Kelley,
How cool is that! What a lucky kitty!
:)
Wendy
--- catatonya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi Caroline,
>
> It sounds like you're doing everything you can.
> I'm sure by now someone has mentioned taking doxy in
> case it's hemobartonella. If it's not hemobart the
> anemia is hard to beat, but there are people on the
> list who have bought 'good' time for their cats with
> various methods. 13 pounds is a good weight, and
> his behavior sounds good too. I hope the best for
> Monkee.
> tonya
>
> Caroline Kaufmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> wrote:
> Hi everyone. I wanted to provide an update
> on my FeLV pos. and lymphosarcoma cat Monkee. He
> saw his Vet yesterday to determine whether the
> Epogen had helped his anemia. The news was very
> bad. Apparently last week, when the anemia started,
> his Red Blood cell count was 13%. After a week (& 3
> doses of the Epogen), his RBC count was actually
> worse, 10%. However, Monkees White Blood Cell
> count is normal (it was down last week) and his
> lymphocyte count is normal. Dr. Daley also found a
> lymph node in his groin that is enlarged (but it
> cant be felt from the outside- it runs along the
> artery in the leg). His Vet said she thinks the
> FeLV is causing the problem, or it could be the
> lymphosarcoma, but when pressed, she said that she
> honestly doubted it was the cancer. She presented 3
> options: (1) a bone marrow aspirate/biopsy to
> determine what is going on at the cellular level;
> however, it is invasive and Monkee would need
> sedation- which he couldnt get anyway while
> so anemic (so he'd need a blood transfusion 1st,
> just to be able to do the biospy); However, the
> biopsy, in her opinion, would probably just tell us
> its FeLV causing the anemia; (2) a blood
> transfusion to literally buy me more time with him;
> (3) try another dose of chemo in hopes that the
> anemia is being caused by lymphosarcoma, although,
> as I said previously, she doubted it and that was a
> shot in the dark.
> My mother and I did not want to put this cat
> through chemo again (although he did very well with
> the first round). But now that he is actively
> anemic, there was no way I would do it, especially
> knowing that Dr. Daley really didnt think the chemo
> would actually help the situation. We also didnt
> want to put him through a bone marrow biopsy that
> would probably tell us what we already know, but
> dont want to admit
that for four years, I had the
> healthiest, beefiest, toughest cat in the world, who
> never even suffered from a urinary tract infection;
> who was so healthy, I wanted to test him a 3rd time
> this summer for FeLV because I was sure he didnt
> have it
.To now, out of nowhere, in a span of 2
> months, we have gone from that, to a severely
> anemic, suffering, FeLV cat with lymphosarcoma.
> Dr. Daley gave him days. Days. Which my mom and
> I were not prepared to hear at all. I mean, he is
> eating, drinking, using the litter box, he is thick
> (he was slightly overweight to begin with, so that
> is helping him now). Yes, hes not Monkee as I
> have known him, but he just doesnt look to me like
> hes on his last leg. When we questioned her on the
> days prognosis she explained that due to the FeLV
> virus, and the anemia, his body is not making RBC
> and his brain is not getting enough oxygen and
> although he seems okay now, he is dizzy,
> lightheaded, probably having vertigo, and all of
> that will continue to get worse because his body is
> not manufacturing RBC- which carry oxygen in the
> blood, and eventually, his eating/drinking and
> making it to the litter box will all drop off.
> We asked what could be done and she said, if you
> are not ready yet, she recommended the blood
> transfusion, which will give him about two weeks,
> and then the benefits of the transferred blood will
> wear off and he will start suffering the anemia
> symptoms again because his body is not producing
> its own RBC. She also said that morally, with FeLV
> cats, she will do 2 blood transfusions, and then
> that is it. It is fighting a losing battle and that
> is as far as she will take it.
> I was wrecked and my mother was crying too. I
> decided to pull myself together and still take
> Monkee to the Holistic Vet, Dr. Susan Maier, after
> we left Dr. Daleys. It was our first visit and I
> thought, I am so desperate right now, it cant hurt.
> A funny story about this visit: Monkee totally
> perked up as soon as we left Dr. Daleys (he hates
> it there!). Dr. Maier has a few black and white
> clinic cats that roam around and as soon as we
> walked in, Monkee, in his carrier, freaked out (he
> hates other catswhich is probably why he ended up
> with FeLV to begin with!). I was carrying his
> carrier on my shoulder to an exam room and I
> instantly felt the carrier get completely light-
> there was no longer 13 lbs of weight on my shoulder!
> I didnt understand what happened, but I turned
> around and all I saw was black and white x 3 (Monkee
> is black and white), and I just grabbed the first
> black and white form that was closest to me, and
> thank god, it was Monkee! He had opened
> the front flap of his pet carrierwidened the
> zipper I guess with his paw and then his face, and
> jumped out
in an effort to get the clinic cats
> that were following us to the exam room! I grabbed
> him just in time because he was already facing off
> against them ready to attack, and because he has
> FeLV, it scared me to death! But that is not the
> behavior of a cat on his last leg! As soon as we
> got in the room, he walked around and dug his paws
> under the door and meowed and basically, obsessed
> about the cats just outside the door! It was so
> funny! He really put on quite a show for Dr. Maier
> at his first visit! So there I am, with my tear
> streaked face, Kleenex all over the place and
> swollen eyes, and my cat is basically prancing
> around Dr. Maiers exam room acting like the King of
> the Jungle!
> Dr. Maier said there are things she can do to help
> support Monkees blood transfusion and make him feel
> better. So, we are trying Phosporus 30C, Clostrum,
> Thuja 30C and essence of flowers. Has anyone else
> tried these on an anemic cat and had any success?
> At this point, we will try anything. Plus, Monkee
> seemed to enjoy his Dr. Maier visit and the whole
> office had a totally different feel (far less
> clinical and hospital-like), which was good for both
> of us. Dr. Maier said he looks great and she is by
> no means ready to "give up on him yet."
> However, the one thing that is troubling me the
> most is that, my mom asked Dr. Daley if a FeLV cat
> suffering from anemia could ever come out of
> it/beat the anemia to a point were the anemia is in
> remission and the FeLV goes dormant again? (She was
> a biology teacher so she was thinking in terms of
> how other viruses behave). Dr. Daley responded,
> flat-out, no. Meaning, once its started, all you
> can do is buy more time via blood transfusions
> because it is a losing battle. I wanted to know
> what people on this list serve thought about that?
> I know I need to work on my denial- this is my
> first and only FeLV cat, so its all new. But this
> just seemed like such a troubling response?
> Monkee is at Dr. Daleys right now (and pissed!)
> getting his blood transfusion.
> I would appreciate any insight that anyone may
> have, now that I finally have some more info about
> Monkees condition
.
> Thx,
> Caroline in Kentucky
>
>
>
>
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