more. It is frustrating not knowing, but for now I'm just enjoying their company. Good luck to you and your kitty!
MaggieBarb+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
Groups are talking. Were listening. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo! Groups.

Re: wavering on internist appointment again

2006-07-19 Thread elizamaggie


Michelle,
I tend to be an agonizer too. What I have learned about myself is that if I make a decision and am still agonizing then it's not the right decision for me.  I know a decision is the right one when I feel the weight lifted and just feel less agonized. There is no right or wrong decision - only right or wrong for you. I think you know deep down what it is you want to do - you may not know what it is yet, but I bet if you tune out all the other voices you will know in your heart what you want to do. And, because she is your cat, and you love her, whatever it is that you decide to do will be the "right" answer regardless of what anyone else thinks. 
 
Maggie

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread elizamaggie

Welcome!
I've only been on this board a little over a month, so I don't have a lot of practical advice to give you. I can tell you that my kitten was diagnosed at 6 months after being sick off and on from the time I got her at 4 months. The vet believes she contracted it from her mother. I went through a lot of tears and agonizing in the beginning too. At first there were some family members and friends who said I should euthanize Lucy to keep her from endangering her sister Izzie, who was negative at the time, some said to separate them, others said I should start her on various drug treatments. Four weeks ago I was told Lucy was days away from death, I just gave her antibiotics, love, and her sister spent lots of time with her, and she bounced back. When Lucy was diagnosed as positive her sister Izzie tested negative but I decided to keep them together. Izzie is now positive, but there is no way to know if the first negative was a false negative or if she actuall
y did contract it in the time after I made the decision to keep them together.When Izzie was diagnosed two weeks ago I went through the tears again - with the added guilt of wondering if deciding to keep them together was the right decision or not.
Last night, when it finally cooled down a bit, my girls spent the evening trying a new cat food with shrimp, crab, and sardines, then running laps around my place, and then woke me up at 3 am to show me that they had taken the drain cap off the bath tub and dropped four of their toy mice down the pipe - they desparately wanted me to get the mice out for them. In other words, they were kittens being kittens - and while I may have cursed them at 3:00 by 3:01 they had me laughing. What I have come to realize is that there is a ton of information out there and lots of opinions - it is great to hear them all, but to make your own decisions. I stand by my decisions, because I see the way they love each other and love their time together. I truly believe that they would rather be together for a shorter time on this earth than apart for a longer time. So my advice is this, collect information, seek advice and opinions, and then make a choice and stick t
o it with no regrets or recriminations. I am so glad I didn't euthanize Lucy, so glad I didn't separate them, and so glad they know they can count on me at 3:00 am to rescue their toy mice. I don't know what to expect - they could be gone by a year, or last several more. It is frustrating not knowing, but for now I'm just enjoying their company. Good luck to you and your kitty!
Maggie

Re: RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread moonvine

Iams is not really a great brand.  That being said I do feed it 
sometimes to my rescues/foster cats because I have 30 of them and I 
can't afford to feed them the premium foods right now.  

My sick kitty gets this stuff (she does not have FELV, she has a heart 
condition, but it is still important to keep up her immune system):  
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=product-detail&pxsl=%2F%
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

You want to look for something without grains in it.  Iams does have 
grain in it.  Their bodies do not process grain.

I have learned lots about food from this list and I am grateful for 
the knowledge.

Kelley
- Original Message -
From: kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:16 am
Subject: RE: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org

