Help
I need help with my 3 year old FELV+ baby Sebastian. Sebastian, I believe, was born positive. His life has been wonderful until recently. He has lost weight, hair, and has weakness in hishind legs. His eating habits are good. I just don't know what to do. I have taken him to three different vets and no one is doing what I want. I want to know why all of these things are happening and I want to fix them. I have to do everything that I can to help him. I will be devastated when something happens to him. For about two years he was getting steroid shots monthly. This was recently stopped and now he is on Interferon. I need to know if anyone knows of any feline leukemia specialists, any great websites. I will take him to whatever vet that I need to. I just need advice as to what to do next.
Sebastian needs help!!!!
I have just returned from the vet. Sebastian's hind legs are weaker and he has lost more weight. The vet just doesn't seem to want to work with me and do absolutley everything for my baby. When I asked her about the weakness in hishind legs she said that it could just be the disesase attacking his nervous system. She also stated, "I don't want to give up on him because he is FELV+." Givving up on Sebastian is the last thing that I am doing! I was not happy with that remark. I want her to do everything and anything to try and help him. I suggested drugs like Immunoreglin and Acemannan and she had never used them and said she wasn't sure if you could even use them on cats. She just doesn't seem as if she knows what she is doing. So, my question is Does anyone have any experience using Immunoreglin on their cats? and DOes anyone have a vet who is up to date on alot of Feline Leukemia treatments and is dedicated to doing what it takes to help? I will go anywhere. I just need help finding a really good vet.
I need Names people!!
If anyone knows of a great vet please give me their name and city. I will make an appointment and go there! What abouta vet who uses some of Plechner's techniques. I also want to thank everyone for all of their help it means so much to me.
Sebastian Update
Sebastian has been doing alot better. His hind legs are getting a little stronger. I am still looking for a good vet that has alot of exprience dealing with +kitties. I have tried to pull up the list on the kitties website, but I can't for some reason. I live in West Virginia. Also, does anyone know of any vitamins or supplements that I should being giving Sebastian on a daily basis to help with his appetite and immune system. P.S I am praying for Bramble.
Med ?
Has anyone tries Periactin on there +kitties to increase their appetite?
Sebastian
Sebastian
Sebastian
Thanks so much Nina and Hideyo for all of your help!!! The vet was pleased with the results of Sebastian's blood work. I still can not figure out what is causing the weakness in his hind legs. He is falling all of the time now and he laid down in the litter box today when he was trying to use the bathroom. I have checked on the b 12 methylycobalamin. He is not diabetic. Should I give it to him anyway to see if it will help? Is there a maximum dose because I know that you can overdose on some vitamins? Everyone just seems to think that the weakness is just becasue of the leukemia, but I refuse to believe that. His blood work was good and I want to try every option to try and help his legs. Has anyone seen similar problems in their positive kitties? Sebastian was on a high dose of depo medrol for about a year and a half. This may be the cause of the weakness. I just need help. I feel overwhelmed.
Sebastian
A began to see a slight weakness in Sebastian's legs at the beginning of May. I took him to the vet for his regular Depo injections and the vet (the first vet) noticed that he had lost 1 pound and his coat was thinning. We then decided not to do the depo and check his blood work. the blood work was good, so we decided not to do any depo at that time. After this his legs gradually got worse. Now it is hard for him to walk and jump. A few weeks ago I decided to resume the depo because he had done so well on it and after we stopped is when he began to get worse. He is also getting a B 12 shot every week. I think that it may have helped. I had the vet give a low dose of 10mg. Before he was getting 20mg and 40mg. He is gaining some of his weight back, but his legs are still so weak. I have read alot about V B-12 methylcobalamin, but everything I found had to do with diabetic cats. Should I try this anyone because he is not diabetic? Could it hurt him?
Sebastian
Sebastian's depo was orginally started because he has red, infected gums.His gumshavebeen a problem since he was born.
Flavia
My thoughts and prayers are with you Kerry. I am glad you got to spend those last precious moments with your little angel.
