Advice Needed

2006-06-12 Thread Ashleigh Smith
BTW, thanks to everyone who had ideas about getting Bella to eat her Mega C. After syringing her with it, she no longer runs from the stuff and will eat it mixed into her food. Yay!On another note, as I was getting ready to go to sleep, I heard a loud meowing sound on my porch. When I opened the door, there was a little black kitten, about 5 weeks old. He looks exactly like Pepper did at that age. (Pepper died one month ago, and he was neutered, so this kitten can't be his.) He was quite friendly and did not run from me, which makes me think that he's not feral. I brought him inside because I'm scared that one of the neighborhood loose dogs would get him.Right now, he's in a cat carrier with some food. (He was ravenous and ate some moistened cat food and drank some water.) I do not know whether he is FeLV+ or - right now, so I'm keeping him and Bella
 apart. I'll probably take him to the vet tomorrow and have him tested. I do have some concerns, though, and need some advice:1. Bella tested FeLV+ on the SNAP test, but it was a very faint positive, and she is asymptomatic, so I'm hoping she'll fight it off. If the kitten is +, can that make Bella get worse off?2. If the kitten tests -, I'd like to get him vaccinated for FeLV. What's the minimum age? And what if he's really + but it's not showing up on the test yet because he's too young?3. We're still doing post-Katrina repairs and renovations, so Bella is locked up in a guest room (where I visit her for several hours a day). I don't want her getting out of getting into anything dangerous. It's going to be tough to keep Bella and Freddie (the new kitten) separate, but I can do it if necessary. How long should
 they be separate? Do I need to get 2 - tests on the kitten before I consider him safe, and how soon after his vaccination will he be okay to come around Bella? I don't want him catching FeLV from her.4. The kitten appears healthy right now. He's got a few fleas, but he isn't infested. (I had 2 specks of flea dirt on my chest after holding him for 1 hour.) Would it be safe to use a couple drops of Frontline on him, or should I wait? I do not have fleas in my house, and Bella has no fleas. (She stays on Frontline as a preventive measure.)He's a real sweetheart and cries in the kennel. He likes me to hold him so he can crawl up on my chest and go to sleep. (It's uncanny, but that is EXACTLY what Pepper did as a kitten. The similarities between the two are amazing.) He's also got quite a motor on him.   
 ~AshleighP.S. Thanks for any advice. I've never dealt with FeLV until a month ago, so I'm not sure what my best course of action is. Even thought the kitten is making me sneeze a bit, he's a real sweetheart, and I'm not about to release him back to the wild where he must fend for himself. I'm not sure how he ended up on my porch, but he's obviously gotten separated from him mom and his littermates. He dosn't stop meowing until I put him on my warm chest, which probably feels like he's cozied up to his littermates and/or mom to him. __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com 

Kitten Update

2006-06-12 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I took the kitten to the vet, and the vet says he looks healthy. He did not test for FeLV because he said it would be a waste of  as Freddie is too young to have built up a titer. He recommended isolating Freddie from Bella for 5-6 weeks until Freddie can get 3 FeLV vaccines in him, so that's what I'm going to do. He said Freddie is about 8 weeks, but he recommended waiting another week or two to be sure it won't hurt him.He said to wait until Freddie is about 4-5 months to test him for FeLV. He said a lot of small kittens test negative who really do have FeLV, so he thinks it is a waste of money at this point.~Ashleigh (who likes vets who care about my pocketbook) __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com 

Re: Advice Needed

2006-06-12 Thread Ashleigh Smith
LOL . . "if you do get attached to Freddie . . ."TOO LATE! He's already been made a member of the family. I took it as a sign from Pepper that Freddie arrived at my doorstep last night :-)Freddie and Bella will just have to live separate and apart for a while. Right now, Bella's food, water, and litter are in the guest/computer room. Freddie is set up in the master bathroom (which is about as big as a small bedroom). We'll have to live this way for a while, I guess. When Freddie gets older, I'm going to see about letting him sleep in my daughter's room. (Bella usually sleeps in my room.)~Ashleighwendy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Hi Ashley,I would not use Frontline on a kitten that young,
 butothers here might have had more experience with akitten this young. You might do better just pickingthe fleas off his little body with your fingers orusing a very fine tooth comb.Definitely, I would keep Bella and Freddie away fromeach other, and not sharing litter boxes orfood/water. Freddie could catch it from Bella, andthat would be bad since he's so little. And Bellacould 'catch' it/be made worse from Freddie. Theexperts don't know much about FeLV, but I suspectthere is more than one strain of this virus like somany other viruses (which would explain why somekitties fight it off and others don't, and why thesymtoms/illnesses are so vast). If this is true,Bella could catch more than one strain, thus makingher worse off. And vice versa for Freddie.Unfortunately, if he is NOT FeLV positive (which wouldbe great), you will have to keep them separated for along time because he is a kitten
 and is notvaccinated. Kittens are so susceptible. If he's not,then you might consider finding him a new home ifpossible. You truly do have a situation right now,but it will resolve itself given time. But if you doget attached to Freddie, then you will find a way tokeep both babies, even if they have to be separatedfor some time.It's so weird that another black kitten found youafter losing Pepper so soon. That's exactly whathappened to me after I lost my black kitty Cricket. And the two are so similar, like your Pepper andFreddie, so I just consider it a blessing from aboveand a reward of sorts because I loved Cricket so muchand grieved for him so hard. Life is funny sometimes!Thank you for not turning Freddie away. :)Wendy__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
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Re: OT-Anyone know of safe ways to deal w/ ants?