> What types of food do you all recommend?  Should I be feeding her 
> dry, canned or both?  She eats whatever is put in front of her, 
> but especially likes the canned food. Is IAMS a good brand or 
> should I get something better?  
> 
> Chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:You will get 
> more than these responses?you?ve come to a great place w. some 
> very knowledgable people with first hand experience!
>   
>  First off, I think you might consider changing vets to someone 
> who is much more current and familiar with FELV?there is 
> absolutely no reason to euthanize a cat because its FELV+!  That?s 
> a very dated protocol!
>   
>  I had 4 cats?one tested pos for FELV when she was 4 and she?d 
> been around the other cats her whole life (2 of the younger ones 
> had come in as kittens).  They all tested neg and I just get them 
> a yearly FELV vaccine.  They had not received vaccination prior to 
> my Tucson testing pos.
>   
>  Now I have 2 FELV + adult cats and 3 adult neg that just live 
> all together.  My vet, who cares for a number of FELV cats in his 
> practice, is not particularly concerned about mixing.  It is not 
> an easy disease for an adult cat to get?its not airborne and the 
> virus dies in seconds when exposed to the air!  My cats all ate 
> out of the same dishes, groomed each other, shared toys, shared 
> litter boxes.
>   
>  Also, its still possible for kitten to throw off the virus over 
> the coming weeks/months.  You may want to wait some time before 
> doing the IFA, the lab test.  
>   
>  SO,don?t panic?  more folks will give you a whole more details? 
> we?ve all been in your situation and it will work out.  Just 
> maybe, start calling other vets to see who in your area is more 
> familiar with FELV?
>   
>Chris
>  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
>  -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:Felvtalk-
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of kandbz_ mom
> Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:42 AM
> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
> Subject: Re: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
>   
>  Thanks to the two people who have responded so far! Thanks for 
> the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other 
> cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV 
> vaccine something they should be getting every year?  I was told 
> that since they are indoor cats, the only shots necessary were the 
> first sets. Is that correct?  I am going crazy with worry.
> 
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: 
>  Hi there,
> 
> I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless 
> they 
> are very ill and suffering.
> 
> You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.
> 
> I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative 
> the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will 
> happen every time, but it does happen.
> 
> If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they 
> have 
> contracted it.
> 
> Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be 
> more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you 
> some 
> hope.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Kelley
> 
> - Original Message -
> From: kandbz_ mom 
> Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 am
> Subject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
> To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
> 
> > Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. 
> The 
> > lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother 
> tested 
> > positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she 
> > tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I 
> > may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we 
> could 
> > wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He 
> said 
> > we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably 
> does 
> > have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is 
> > just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats 
> > tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been 
> > tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When 
> > you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routi

RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Chris

My cats are all indoor and Tucson, one of my FELV+ turned
into a real porko…  I sort of weaned them all off as much of the dry food
as I can and try to give them wet most of the time.  I feed them Wellness cause
it doesn’t have all those fillers that just put on the pounds.  Used to
give them IAMS…  Now I give them a little dry at night and if its real
hot, they sometimes don’t want the wet and I give in!

I was giving my FELV+ some vitamin and
immune system boosters and Vitamin C but they’re sort of fussy so I’m
not real consistent.  

Bottom line, decent food, lots of loving,
stress free life—that’s your best shot!  Sounds like you’re
doing fine!

Chris

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-Original Message-
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of kandbz_ mom
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
12:15 PM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: RE: I'm Newkitten
tested positive for FELV

What types of food do you all recommend?  Should
I be feeding her dry, canned or both?  She eats whatever is put in front
of her, but especially likes the canned food. Is IAMS a good brand or should I
get something better?  

Chris
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 

I had 4 cats—one
tested pos for FELV when she was 4 and she’d been around the other cats
her whole life (2 of the younger ones had come in as kittens).  They all
tested neg and I just get them a yearly FELV vaccine.  They had not
received vaccination prior to my Tucson testing pos.

Now I have 2 FELV + adult
cats and 3 adult neg that just live all together.  My vet, who cares for a
number of FELV cats in his practice, is not particularly concerned about
mixing.  It is not an easy disease for an adult cat to get—its not
airborne and the virus dies in seconds when exposed to the air!  My cats
all ate out of the same dishes, groomed each other, shared toys, shared litter
boxes.

Also, its still possible
for kitten to throw off the virus over the coming weeks/months.  You may
want to wait some time before doing the IFA, the lab test.  

SO,don’t
panic…  more folks will give you a whole more details…
we’ve all been in your situation and it will work out.  Just maybe,
start calling other vets to see who in your area is more familiar with
FELV…

Chris

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of kandbz_ mom
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
11:42 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: I'm Newkitten
tested positive for FELV

Thanks to the two people who have responded so far!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other
cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV vaccine something
they should be getting every year?  I was told that since they are indoor
cats, the only shots necessary were the first sets. Is that correct?  I am
going crazy with worry.

