[Felvtalk] Please add Onyx to the CLS
Onyx lost her battle with FeLV tonight. Please add her to the CLS Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] fyi: pet food buy out
NO! My dog has a sensitive stomach and California Natural was the first food he'd eaten (non-prescription) that didn't upset his stomach, he's been eating it for almost two years. My cats eat the CN dry, even the feral I feed eats it. Not anymore. The search begins again. Thanks for the heads-up! Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Is anyone here familiar with The Honest Kitchen cat food?
I came across a mention of this food on Catster, and checked it out online. The cat food, Prowl, is listed as dehydrated raw but when I asked if it was safe for a FeLV+ cat, the company responded that the chicken is "essentially cooked" and so should be safe. They sent me a nutrition information sheet that I could forward to my vet to get her opinion. I left a voice mail with my vet asking about the food, but I don't expect to hear from her until tomorrow (today is her day off, well deserved). I was feeding my dog frozen raw for awhile, but the vet I was using at that time advised against it, citing salmonella and e. coli exposure risks - not uncalled-for, given the big recall Nature's Variety is now conducting! I did some research online and got a lot of conflicting viewpoints. So I turn again to all of you! Is the risk the same for dehydrated raw? Are any of you familiar with this food? What do you think of feeding this type of food to FeLV cats? Thank you! Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Subject: vaccination questions
You can have titre tests done to check the level of antibody in the cat's system. I would say just forgo the vaccinations and/or titres if you are sure that the cat won't be hospitalized or boarded. Many vet hospitals and boarding facilities will not allow an animal to be admitted without proof of vaccination. While a certificate from your vet may get you past any state laws (like in NY) that require rabies vaccination, vet hospitals and boarding facilities are breeding grounds for germs and your kitty may end up exposed and unprotected. My vet pointed this out to me when I brought Horus (who has asthma) & Blackie in for their annuals and questioned annual vaccinations. Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Advice on annual re-testing and vaccinating - THANK YOU!!
I just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice. Horus and Blackie had their check-ups yesterday, and I am very happy to let you know that they are still FeLV negative. They got their FeLV boosters, and I feel so relieved to know that they are both still virus free. I didn't realize how worried I was until I got the test results! Thank you! Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Advice on annual re-testing and vaccinating please?
It's been about a year now since Cinder was pts due to advanced sarcoma caused by FeLV. 3 Months after learning of the cause of Cinder's cancer, Onyx tested FeLV+ (Elisa & IFA), but Horus & Blackie tested negative and were vaccinated. The vet (a great vet!) is recommending re-testing and booster vax for both Horus & Blackie. I see and understand her point of view, but I'm not sure about re-testing, and I'm on the fence about the vaccine. The reason I'm thinking of not re-testing is that I wouldn't do anything different since all the cats are healthy and on a very good diet. All the cats were already adults when introduced to each other, and lived together for over a year before Onyx's diagnosis. The vet feels that since the three cats are not separated, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks (only 2% of cats who receive the FeLV vaccine develop fibrosarcoma at the vaccination site). However, I'm not sure if re-vaccinating is a good idea if either or both are now positive, which is where I'm stuck. They are both going to the vet on Monday morning for check ups and rabies vaccinations. Any advice? What would you do? Thanks, Avia ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Advice please?
I've been a member here for a while, although I don't post much. I lost a 20 month old cat (Cinder) to FeLV a year ago. We found out her status post-mortem and through subsequent testing of my other three cats found one of them (Onyx) to be FeLV+ as well (Elisa and IFA). The other two (Horus & Blackie) have been vaccinated, and will be re-tested soon. I did not separate them after learning that Onyx was + because - well, any of you who mix your +'s and -'s know why. Although there is no 100% sure way to know which cat gave the FeLV to the other, we are working on the assumption that Onyx had it to begin with and gave it to Cinder. Cinder was 9 weeks old when we adopted from ACC, and Onyx was about 20 months old at the time. I got Onyx from a pet store (lesson learned!) and she was in sad shape, only six weeks old, dehydrated, malnourished, and with coccidia. I couldn't return her to the people who allowed her to get into that condition (as suggested by the vet I used at the time), but for whatever reason, testing her for FeLV never came up. Cinder was tested at the shelter, and came back negative. Horus and Blackie both tested negative when they joined our family. At first I thought Cinder tested false negative because of her age, but in my many conversations with many, many people it seems more likely that Onyx had it from birth (or shortly after, she has never been exposed to FeLV other than with Cinder) and gave it to Cinder (they were very close as almost as soon as I brought Cinder home). Cinder developed a URI shortly after leaving the shelter, which Onyx caught, of course. Onyx had a much harder time beating the URI, part of which was due to a poorly prescribed antibiotic. I realize now that it may have been the FeLV that made it so hard for her to kick it. So, Onyx is now four years and a couple of months old. She is healthy and active, and I have been so happy that she seems to be one of those cats who lives a long time with this virus. Until I spoke to a woman from a rescue group doing cat adoptions in a nearby pet store. Through conversation I told Onyx's story and this woman kindly (hah!) informed me that the life expectancy for a cat with FeLV in the bone marrow is five years, so while I'm lucky she's survived this long, I shouldn't expect Onyx to be around a whole lot longer. Which brings me to the advice I would like: What are the chances of a cat who is FeLV+ from birth living past 5? I have been reading all the posts about LCTI, but I am not clear on whether you start when they develop symptoms or while they are still healthy. Does anyone here know if recurrent FLUTD is commonly seen in FeLV+ cats? Horus tested negative and was vaccinated, but he's lost two pounds in the last month (his appetite seems fine) and is in the middle of his third bout of FLUTD in as many months - he's also asthmatic. I am in panic mode right now. Should I re-test him early? Any advice anyone here can give me would be very much appreciated. Avia Rauscher ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