2006-06-12 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I've heard cayenne works too, but I've never personally used it.~AshleighBarb Moermond [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  I seem to recall spearmint leaves being good deterrents.[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   All of sudden we have bunches of little red ants in our house. My hubby likes to use Terro, which I don't like at all around the furkids  my human kid. Any ideas? Thanks!Barb+Smoky the House Puma+El Bandito Malito"My cat the clown: paying no mind to whom he should impress. Merely living his life, doing what
 pleases him, and making me smile." - Anonymous  __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com  __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com 

Re: test results

2006-06-05 Thread Ashleigh Smith
About Belfield's Mega C . . .I ordered some, but Bella will not touch it! I've tried mixing minuscule amountb in both canned Felidae and dry California Naturals. If she detects the faintest amount, she will not eay it. (We had a battle of wills in which that was all I offered her for 2 1/2 days. She won. She never ate it. I finally relented since I don't think fasting can be all that good for her . . .)Do any of you have tricks to get a cat to eat the Mega C? (I've thougth about mixing it with water and putting it on her coats, but I haven't done that yet.) I cannot understand how an animal that licks its hindquarters refuses to eat Mega C. Go figure . . .~AshleighBelinda [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Don't know if anyone answered you but yes the test results could definitely change in several months. The in house test is not 100% accurate, if you get a positive in house test I would wait atleast 3 months and retest using an IFA or PCR test, they are better tests. Also in the meantime while your waiting to retest, get them on the best food you can afford, and interferon if you can. There are other supplements like Mega C plus I would use also, you can find that here:http://www.belfield.com/products.htmlHere is an article he wrote that you may find interesting:http://www.belfield.com/article2.html-- Belindahappiness is being owned by cats ...Be-Mi-Kittieshttp://bemikitties.comPost Adoptable FeLV/FIV/FIP Cats/Kittenshttp://adopt.bemikitties.comFeLV Candlelight Servicehttp://bemikitties.com/clsHostDesign4U.com [affordable hosting  web
 design]http://HostDesign4U.comBMK Designs [non-profit animals websites]http://bmk.bemikitties.com __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com 

Re: fleas, Frontline and FeLV

2006-06-04 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Yes, flea dirt is excrement. If you put a bit on a wet paper towel, you will see it turn red (because of the blood in it.) That's how you can tell it isn't real dirt, but flea excrement. I use Frontline every 3 months as a preventative measure, and Bella has never had fleas.~Ashleighgwork [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  I was always told the "flea dirt" was flea excrement/waste. You can see those flecks or droppings anywhere the animal has been as they drop off the body. At any rate, I agree that if someone is seeing them without having to look very hard, there is an infestation that needs attention ASAP.Krishttp://www.spazstory.zoomshare.com- Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>To:
 Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 12:45 AMSubject: Re: fleas, Frontline and FeLVI would treat them all if they have been exposed to the dog which is known to have fleas. Frontline is a good choice. I would NOT use Revolution in a immune  compromised cat. I assume by black nits you mean the black flecks you see in/on the  coat, also sometimes called "flea dirt". It's actually dried BLOOD from the flea  bites. If it's enough for you to SEE it without digging through the coat, the dog is  indeed INFESTED BADLY and being EATEN ALIVE by this point. Phaewryn (was Jenn, changed name) http://ucat.us http://ucat.us/domesticcatlinks.html Adopt a cat from Little Cheetah (UCAT) Cat Rescue: http://ucat.us/adopt.html PLEASE DONATE TO THE TANGLE FUND: Tangle is a cat in Greece that was severely
 injured when someone wrapped  wire around his neck to strangle him, Little Cheetah Cat Rescue is raising funds to bring Tangle to Vermont to  find him a good home! http://ucat.us/tangle-fund.html DONATE: We could really use a power saw (for construction), a digital  camera (for pictures), and more towels! --  No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.1/354 - Release Date: 6/1/2006  __Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com 

Re: Allergic-type reaction to EVO?