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote: 

Hi there,

I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless they 
are very ill and suffering.

You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.

I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative 
the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will 
happen every time, but it does happen.

If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have 
contracted it.

Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be 
more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some 
hope.

Thanks,

Kelley

- Original Message -
From: kandbz_ mom 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 am
Subject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org

> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The 
> lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested 
> positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she 
> tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I 
> may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could 
> wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said 
> we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does 
> have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is 
> just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats 
> tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been 
> tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When 
> you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely 
> give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You 
> would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be 
> testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are 
> going to
> have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to have all 
> three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still 
> learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. 
> Wou

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Sheila, thanks for your message!  It gave me a reason to be optimistic! I was reading an article yesterday that Vitamin C supplement may help cats with felv.  Is there any truth to that?[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  I have been on this list for a few years and I can tell you that you have come to the right place for expert answers about felv. Young kitten can throw off the virus and test negative. If she is healthy now I wouldn't even consider euthanasia. Many of us here have Cats who live long and healthy lives. I have had several who have lived to there teens and some who die young ,but it is always worth it to give them a chance. I don't separate my positives from negatives,but some of us do . I'm not as knowledgeable as some of
 our members all I can tell you is to love her and feed her good quality food keep her away from other sick kitties. You'll soon be hearing from others about supplements that will keep her immune system strong. Listen to what they have to say .There are many here who I trust more than my vet,because I have had vets tell me to put to sleep several cats before that have gone on to live long happy lives. My Charlie Brown is 14 years old felv positive and healthy as can be. My vet wanted to put him to sleep years go and I said no and I am so glad I did. Welcome to the group.  Sheila in SC 
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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

By any chance, would anyone know of a good vet in AZ?? I live in Mesa, but would be willing to travel to Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, etc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Hello and welcome!I'm very glad you listened to your heart and didn't euthanize. Your baby may throw off this virus yet -- and even if she doesn't, chances are that she may have a good quality of life and even live a long time! Some FeVL+ cats never present symptoms. There is a lot you can do to help ensure that she has the best possible chancesfeeding her a healthy diet...staying attentive to how she feels so that you can get her treatment at the first signs of illness...keeping her environment clean and giving her lots of love. With FeVL+ kitties...it's often their susceptibility to other diseases that presents the most problem since the virus tends to weaken their immune system. Keeping her healthy, happy, and stress free will go a long way.We don't always agree on treatments or protocols on this group - but you won't find a nicer bunch of people or anybody who cares more. It's a great place for information and moral support.Glad you found us!elizabeth *Save the earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.* -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:01 AMSubject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELVHello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are going to have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. Would it be possible to keep her?? Any advice would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks. __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.
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Re: wavering on internist appointment again





You better "bother" us.  That's what we're here for!  That was not my
intention at all!  I understand the "roller coaster" effect, we all
do.  For me, decisions about going to the vet are never easy.  I hate
going to the vet as much as the cats do.  I esp hate going only to find
after the stress of it all, after the expense, after educating the vet
more than him educating me, that I'm back home with no more answers
than when I forced my cat into the carrier.  It's always a tough call. 
I'd feel terrible if you stopped leaning on us for support and
inspiration!  Cut it out.
Nina

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

  
  
  
  
  Nina, that's what I think, too. Thanks.
   
  I go round and round because she goes up and down. When she
seems sick it seems obvious I should take her to a specialist, and when
she feels good it seems stupid to.
   
  I promise not to bother you guys with it again.
   