Toxoplasmosis
Sebastian may have toxoplasmosis. We are still running tests, so we are not sure. Does anyonehave a FELV+ cat with this? What are the symptoms and treatments?
overwhelmed
I have not written anything for a while. I have been very overwhelmed with Sebastian's problems and I keep trying things that do not seem to work. I recently took Sebastian to Virginia Tech's Veterinary hospital (because of everyone's recommedations). I am so upset that he is getting sicker. I feel that I am overlooking his problems because I do not want to face them. I love him so much and I can not stand to see him this way. I took him to the veterinary hospital because he has almost lost all control of his hind legs. They are becoming so weak and he has used the bathroom on himself a few times because it is hard for him to get in and out of the litter box. The vets are worried that his problems are nuerological, so I set up another appointment with the nuerology department.He also twitches and has like muscle spasms or something when he is sleeping. It is like his body can not rest. The vets told me that they would like to do a spinal tap and a special X-ray where they shoot dye into his spine.All of this has to be done under Anaestheia. There are alot of risks with these tests. Putting a FELV+ kitty under involvees alot of risks and they said that if something goes wrong with the spinal tap he could be paralyzed. I do not know what to do. What what you do? I need help making this decision. Currently, Sebastian is taking methylcobalamin and AHCC-vitamins. I also started him on Interferon. It is just the Interferon that the vet gave me. Should I get some other type of Interferon? WHat is everyone else using? Should I give him more supplements and vitamins everyday? I will do anything for him. I just do not know what all I should/can do right now. I need alot of help.
Sebastian
Anemia has been ruled out for Sebastian. He recently had blood work done and everything looked great. I vets say it may be something in his spinal cord. I am very worried. Sebastian was put on Depo Medrol for a two year period because of mouth sores. It helped with the sores, but at the time I was not aware of the effects of long term steroid use. I am very upset with the vet because he didn't inform me of any of this. I did not know that the steroids weakened his immune system. I am
Sweet Sebastian
I was finally able to get Sebastian in to see an internist and a nuerologist. The vet believes that the weakness in his back legs could be a mass on his spinal cord or lesions all along his spine. They would have to do more tests to be sure. Evenafter the tests there is no real treatment for either, so I decided not to put him through all of that. He can barely walk anymore. I can not bare to see him this way. Has anyone had any similar problems with there Felv+ kitties? Is there anything I can do? Maybe an alternative vet? Also does anyone know the shelf life of Interferon?
Sebastian
Thanks so much Kerry and Nina for your help. I do not know what I would without all of you. I feel bad sometimes because I only ask for advice. I don't feel that I have enough expierence to give any. Sebastian is my first FELV+ kitty. Nina, When was your dog diagnosed with DM? Could I give Sebastian Interferon, Immuno regulin, and his vitamins? Is that to many things? Is there any point to give Interferon And Immuno Regulin?
Bramble
I am praying for Bramble!!! I hope all is well.
My ANGEL Sebastian
I have not written for so long because I feel that I have given up hope. Sebastian has not been doing very well. He can no longer walk and he relies on me to take him to the litter box and to feed him. He still has a good appetite. He seems so depressed now. I am so heart broken that I cry almost daily. I am not strong enough to let him go. I feel that it isn't up to me to play god and that he will go when he is ready. He just keeps fighting. He is so much braver than me. I took him to the Virginia Tech Veterinary hospital on August 1st. They were wanting to run alot of tests. The tests were very risky, so I decided against them. Now I feel that I have no choice and I have to find out what is wrong with him and see if there is something that can be done. I don't know what I will do without him. I am so scared of losing him.
Sebastian
Yes, The doctors do believe that his problems may be neurological. He is not anemic that I know of. He had blood work done about two months ago and everything looked purrfect! He is happy when I am around and purrs alot. Ho does seem a little depressed though becuase he can't walk around. Yesterday he was playing with a string and seemed happy. It is so hard to seem him like this. I want to thank everyone so much for their responses and for there prayers.
Ceasar
I am praying that all goes well Hideyo. Keep me updated. I would love the link for the carts. Sebastian does have feeling in his back legs. I will definately try acupuncture. Thanks, Jennifer and Sebastian