2006-06-01 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Bella didn't do so well on EVO either--runny, lethal poops when she ate it. I use California Naturals now, and she's thriving. The vet told me that she's one of the healthiest cats he's ever seen. I also use a little Omega 3 supplement on her food. (I am a big believer in that stuff. I take the human capsules, and I use some Omega 3 that I got from the vet for Bella's food. Her coat is absolutely fabulous, especially considering the hot weather here.Have you considered that either seasonal allergies or an allergy to cat litter dust might be the problem?~Ashleigh[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Hi All!As the title suggests, I'm wondering if anyone who uses Innova EVO dryhas noticed any type of allergic-type reactions in their cats? I'vebeen desperately trying to figure out what it is that is makingSleepypants so sneezy/watery-eyed/unable to breathe propery, etc.! Ipretty much had chalked it up to inhalant allergies when, on a whim (andwhy I didn't think of this sooner, I'll never know), I switched out thecats' dry food to Solid Gold just for a change. About two weeks later,I noticed that SP's symptoms were lessening and now (after about 3-4weeks on Solid Gold) he's completely symptom-free! I also noticed thatLola, who also suffered a bit w/ watery eyes, has become symptom-free atabout the same rate!I'm not sure what to make of it as I always thought food allergiesmanifested themselves differently (itchy/flaky
 skin...although I havenoticed that SP's fur has greatly improved over the slightlygreasy/dandruffy coat he had while on EVO)...I'm trying to figure outwhether or not something in the food can cause eye/nose/respiratoryissues? I guess the only way to know for sure whether it was the foodwould be to try EVO again for about 6 weeks and see what happens...butSP and Lola just look so good, I don't want to stop whatever it is I'mdoing right! ;)So for a start, I'd like to ask around and see if anyone else has had aproblem with EVO?Thanks, guys!Jen"But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will beunique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; Youbecome responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine deSaint-Exupéry"If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will knoweach
 other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and whatyou do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." --Chief DanGeorge"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long..." --Blade Runner
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Re: Allergic-type reaction to EVO?

2006-06-01 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I would think that allergies could develop at any time. That's how it works with people, anyway.~Ashleigh[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Yeah, the vet and I had chalked it up to seasonal allergies...but afterseeing the improvement in SP's coat, I have to think that there's atleast a food link there...litter dust could be another factor that Ihadn't considered with Lola as I just switched litters, I think, justbefore I noticed an improvement with her symptoms. SP developed hissymptoms around late January which is still a little early for seasonal,but certainly not out of the question for Houston, TX! ;)Perhaps
 there are two issues going on: food allergies andseasonal/litter (inhalant) allergies? I'm having a difficult timebelieving that the food would affect respiratory/eyes...so I'll indeedstick with the new litter I bought (also on a whim simply because Icouldn't get to Sam's to get their usual litter)! Can cats suddenlydevelop allergies to things they've been exposed to most of their lives?"But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will beunique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world; Youbecome responsible, forever, for what you have tamed..." --Antoine deSaint-Exupéry"If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will knoweach other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and whatyou do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." --Chief DanGeorge"The flame that burns twice
 as bright burns half as long..." --Blade Runner- Original Message -From: Ashleigh Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Date: Thursday, June 1, 2006 9:39 amSubject: Re: Allergic-type reaction to EVO?To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Bella didn't do so well on EVO either--runny, lethal poops when she  ate it. I use California Naturals now, and she's thriving. The  vet told me that she's one of the healthiest cats he's ever seen.  I also use a little Omega 3 supplement on her food. (I am a big  believer in that stuff. I take the human capsules, and I use some  Omega 3 that I got from the vet for Bella's food. Her coat is  absolutely fabulous, especially considering the hot weather here.  Have you considered that either seasonal allergies or an allergy  to cat litter dust might be the problem?  ~Ashleigh  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote: Hi All!  As the title suggests, I'm wondering if anyone who uses Innova EVO dry has noticed any type of allergic-type reactions in their cats? I've been desperately trying to figure out what it is that is making Sleepypants so sneezy/watery-eyed/unable to breathe propery, etc.! I pretty much had chalked it up to inhalant allergies when, on a whim  (andwhy I didn't think of this sooner, I'll never know), I switched  out the cats' dry food to Solid Gold just for a change. About two weeks later, I noticed that SP's symptoms were lessening and now (after about 3-4 weeks on Solid Gold) he's completely symptom-free! I also noticed that Lola, who also suffered a bit w/ watery eyes, has become symptom- free at about the same rate!  I'm not sure what to make of it as I always thought food allergies manifested themselves differently
 (itchy/flaky skin...although I have noticed that SP's fur has greatly improved over the slightly greasy/dandruffy coat he had while on EVO)...I'm trying to figure out whether or not something in the food can cause eye/nose/respiratory issues? I guess the only way to know for sure whether it was the food would be to try EVO again for about 6 weeks and see what happens...but SP and Lola just look so good, I don't want to stop whatever it is I'm doing right! ;)  So for a start, I'd like to ask around and see if anyone else has  had a problem with EVO?  Thanks, guys!  Jen   "But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the  world; You become responsible, forever, for what you
 have tamed..." --Antoine de Saint-Exupéry  "If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and  whatyou do not know you will fear. What one fears one destroys." -- Chief Dan George  "The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long..." -- Blade Runner  - New Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Call regular phones from your PC  and save big.
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Every Cat is Special