  Michelle

RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hello! No, actually, her vet told her to wait and get the kitten tested again. What's funny is, I usually do not go to this vet...he was recommended by two of my sisters. He was nice, but didn't want to "waste time" on a kitten that could be sick."Rosenfeldt, Diane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I hope the lady who has this kit's brother doesn't go to the same vet. Diane R. From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:45 AMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV >> I have been on this list for a few years and I can tell you that you have come to the right place for expert answers about felv. Young kitten can throw off the virus and test negative. If she is healthy now I wouldn't even consider euthanasia. 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.
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RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

What types of food do you all recommend?  Should I be feeding her dry, canned or both?  She eats whatever is put in front of her, but especially likes the canned food. Is IAMS a good brand or should I get something better?  Chris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:You will get more than these responsesyouve come to a great place w. some very knowledgable people with first hand experience!     First off, I think you might consider changing vets to someone who is much more current and familiar with FELVthere is absolutely no reason to euthanize a cat because its FELV+!  Thats a very dated protocol! 
    I had 4 catsone tested pos for FELV when she was 4 and shed been around the other cats her whole life (2 of the younger ones had come in as kittens).  They all tested neg and I just get them a yearly FELV vaccine.  They had not received vaccination prior to my Tucson testing pos.     Now I have 2 FELV + adult cats and 3 adult neg that just live all together.  My vet, who cares for a number of FELV cats in his practice, is not particularly concerned about mixing.  It is not an easy disease for an adult cat to getits not airborne and the virus dies in seconds when exposed to the air!  My cats all ate out of the same dishes, groomed each other, shared toys, shared litter boxes.     Also, its still possible for kitten to throw off the virus over the coming weeks/months.  You may want to wait some time before doing the IFA, the lab test.   
    SO,dont panic  more folks will give you a whole more details weve all been in your situation and it will work out.  Just maybe, start calling other vets to see who in your area is more familiar with FELV   Chris  [EMAIL PROTECTED]  -Original Message-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of kandbz_ momSent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 11:42 AMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV     Thanks to the two people who have responded so far! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV vaccine something they should be getting every year?  I was told that since they are indoor cats, the only shots necessary were the first sets. Is that correct?  I am going crazy with worry.[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   Hi there,I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless they are very ill and suffering.You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will happen every time, but it does happen.If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have contracted it.Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some hope.Thanks,Kelley- Original Message -From: kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
 10:08 amSubject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELVTo: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The > lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested > positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she > tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I > may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could > wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said > we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does > have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is > just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats > tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been > tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When > you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely
 > give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You > would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be > testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are > going to> have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to have all > three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still > learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. > Would it be possible to keep her??> Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.> > Thanks.> > __> Do You Yahoo!?> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com        Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. 
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RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Chris

You will get more than these responses—you’ve
come to a great place w. some very knowledgable people with first hand
experience!

First off, I think you might consider
changing vets to someone who is much more current and familiar with FELV—there
is absolutely no reason to euthanize a cat because its FELV+!  That’s a
very dated protocol!

I had 4 cats—one tested pos for FELV
when she was 4 and she’d been around the other cats her whole life (2 of
the younger ones had come in as kittens).  They all tested neg and I just get
them a yearly FELV vaccine.  They had not received vaccination prior to my Tucson testing pos.

Now I have 2 FELV + adult cats and 3 adult
neg that just live all together.  My vet, who cares for a number of FELV cats
in his practice, is not particularly concerned about mixing.  It is not an easy
disease for an adult cat to get—its not airborne and the virus dies in
seconds when exposed to the air!  My cats all ate out of the same dishes,
groomed each other, shared toys, shared litter boxes.

Also, its still possible for kitten to
throw off the virus over the coming weeks/months.  You may want to wait some
time before doing the IFA, the lab test.  

SO,don’t panic…  more folks
will give you a whole more details… we’ve all been in your
situation and it will work out.  Just maybe, start calling other vets to see
who in your area is more familiar with FELV…

Chris

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-Original
Message-
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of kandbz_ mom
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
11:42 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: I'm Newkitten
tested positive for FELV

Thanks to the two people who have responded so far!
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other
cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV vaccine something
they should be getting every year?  I was told that since they are indoor
cats, the only shots necessary were the first sets. Is that correct?  I am
going crazy with worry.

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote: 

Hi
there,

I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless they 
are very ill and suffering.

You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.

I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative 
the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will 
happen every time, but it does happen.

If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have 
contracted it.

Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be 
more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some 
hope.

Thanks,

Kelley

- Original Message -
From: kandbz_ mom 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 am
Subject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org

> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The 
> lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested 
> positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she 
> tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I 
> may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could 
> wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said 
> we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does 
> have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe has no symptoms and is 
> just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats 
> tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been 
> tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When 
> you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely 
> give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You 
> would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be 
> testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are 
> going to
> have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to have all 
> three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still 
> learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. 
> Would it be possible to keep her??
> Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> __
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
> http://mail.yahoo.com 

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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread etrent


Hello and welcome!



I'm very glad you listened to your heart and didn't euthanize. 
Your baby may throw off this virus yet -- and even if she doesn't,
chances are that she may have a good quality of life and even live a
long time!  Some FeVL+ cats
never present symptoms.  There is a lot you can do to help ensure
that she has the best possible chancesfeeding her a healthy
diet...staying attentive to how she feels so that you can get her
treatment at the first signs of illness...keeping her environment clean
and giving her lots of love. 



With FeVL+ kitties...it's often their susceptibility
to other diseases that presents the most problem since the virus tends
to weaken their immune system.  Keeping her healthy, happy, and
stress free will go a long way.



We don't always agree on treatments or protocols on this group - but
you won't find a nicer bunch of people or anybody who cares more. 
It's a great place for information and moral support.



Glad you found us!

elizabeth



 

*Save the earth.  It's the only planet with chocolate.*

 
 
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 10:01 AM
Subject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV










Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks
old. The lady I got her from emailed me and said my
kittens brother tested positive.  We went to the vet for a checkup
on Monday and she tested positive for Felv.  The vet came out
right away and said I may want to think about having her euthanized. I
asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the one done at the
lab.  He said we can, but since she came up positive so young, she
probably does have Felv.  I am just heartbroken.  SHe has no
symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever.  I have to get my
other two cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. 
They have never been tested for Felv because they don't automatically
test here.  When you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they
just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for
it.  You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they
would be testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my other two
cats are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I
have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case?? 
I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the
internet.  Would it be possible to keep her??
  
Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
  
 
  
Thanks.

 __
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 



 




Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free.

RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Rosenfeldt, Diane




I hope the lady who has this kit's brother doesn't go to the same vet.  

 
Diane 
R.


From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:45 
AMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: I'm 
Newkitten tested positive for FELV

 >> I have been on 
this list for a few years and I can tell you that you have come to the right 
place for expert answers about felv. Young kitten can throw off the virus and 
test negative. If she is healthy now I wouldn't even consider euthanasia. 


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: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Sheila208



I have been on this list for a few years and I can tell you that you have come to the right place for expert answers about felv. Young kitten can throw off the virus and test negative. If she is healthy now I wouldn't even consider euthanasia. Many of us here have Cats who live long and healthy lives. I have had several who have lived to there teens and some who die young ,but it is always worth it to give them a chance. I don't separate my positives from negatives,but some of us do . I'm not as knowledgeable as some of our members all I can tell you is to love her and feed her good quality food keep her away from other sick kitties. You'll soon be hearing from others about supplements that will keep her immune system strong. Listen to what they have to say .There are many here who I trust more than my vet,because I have had vets tell me to put to sleep several cats before that have gone on to live long happy lives. My Charlie Brown is 14 years old felv positive and healthy as can be. My vet wanted to put him to sleep years go and I said no and I am so glad I did. Welcome to the group.  
 
Sheila in SC

Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Thanks to the two people who have responded so far! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I do have a question..both of my other cats had their booster shots as kittens...but, is this FELV vaccine something they should be getting every year? I was told that since they are indoor cats, the only shots necessary were the first sets. Is that correct? I am going crazy with worry.[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi there,I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless they are very ill and suffering.You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago. She was negative the next time I had her tested. There are no guarantees this will happen every time, but it does happen.If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have
contracted it.Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some hope.Thanks,Kelley- Original Message -From: kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 amSubject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELVTo: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The > lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested > positive. We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she > tested positive for Felv. The vet came out right away and said I > may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could > wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab. He said > we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does > have Felv. I am just heartbroken. SHe
has no symptoms and is > just the sweetest cat ever. I have to get my other two cats > tested for it. My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old. They have never been > tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here. When > you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely > give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it. You > would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be > testing EVERY kitten/cat. I'm worried that my other two cats are > going to> have it now, too. Does anyone know, would I have to have all > three of them euthanized if that were the case?? I'm still > learning about this disease from reading things on the internet. > Would it be possible to keep her??> Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.> > Thanks.> > __> Do You Yahoo!?> Tired
of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com
Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

