Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER. IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
WE ONCE had to board our poodle for a month when we went on a trip. When I picked her up, she was so hysterical that she could not calm down until she had seen all 3 of us and she would not let us out of her sight for days. I was really afraid she was going to have a heart attack so I took her by my mother's work and my father's so she could see we were all there. We swore that wew would never go anywhere unless she could go with us from that time on. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: On 7/25/2014 12:51 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: I have noticed that most ferals turn into cuddlebugs. I have noticed that they are the most anxious when you leave home. It seems they have found a good hoe and person and don't want to loose them. They also don't tolerate being boarded. BT was an old feral tom who lived a hard life before I saved him from a catfight battle wound that would have killed him. I visited with him every day in the hospital, and they said his demeanor was totally different when I was there. After he recovered and was well enough, he was neutered, and lived in my house under construction, where he enjoyed climbing up in the rafters, hunting mice, or curling up on a heated mat or a soft cat bed. He had kibble to eat whenever he wanted, and I would bring him canned food each day when I visited, and he would cuddle on my lap or stomach and purr for an hour. Then came the day I had to board BT for a few days while the house was being insulated. The stress pushed his fragile internal system over the edge. He had hemobart on top of barely functioning kidneys and poor heart function, and soon developed a bad heart murmur. When they brought him to me for a visit in a room, he was developing pulmonary edema and was having trouble breathing. They gave him oxygen while we waited for the vet to come examine him. There was no saving him this time. He probably would not have lived a whole lot longer even had he not been boarded. After I got the results from the necropsy, I would guess he would have had only a few months. But the stress from being boarded greatly accelerated his journey to life's end. BT was OK with the guys that were working on the house, and I saw him rub against one of their legs and enjoy some pets. Most of the time he would watch them work from the rafters. I was going to keep him in a 10' x 10' kennel outside the house during the insulation phase, but the clear tarps that protected from rain and wind would still flap or vibrate in the wind, and frightened BT. I thougt it was pretty nice out there with 2 dog houses, donut bed in one, blanket in another, lounge chair, picnic bench, but BT seemed upset, so I made the mistake of boarding him. Marsha ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
First off, Thank you all so much for your condolences. Smoosh was absolutely a 'cat of a lifetime' in every way (and every day), and losing her has rocked me to my core. My vet, Dr Stan Avezov of Pasadena Pets Hospital in Pasadena, CA could not have been any more wonderful with her, and supportive of us. He is compassionate and understanding to the nth degree, and I would never hesitate for a moment to advocate for him. We have financial limitations (Smoosh and Brynn were supposed to be weekend/temp fosters through a rescue until they tested + and their long term situations bailed on them) but he has consistently worked with us always for the greatest good for the girls throughout their lives. He also is absolutely my 'go to' for my other kitties as well, and we are kinda 'the Island of Misfit Toys' at my house. I have a kidney survivor, a senior, a cripple and a diabetic... Brynn continues to thrive with his help and guidance, although she really misses her Smoosh, as do I. I wish everyone had a vet like Dr Stan. Jennifer On Jul 26, 2014, at 4:02 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER. IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I know exactly what you mean by, 'cat of a lifetime'. My yang was absolutely that for me. I looked at pictures of her today without crying, but sometimes I hate the fact that I'll never get to see her again. On Jul 26, 2014 7:53 PM, Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: First off, Thank you all so much for your condolences. Smoosh was absolutely a 'cat of a lifetime' in every way (and every day), and losing her has rocked me to my core. My vet, Dr Stan Avezov of Pasadena Pets Hospital in Pasadena, CA could not have been any more wonderful with her, and supportive of us. He is compassionate and understanding to the nth degree, and I would never hesitate for a moment to advocate for him. We have financial limitations (Smoosh and Brynn were supposed to be weekend/temp fosters through a rescue until they tested + and their long term situations bailed on them) but he has consistently worked with us always for the greatest good for the girls throughout their lives. He also is absolutely my 'go to' for my other kitties as well, and we are kinda 'the Island of Misfit Toys' at my house. I have a kidney survivor, a senior, a cripple and a diabetic... Brynn continues to thrive with his help and guidance, although she really misses her Smoosh, as do I. I wish everyone had a vet like Dr Stan. Jennifer On Jul 26, 2014, at 4:02 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER. IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I think I might be in the same boat. My family has had many cats, and I loved them all, but Ember was *my* first and only cat. It’s so strange that’s she’s been gone for two months, and that everything at the end happened so fast. I’m sure I’ll adopt again, but Ember was special. Her loyalty, love, sensitivity, and intelligence