2006-05-24 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Please forgive me for sending this long story, but it touched my heart. May it touch youra as well.~AshleighEVERY CAT IS SPECIALby Larry McCarley That particular night we were not sure what we had seen, or  indeed if we had seen anything. At first he seemed more shadow than substance, allowing us  only the occasional glimpse. But there definitely was something  out there, and that something was feline -- a cat black as the  darkest night, illuminated by two golden eyes, half-moons at their  centers -- wise eyes that we later discovered seemed to peer into  our very souls. We named our mysterious night visitor Othello. We could not  have known at the time that his name was so well
 chosen. For some time, our relationship with Othello was  unpredictable. One day he might allow a momentary touch, the next  day he would keep his distance. Then, on one remarkable day in September, Othello apparently  decided we met his qualifications for companions, and simply walked  through the door into his new home. Within a few days we took Othello to our veterinarian, where  he tested positive for feline leukemia. After agonizing over the  decision, because of the possible danger to our other cats, we  decided to take the risk and keep Othello with us. We have never regretted our decision. Othello became the most affectionate cat imaginable, gentle  and loving, almost as if he were making up for lost
 time. One by one our other cats accepted Othello, but the most  remarkable relationship from the very beginning was struck between  Othello and Barclay, our year-old Sheltie. They quickly forged an  almost inseparable bond and thus became the quintessential odd couple. For Othello, being held for the first time in his life was a  unique sensation, one he came to enjoy immensely. Lying supine in  the crook of his bearer's elbow, he would coolly survey his new  surroundings, using subtle body movements to steer his bearer where  he wanted to go, looking like a benign little black Buddha  reclining rather immodestly in their arms. For that matter, most of the things more fortunate cats enjoy  were, for Othello, a new and unique sensation. We were somewhat  surprised
 to discover how much he enjoyed being brushed. Sitting  as if posing for a Steinlen poster, he would in the process of our  brushing him slowly dissolve like India ink onto the carpet. But  the real payoff for us during these moments was the look he would  give us -- that wonderful look only a cat can give, that says  unequivocally, "I love you." Not a day passed the next few months that Othello did not  repay in some way all our efforts to woo him. Then March came, escorted by the ill wind that blows no good,  and Othello began to show the first serious symptoms of his  illness. At the suggestion of our vet we carried this ailing but  marvelous cat, "tame" for only a short while, almost two hundred  miles round trip to Texas AM Veterinary Hospital. True to form,  Othello made the trip
 with flying colors, charming one attending  veterinarian so much that on his discharge sheet she noted that he  was "one of the sweetest cats she had ever worked with" -- a  sentiment previously voiced by our own veterinarian and her staff. But the diagnosis, though not wholly unexpected, was  nevertheless heartbreaking. Othello had spinal lymphoma. He would  slowly become paralyzed and had only a few months. We were told  that we could, for a while, keep him free of pain with medication. We of course did much more than that. With due concern for  our other animal companions, we determined to indulge Othello's  every whim, cater to his every need, and dote on him night and  day. The choice carried high monetary and emotional cost, but such  was the commitment we had made the very moment
 Othello walked  through the door and into our hearts. And Othello was worth every penny spent, every tear shed. Throughout his ordeal he never complained, never once lost his  dignity, never surrendered his indomitable spirit. Quite the  contrary, he displayed nobility rarely found in our own species. On a beautiful day in June, Othello lost his gallant fight  against impossible odds. Othello is God's cat now -- lurking in angel-grass ready to  pounce on celestial mice, safe forever in a place where he never  again will be cold, or hungry, or hurting. Coming across the book, All I Need to Know I Learned From My  Cat, I realized that what I had learned from Othello was, in  contrast, distinctively singular.
 Othello taught me that even  though he was so very special to us, he really was not all that  different from other cats. He also taught me that any cat is a  wonderful creature deserving of our care and love. In short, I learned Othello's Lesson -- every cat is special. Recently I read that the earliest recorded name for a cat  comprises two hieroglyphs, that four thousand years ago, meant  "house" and "divine ruler." Assuming this is so, I marvel at how  little cats, and our 