To Tonya

Tonya,

I am so sorry this happened.  I know you must feel
horrible.  Whether you smothered him or not, it was
unintentional, and you can never know what he actually
died of, so please don't beat yourself up over it.  I
can't imagine how you must feel, but please don't be
too hard on yourself.  You did more than most average
people would have done for little Grayson.  He was
lucky to have you.

:)
Wendy

--- catatonya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I just woke and Grayson was dead.  I think I
> smothered him.  I think 2:30 was the last time he
> woke me up to be fed.  I had him up by my neck but
> remember finding him sleeping down next to me at one
> point and moving him back up.  I guess it didn't
> cross my mind at the time that he should have been
> screaming for food at that point.  I just moved him
> back up higher on the bed and covered him in his
> little towel and fell back asleep.  When I woke
> again I wondered why he hadn't cried yet or moved
> over to my neck.  He was dead because I had killed
> him. 
>
>   tonya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

__
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Re: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread moonvine

Hi there,

I would not euthanize a cat because they tested positive, unless they 
are very ill and suffering.

You may want to try finding a more enlightened vet.

I had a kitten come up light positive awhile ago.  She was negative 
the next time I had her tested.  There are no guarantees this will 
happen every time, but it does happen.

If your other cats are vaccinated it is very very unlikely they have 
contracted it.

Other folks on this list have more experience and will probably be 
more helpful to you, I just wanted to say welcome and give you some 
hope.

Thanks,

Kelley

- Original Message -
From: kandbz_ mom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:08 am
Subject: I'm Newkitten tested positive for FELV
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org

> Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The 
> lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested 
> positive.  We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she 
> tested positive for Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I 
> may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could 
> wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab.  He said 
> we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does 
> have Felv.  I am just heartbroken.  SHe has no symptoms and is 
> just the sweetest cat ever.  I have to get my other two cats 
> tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old.  They have never been 
> tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here.  When 
> you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely 
> give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it.  You 
> would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be 
> testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my other two cats are 
> going to
> have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I have to have all 
> three of them euthanized if that were the case??  I'm still 
> learning about this disease from reading things on the internet.  
> Would it be possible to keep her??
>  Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
>   
>  Thanks.
> 
> __
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
> http://mail.yahoo.com

RE: I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

2006-07-19 Thread Rosenfeldt, Diane




I'm fairly new on this list too, but let me be the 
first to say NOO!  Keep reading stuff on the internet, don't 
despair and DON'T consider euthanization.  Oh, and in about 5 seconds 
you'll be inundated with wonderfully knowledgeable advice from the folks on this 
mailing list.  ;-)
 
Diane R.


From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of kandbz_ 
momSent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 10:02 AMTo: 
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: I'm Newkitten tested positive 
for FELV

Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady 
I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive. 
 We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive for 
Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I may want to think about 
having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the 
one done at the lab.  He said we can, but since she came up positive so 
young, she probably does have Felv.  I am just heartbroken.  SHe has 
no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever.  I have to get my other two 
cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old.  They have never 
been tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here.  When you 
take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine 
and don't test unless you ask for it.  You would think that as fast as this 
disease spreads, they would be testing EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that 
my other two cats are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I 
have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case??  I'm 
still learning about this disease from reading things on the internet.  
Would it be possible to keep her??
Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.
 
Thanks.
__Do You Yahoo!?Tired 
of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 

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.