were unique. I’m saddened that I’ll never get to hold her, kiss her, or talk to her again. She was one of the best friends I’ve ever had. On Jul 26, 2014, at 8:33 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: I know exactly what you mean by, 'cat of a lifetime'. My yang was absolutely that for me. I looked at pictures of her today without crying, but sometimes I hate the fact that I'll never get to see her again. On Jul 26, 2014 7:53 PM, Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: First off, Thank you all so much for your condolences. Smoosh was absolutely a 'cat of a lifetime' in every way (and every day), and losing her has rocked me to my core. My vet, Dr Stan Avezov of Pasadena Pets Hospital in Pasadena, CA could not have been any more wonderful with her, and supportive of us. He is compassionate and understanding to the nth degree, and I would never hesitate for a moment to advocate for him. We have financial limitations (Smoosh and Brynn were supposed to be weekend/temp fosters through a rescue until they tested + and their long term situations bailed on them) but he has consistently worked with us always for the greatest good for the girls throughout their lives. He also is absolutely my 'go to' for my other kitties as well, and we are kinda 'the Island of Misfit Toys' at my house. I have a kidney survivor, a senior, a cripple and a diabetic... Brynn continues to thrive with his help and guidance, although she really misses her Smoosh, as do I. I wish everyone had a vet like Dr Stan. Jennifer On Jul 26, 2014, at 4:02 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER. IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I feel the same. I am amazed by the depth of personality cats can have. On Jul 26, 2014 9:40 PM, Lance lini...@fastmail.fm wrote: I think I might be in the same boat. My family has had many cats, and I loved them all, but Ember was *my* first and only cat. It’s so strange that’s she’s been gone for two months, and that everything at the end happened so fast. I’m sure I’ll adopt again, but Ember was special. Her loyalty, love, sensitivity, and intelligence were unique. I’m saddened that I’ll never get to hold her, kiss her, or talk to her again. She was one of the best friends I’ve ever had. On Jul 26, 2014, at 8:33 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: I know exactly what you mean by, 'cat of a lifetime'. My yang was absolutely that for me. I looked at pictures of her today without crying, but sometimes I hate the fact that I'll never get to see her again. On Jul 26, 2014 7:53 PM, Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: First off, Thank you all so much for your condolences. Smoosh was absolutely a 'cat of a lifetime' in every way (and every day), and losing her has rocked me to my core. My vet, Dr Stan Avezov of Pasadena Pets Hospital in Pasadena, CA could not have been any more wonderful with her, and supportive of us. He is compassionate and understanding to the nth degree, and I would never hesitate for a moment to advocate for him. We have financial limitations (Smoosh and Brynn were supposed to be weekend/temp fosters through a rescue until they tested + and their long term situations bailed on them) but he has consistently worked with us always for the greatest good for the girls throughout their lives. He also is absolutely my 'go to' for my other kitties as well, and we are kinda 'the Island of Misfit Toys' at my house. I have a kidney survivor, a senior, a cripple and a diabetic... Brynn continues to thrive with his help and guidance, although she really misses her Smoosh, as do I. I wish everyone had a vet like Dr Stan. Jennifer On Jul 26, 2014, at 4:02 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER.. IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
ALL OF MY FURBABIES ARE BURIED IN MY YARD, BEGINNING TO RUN OUT OF CEMETARIES
AFTER 34 YEARS. BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL WITH ME, I CAN GO OUT AND VISIT WITH
THEM WHENEVER I FEEL LOST. IT HELPS SOME. I NEVER HAVE STOPPED MISSING THEM
AND CAN SEE THEM IN MY MIND'S EYE. I SWORE THE FIRST TIME I WOULD NEVER ADOPT
AGAIN, BUT THEN ONE SHOWS UP OR THE VET TELLS ME ABOUT ONE THAT NEEDS A HOME.
I AM A SUCKER FOR LOST CAUSES AND ANIMALS SO I TAKE THEM IN. THEY NEVER TAKE
THE PLACE OF THE ONES LOST, JUST MOVE INTO THE ROOM IN MY HEART NEXT TO
THEIR'S. GOT LOSTS OF ROOMS IN MY HEART.
Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote:
I feel the same. I am amazed by the depth of personality cats can have.
On Jul 26, 2014 9:40 PM, Lance lini...@fastmail.fm wrote:
I think I might be in the same boat. My family has had many cats, and I
loved them all, but Ember was *my* first and only cat. It’s so strange
that’s she’s been gone for two months, and that everything at the end
happened so fast. I’m sure I’ll adopt again, but Ember was special. Her
loyalty, love, sensitivity, and intelligence were unique. I’m saddened that
I’ll never get to hold her, kiss her, or talk to her again. She was one of
the best friends I’ve ever had.
On Jul 26, 2014, at 8:33 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote:
I know exactly what you mean by, 'cat of a lifetime'. My yang was
absolutely that for me.
I looked at pictures of her today without crying, but sometimes I hate the
fact that I'll never get to see her again.
On Jul 26, 2014 7:53 PM, Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote:
First off, Thank you all so much for your condolences.
Smoosh was absolutely a 'cat of a lifetime' in every way (and every day),
and losing her has rocked me to my core.
My vet, Dr Stan Avezov of Pasadena Pets Hospital in Pasadena, CA could
not have been any more wonderful with her, and supportive of us.
He is compassionate and understanding to the nth degree, and I would
never hesitate for a moment to advocate for him.