Re: new needing help

2006-05-23 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I can't help you with the kittens and adoption (2 reasons - 1, I'm in Mississippi--not Kentucky, and 2, I'm allergic to most cats and cannot adopt one without having first been around it to see if I react or not since some aggravate my allergies more than others). However, I do have a 1 1/2 year old FeLV+ cat who's thriving right now. My holistic vet said the most important thing is to keep them healthy with a good diet (like Felidae or California Naturals) and to keep them happy and stress-free. For that reason, if I were you, I'd try to place the kittens together if possible, or at least split them 2 and 2 so they'll have littermates to play with . . .also get thm on good food.Sorry I couldn't be of more help.~Ashleigh[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  I'm new, so here
 goes. I rescued 4 kittens born in my back yard by a stray who tested positive. Now I guess I have 4 kittens in my possession who are also positive. Is there any chance these kittens could end up negative after a few months? Can they sometimes fend off this infection in some way? I have 8 cats already, and trying to keep 4 kittens separated from them is almost impossible. I thought you had one member who was from the Ky area(which I am, also).I would love to hear from her regarding any possible sanctuaries, or great-souled people who might consider adding positives to their home. Does anyone ever have any luck finding adopters? I'm heartsick and soo desperate.Please help.
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Re: Check out Shelter kills five puppies by mistake |TheNewsTribune.com | Ta...

2006-05-23 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Maybe if they spent that 7 million spaying and neutering strays, they wouldn't have so many end up being killed. Hm. Cheap vets charge about 50 bucks to spay/neuter. 140,000 (if my math is right, which is may not be) animals could be spayed or neutered with 7 million bucks!~Ashleighgary [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  My god, the numbers for 2005 and 2004 show a euthanasia rate of about 50% In 2004 that was almost 25 EVERY DAY. This place must employ a full time death squad. These guysare years away from anything vaguely resembling "no-kill", they wouldn't even know how to start.Their IRS 990 form
 (income and expenses, available at www.guidestar.org ) shows that in 2004 their income was over a million dollars more than their expenses and they had over 7 million in cash and other assets. Shows what you can do when running a slaughterhouse. You'd think they might consider taking a few million and building a larger facility so they wouldn't need to kill so many healthy and adoptable animals to have room to take in more animals. They might also want to consider a few more dollars on vet care as their kill rate for "medical reasons" seems very high.I work with a real no-kill shelter and we hardly ever put an animal down except in extreme circumstances. Of course, we are always broke and Tacoma has 7 million dollars.Gary  - Original Message -   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]   To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org   Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]   Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 8:53 AM  Subject: Check out Shelter
 kills five puppies by mistake |TheNewsTribune.com | Ta...This is one of the reasons I hate dealing withcertain shelters/humane societies up here. This person just got caught but it happens all the time and it leaked out to the press.   They use the "No Kill Policy" that is a crock of you know what.http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/5760227p-5151648c.htmlShelter kills five puppies by mistake | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA   
	
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Re: OT - kitten dosage of advantage?

2006-05-18 Thread Ashleigh Smith
This is going to sound kind of gross, so stop reading now if you're squeamish . . .If you're worried about the kittens being too young fron Advantage, but they have fleas, you might try to just kill the feals manually. If the cat is light-colored, they're much easier to see. Get a cheap pair of tweezers (not the same ones you use on your brows--eww) and crush the fleas between them. They like to hide on the face, especially.This is not exactly a very effective method of flea control, but it would help until the kitten gets a few weeks older and you feel safer about using Advantage. Yes, it is time-consuming, and it is not for the squeamish, but it could buy you a couple weeks. (I'd also BOLO for tapeworms. Where there are fleas, there are likely to be tapeworms.)And, no, Bella does not now have nor has she ever had fleas (since she's
 always inside and I keep her on Frontline as a preventive measure), but when I was growing up, my best friend's cat had a litter of kittens 1-2 times per year, and since the mama cat was indoor/outdoor, she brought fleas to the kittens.(This was before Bob Barker began urging folks to spay and neuter their pets.) Katherine and I used to pick fleas off the kittens. (We tried just picking them off at first and drowning them, but those vermin would not die, so we got the tweezer idea. It's amazing the stuff a 10-year-old can dream up. It worked, though.)~Ashleigh[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Thanks, Karen - what about kittens that are 8-10 weeks?GloriaAt 11:12 PM 5/17/2006, you wrote:what age Gloria my vet said nothing under 8
 weeks.Karen
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Re: my first sign from Allie