I'm New....kitten tested positive for FELV

Hello! I recently adopted a kitten...she is now 15 weeks old. The lady I got her from emailed me and said my kittens brother tested positive.  We went to the vet for a checkup on Monday and she tested positive for Felv.  The vet came out right away and said I may want to think about having her euthanized. I asked if we could wait and then do the other test, the one done at the lab.  He said we can, but since she came up positive so young, she probably does have Felv.  I am just heartbroken.  SHe has no symptoms and is just the sweetest cat ever.  I have to get my other two cats tested for it.  My cats are 7 and 3 yrs old.  They have never been tested for Felv because they don't automatically test here.  When you take a cat or kitten in for a "checkup" they just routinely give out the vaccine and don't test unless you ask for it.  You would think that as fast as this disease spreads, they would be testing
 EVERY kitten/cat.  I'm worried that my other two cats are going to have it now, too.  Does anyone know, would I have to have all three of them euthanized if that were the case??  I'm still learning about this disease from reading things on the internet.  Would it be possible to keep her??  Any advice would be helpful and appreciated.     Thanks. __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Re: wavering on internist appointment again

2006-07-19 Thread lernermichelle


Tonya, I am so not more knowledgeable. I only know what i have dealt with myself, and what I have learned from you and others on this list.  I value your opinion a lot. 


Michelle 


 
 
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 7:25 AM
Subject: Re: wavering on internist appointment again







Michelle,


 


I always go with what you say because you are so much more knowledgeable than I am.  That being said.  I have an IBD cat and I ALWAYS keep him on the same food.  Anytime he gets a treat or different type of food he has problems.  That's all I can tell you, and I'm sure the circumstances are different.  If he does get a treat of any sort he gets maybe half a teaspoonful and that's all.


 


t

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:



So Lucy has been herself for the past 4 or 5 days, since going back on 10 mg/day of pred. She eats fairly well (roasted duck or raw food mixed with Beechnut baby food), has completely normal bowels, runs around like normal (in fact, brought in a half-dead mole a few hours ago, which I tried to pick up but dropped when it bit me, and it died, and it was horrible), and is not losing weight and may have gained an ounce or two. So now, of course, I am wavering about whether to drive her 1.5 hours each way to see an internist on Friday, where she would probably have to stay several hours to get an ultrasound, etc. When I made this last appointment, when she was sick, I swore I would take her even if she got better, but now I really feel bad putting her through so much stress when she is happy and feeling good.  


 


Does it seem unlikely to you that she would be totally normal within a few days on 10 mg/day of prednisone if she had developed intestinal lymphoma? I know pred helps with lymphoma, but don't cats with intestinal lymphoma usually not feel completely better until they get leukeran? I haven't canceled yet, so would like some advice. My mom is giving me major guilt trips about putting her through so much stress (Lucy is one of those cats who is completely hysterical in the car and terrified of all strangers, including vets) when I have her symptoms totally under control.  Besides checking for lymphoma (which is notoriously hard to distinguish from IBD if there are no masses, and which is harder to distinguish when the cat is on pred), I had wanted to ask for budesonide or prednisolone instead of prednisone, neither of which my local vet uses or will give to me (says if the pred is working stick with it).  In the past I was able to taper Lucy to very little pred, though when I tried to do it last week, after one week on 10 mg/day, she immediately got worse (she was ok on 7.5, but not on 5). I know that sometimes they need to be on it for weeks or months before tapering, though, and that her IBD may simply have progressed.  I also know, though, if lymphoma does develop, that it is better to start the leukeran earlier than later. But it also can have bad side efffects...


 


Gray gets home tomorrow, and I know he will tell me I am crazy to take her while she seems fine on the pred.  


 


Any advice would be appreciated. Nina, I know you probably hope I take her so that I stop asking this question! :)  But with the FeLV I do worry about causing problems where there are none through unnecessary stress, and it seems like 3 hours in the car and all day at the vet with lots of tests would probably qualify as stress for Lucy.  If I do not take her, I will leave her on 10 mg/day of pred for another week or so and then try to taper her again, much more slowly (maybe go to 8.75, then 7.5, then 6.25, etc. every week).


 


Thanks, 


Michelle





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Re: wavering on internist appointment again