2006-05-18 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Sylvia Browne would say it's from Allie, that's for sure. It sounds like Allie's letting you know that she's fine on the other side (though it is still hard on the people left behind).~AshleighJennifer Ross [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:Well, Allie has already shown me her presence and that she is watching over me. When doing laundry today I was emptying out my husband's pants pockets as always and found a tiny scrap of paper. I sent it aside to throw away along with everything else. When I looked at it again a few hours later I noticed it was shaped like a cat's head and was orange!!! I asked my husband about it- where he got it, why it was in his pocket, etc., and he had no memory of it. I couldn't help but think Allie sent me that tiny scrap of paper to let me
 know she's OK and that's she with me.Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.
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Re: Bella's Visit with a New Vet - (vaccination)

2006-05-15 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I'm with you, Nina. I had a cat actually DIE from over-vaccination. He got a vaccine-induced fibrosarcoma on his neck. We had surgery done on him, but the cancer returned. He went downhill very fast. I'm glad my new vet says that every three years is perfectly fine :-)~AshleighNina [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  There are two different rabies vaccines, one is "good" for 3 years and another is an annual shot. Don't get me started on the whole over-vaccination thing. I've got an IBD girl who almost died because of over-vaccination. There's just no reason to keep pumping our babies with poison, except maybe paranoia and the veterinary community desiring an excuse to have you visit the office at least once a year. NinaJennifer Ross
 wrote: Interesting that Mississippi requires rabies annually-- PA and CT (the  2 states where I have had cats) only requires every 3 years for  rabies. My vets have always stuck to that, but recommended annual  distemper (?sp) and leukemia (a lot of good that annual leukemia shot  did Allie!)  
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Bella's Visit with a New Vet

2006-05-13 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I took Bella to see a holistic veterinarian today to discuss FeLV treatments. I liked him immediately, and he was very knowledgable about the importance of a good diet. (Every other vet. I've ever been to hawks corn-based foods in their office as the best choice, but this guy has analyzed ingredients in other foods and recommends those to his customers, and he's not making a profit on them either.)He examined Bella thoroughly, and she's the picture of health except for the slightly positive FeLV test last weekend. Since she's so healthy right now, he thinks she has a good chance of fighting off the virus herself. (He said 1/3 of the cats do this, and most of them are fed things like Meow Mix. Bella is at an advantage since I've fed her California Naturals since kittenhood.) He thinks we should try to keep her as healthy as possible so that she can fight this virus.
 He was already familiar with Dr. Belfield's work and has tremendous respect for him. He told me that people thought Belfield was nuts a long time ago, but that Belfield's beliefs long ago are now being proven to be true. He advised me to get the Mega C powder, to add a good B complex vitamin (and he likes Belfield's), and to use an Omega fatty acid supplement. (I bought one in his office.) He also mentioned that antioxidants couldn't hurt either. He also said that vitamin D is crucial to having a good immune system (as are the other vitamins mentioned). Currently, we keep my daughter's blinds pulled up during the day, and Bella loves to lie in the sunlight. He says that that is very healthy.He wasn't very gung-ho on interferon and said he's not convinced that it helps. He says that it is human-made and that its use, in his opinion,is not totally risk-free. He said that it could
 possibly make things worse. (He did say that he would be happy to get it for me if I still wanted it, but he also told me that if Bella were his cat, he would not.) He felt like it was safest to let her well-nourished body work against the virus. That's what we're going to do for now, since she is extremely healthy--much more so than typical cats, according to him (mainly due to her good diet).I just ordered Dr. Belfield's Mega C and Vitamin B complex and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I'll keep everyone posted on her progress.~AshleighP.S. Cat foods that he really likes are Nutro Natural Choice Lamb  Rice(NOT Max), Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance, I.V.D., California Naturals, and Felidae. He said that he's seen animals who were totally unresponsive to traditional treatments do a complete 180 when they are put on a good
 diet.
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Re: Bella's Visit with a New Vet

2006-05-13 Thread Ashleigh Smith
You know, it really makes me downright angry to think of how much the traditional vets are doing a disservice to their patients by hawking Hill's products. I cannot recall the source at all, but I remember reading something about them getting some sort of benefit from the company for selling their food. (Hmmm, sounds a bit like people docs promoting the drugs of whichever rep. just sent them on a fishing trip, doesn't it?) For years, I fed Fred (my cat who dies of vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma) Hill's Science Diet. My vet recommended it as the best, and I happily spent the bucks on my kitty. I truly believe that people are actually being swindled when an animal "expert" recommends an expensive, unhealthy cat food. (Can you tell I feel strongly about this?) It was only because of information given to me by Bella's breeder that I started to really look at cat food ingredients. Thank goodness she was more enlightened than
 the local vets. Also, I do not think traditional vets are all bad. They generally do a good job, IMO, except for the food thing. Alos, I think they're too vaccine-happy. The holistic vet I saw today said vaccinating every three years (rather than annually) is fine. He then asked about Mississippi's law on frequency of rabies vaccinations. I told him they're required annually, but I also told him that the cops could come arrest me in my home if they needed to. I doubt, with all the FEMA trailer park crimes and meth labs exploding in this area, that they're too concerned about me and my indoor kitty. He laughed and agreed with me :-)~AshleighLance [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  Thanks for keeping us informed, Ashleigh. The holistic
 vet that you're seeing sounds like a good one. Because my allopathic vet voted down the Mega C, I'm going to start taking Ember to a holistic vet, in addition to the allopathic vet, who I do like very much. Interesting that the holistic vet voted down interferon. I had a consult call with the holistic vet here, and she wasn't big on interferon either. However, when we were talking about reversing positives, she said that she had done that once... with interferon. My allopathic guy had at least one reversal on interferon also. Hard to say if the interferon did it, however.Your comment about allopathic vets displaying corn-based crap in their offices is so on the money. I don't understand how or why it happens, and it makes me wonder just how highly the average allopathic vet regards nutrition and how much they understand about it. Unlike you, I'd had Ember on pretty bad (but supposedly good) food (Hill's
 Prescription Diet t/d) for most of her life, and it was recommended by our allopathic vet in Madison. When she tested positive and I started researching, I was shocked to find out just how bad that stuff is. It seems like, with the premium they charge, Hill's could manage better ingredients. They won't be getting any more of my money, if I can help it.Glad to hear that Bella's doing well. Please continue to keep us posted.Lance
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Re: fw from Robert Macdowell (herbalist)

2006-05-09 Thread Ashleigh Smith
Since I'm new to this list, I may be jumping in to something that's already been discussed, but I like World's Best Cat Litter. It's made from corn, I think. No pine, no clay, and no perfumes. It does a good job on the odor, too. (Of course, I do scoop every day so it doesn't get to be too much.)~Ashleigh[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:really??? I never heard that. They still sell the pine litter and I use it for Quincy. Where did you hear that?I know that cedar is toxic to small animals that use it for bedding...  MichelleIn a message dated 5/7/2006 10:23:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:  I thought pine resin was toxic to cats, that's why there's the big whoop-te-do over the pine based litters these days...
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Long Introduction

2006-05-07 Thread Ashleigh Smith
My name is Ashleigh. I lost my cat of 7 years last night. Pepper was FeLV+.The long story starts several years ago. In 1991, I adopted a cat, Fred, from a no-kill shelter. He was 3 at the time and very healthy. I faithfully got his annual vaccinations for everything, including FeLV. In 1998, Fred got a lump on his neck. It was vaccine-associated sarcoma. Even though we knew it was a long shot, we elected to have the mass removed and hoped that he'd be in the minuscule percentage of cats for whom VAS doesn't return. He wasn't. The lump came back, and we eventually had him put to sleep when he could no longer eat or drink well on his own and had a poor quality of life. It just about killed me. To think that I bascially killed him by being what I thought was a good cat mom by never missing his annual shots tore me up.A few months after
 Fred died, in 1999, I got Pepper from a co-worker whose cat had had kittens. That solid black furball was so sweet. When he was a tiny kitten, he used to sleep on my chest, right below my neck at night. Unfortunately, about that time, I started getting sick a lot. Since my workplace had roof leaks when it rained, I suspected a mold allergy, and went to get allergy tested. I was horrified when tests showed that I was VERY allergic to cats. (The doctor said some cats are worse than others for allergies--just a crap shoot. He said it wasn't starnge that I could've been around Fred without getting sick a lot but not Pepper.) I tried everything to keep Pepper inside--wekkly baths, MSM supplements for me, allergy shots for me. Nothing worked. Therefore, Pepper went from being an indoor-outdoor cat to being an outdoor cat. He liked being outside, and I'd still go pet him outside--I'd just have to wash up when I got
 inside.Now, when Pepper was a kitten, I'd gotten him his vaccinations. However, given Fred's horrible death from over-vaccinating, I did my research before blingly following veterinary advice with Pepper. Just about everything I read said that vaccines every 3 years were sufficient, so that's what I did. I also had the vet use adjuvant-free vaccines and never give them in his neck. He did get the FeLV vaccine as a kitten, as a young adult, and just last year. I assumed he'd be safe from kitty diseases.Last February, I got another cat. She is a special breed that is supposed to be much less allergenic that others, and she was. She was able to live in my house without making me sick. When we got her, we had all of her vaccinations done EXCEPT FeLV. We didn't think it was necessary since she is a 100% indoor cat, and since Pepper had been vaccinated for FeLV
 for those rare times when he comes inside. Remember, I was very leery of vaccines, especially since Fred had died of VAS, and didn't want to vaccinate more than was absolutely necessary.Well, since Hurricane Katrina, Pepper just hadn't been himself. (We live on he Missisippi Gulf Coast and had 4' of water in our house. The cats were okay, and the house has been gutted and re-sheetrocked. With my home uninhabitable, I moved to Louisiana to my mom's house with my indoor cat. Pepper stayed in Mississippi where my husband was "roughing it," and David kept feeding him and taking care of him--even though David was living down the street at a neighbor's house that was higher than ours and didn't flood. The indoor cat, my daughter,and I moved to my parents' hosue where they live withtheir cat.) We've always had a few feral cats in the neighborhood, but their population has skyrocketed since
 Katrina. My cat food bill is high since I feed not only Pepper but also a ton of feral strays (and a raccoon)in the neighborhood who come eat his food.Overthe past 2 weeks or so, Pepper had lost a lot of weight. Since one of my students is my vet's daughter, I mentioned to her mom that Pepper was looking really skinny and that I was going to bring him in in a fewdays for a check-up. She told me that he might've gotten worms and that they'd check him.Well, when I got home that afternoon, I couldn't find Pepper. I went through the neighborhood calling him and couldn't find him. I feared the worst--that he was really sick and had gone off to die. Well, yesterday afternoon, Pepper returned. He was limping, and his right back foot was swollen and infected from a bite. Infection had set in, and you could smell the decay. Flies were around him (and he's always been a very
 fastidious cat).I rushed him to the emergency vet's office, where thay saw that something had bitten him--possibly a snake or some other animal. They worked up an estimate to fix him up and were going to do an FeLV/FIV test as a routine matter. I didn't expect anything to show up since he'd been vaccinated for FeLV. Well, the vet called later last night, and he was FeLV+. Given his poor condition and the fact that his ELISA test was a very strong positive, plus his WBC's were low, and he had some anemia, his prognosis wasn't good. I talked with my 

Thank you!

2006-05-07 Thread Ashleigh Smith
I'd like to than keveryone who responded to my introductory message. All this education is helping me feel less helpless about what I can do to help Bella. My regular vet's wife called me this morning, and I told her what had happened last night. She told me that they re-test Bella and send it to a lab to see if it might be negative. However, my rgular vet recommends a wait-and-see approach. Keep feeding her good food and get her in the office at the first sign of illness. Personally, I prefer a bit more proactive approach.I've found a holistic vet in Mobile, Alabama, and I'm going to make an appointment to have him see Bella as soon as school is out (May 23). I'm hoping maybe he'll recommend a regimen that can hopefully reverse the faint positive or, at least, keep her a healthy as possible. Low-dose human interferon, transfer factor, and Dr. Belfield's vitamin C look quite promising, from
 what you've all told me. I'm also planning to get the Bach's Rescue Remedy. I can use that as much as Bella can!Overall, things are looking up a little since I've learned a bit more about this horrid disease. There is still hope, especially since Bella is asymptomatic.She's been eating California Naturals dry food and drinking Kentwood spring water. I drove to Mobile this afternoon and also picked up some canned Felidae for her. I think I'm going to give her the Felidae a couple times a week, in addition to the California Naturals. I'm so glad I've been feeding her good food thus far becaus she might be wrose off if I hadn't. (I tried Innova's Evo a while back, but it made her BM's lethal in the litterbox. She tolerates the California Naturals much better--less things to aggravate her tummy.)Thanks again for all your helpful
 advice. I look forward to learning more from you, and I pray that each of your FeLV+ cats improves as time passes. I'll keep you posted about Bella.~AshleighP.S. The manual looks most helpful. I just printed it and am about to read it in its entirety.
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