We have financial limitations (Smoosh and Brynn were supposed to be
weekend/temp fosters through a rescue until they tested + and their long
term situations bailed on them) but he has consistently worked with us
always for the greatest good for the girls throughout their lives. He also
is absolutely my 'go to' for my other kitties as well, and we are kinda
'the Island of Misfit Toys' at my house. I have a kidney survivor, a
senior, a cripple and a diabetic...
Brynn continues to thrive with his help and guidance, although she really
misses her Smoosh, as do I.
I wish everyone had a vet like Dr Stan.
Jennifer
On Jul 26, 2014, at 4:02 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote:
i HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES OF VETS DOING THIS. IT SEEMS THEY DON'T
WANT TO BOTHER TREATING POSITIVES. MAYBE THEY DON'T THINK THE OWNERS WILL
WANT TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSE OR TIME TO TREAT THEM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE
LEFT UP TO THE OWNER TO DECIDE, NOT THE VET. ESPECIALLY, IF PETA IS DOING
FREE SPAYS/NEUTERS, DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO THEM. I KNOW OF ONE
INSTANCE WHERE THEY EUTHANIZED THE CATS WITHOUT EVER NOTIFYING THE OWNER..
IT IS STANDARD PROCEEDURE WITH THEM. WHEN I GOT ANNIE, SHE HAD BEEN
THROUGH A LOT OF STRESS AND SUDDENLY TESTED POSITIVE . DR. RHODES SAID I
HAD 2 CHOICES: EUTHANIZE OR WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAID I SHOULD
VACCINATE ALL THE OTHERS AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE ELSE EVER TESTED POSITIVE
AS A RESULT OF BEING AROUND HER.
Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote:
Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be
spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery
when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for
instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go
ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I
might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test).
Marsha
On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote:
The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth
for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I
found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements.
___
Felvtalk mailing list
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
___
Felvtalk mailing list
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
___
Felvtalk mailing list
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
___
Felvtalk mailing list
Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Hi Jennifer, So sorry to hear about Smoosh. Thank you for loving her for the 13 months you had with her. She was a lucky girl. Amy From: Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, July 25, 2014 12:01 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
First of all, I'm so sorry about your loss of Yang. I've been through it so many times and it NEVER gets any easier. The good news is that I have two adults, 10 and 11, that have had leukemia since I got them, almost 10 years ago. They have been healthy all along. I've had my share of ones that made it less than 2 years and some that made it 4 or 5 years. You never really know. Just take it one day at a time and cherish every minute. We don't do anything special here. We tried lots of stuff at the beginning but it never seemed to help for us. I just try to keep stress levels low and love them and that seems to work :) Best of luck. Hope you have many years with Merlot. Amy From: Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2014 3:12 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I am so, so sorry. Yang was my soul mate, and I completely understand your grief. I know nothing can make it better, but I am sending you lots of love and positive thoughts. On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:01 AM, Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org -- Maya D'Alessio PhD student B1 377B, x32320 Graduate Student Endowment Fund Coordinator Biology GSA Vice Chair GSA Director At-Large University of Waterloo ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
So sorry for your loss of Smoosh. I have lost 3 in this last year. No doubt it hurts and will for a long time, but now she is free of pain. My prayers are with you Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I don't think there is any research on FELV because they don't think there is any money in it. Unfortunetly money runs the world today. Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I'm so sorry for your loss On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:38 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: So sorry for your loss of Smoosh. I have lost 3 in this last year. No doubt it hurts and will for a long time, but now she is free of pain. My prayers are with you Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I've heard bad things about the research they do do. Don't know if they are true or not. I know the Ragdoll people raised quite a bit of money for heart disease research in cats (apparently there is lots of heart disease in Ragdolls) On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:40 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: I don't think there is any research on FELV because they don't think there is any money in it. Unfortunetly money runs the world today. Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
What really obthers me is that many veterinarians don't seem to care one way or the other. Especially the fact that so many say put them down, don't even want to bother with treating. That is why I am staying with my vet even tho he has made a couple of mistakes. He does not say put them down as soon as he finds they are positive. He has been with me for 2 positives and Annie is still here at age 8, doing fine. Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I have noticed that most ferals turn into cuddlebugs. I have noticed that they are the most anxious when you leave home. It seems they have found a good hoe and person and don't want to loose them. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: Milkdud was a young feral when I got him, about a year old. He turned into a total cuddlebug. Harley came to us as a kitten no more than 4 months old. He tested positive on both the ELISA and then the IFA test his first year, but will re-test at his next checkup, just in case he has had a rare conversion to negative. But when he showed the beginnings of stomatitis in June, I think he is probably still positive. Marsha On 7/24/2014 3:40 PM, Katherine K. wrote: Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:48 PM, Kelley S moonv...@gmail.com wrote: I've heard bad things about the research they do do. Don't know if they are true or not. I know the Ragdoll people raised quite a bit of money for heart disease research in cats (apparently there is lots of heart disease in Ragdolls) On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:40 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: I don't think there is any research on FELV because they don't think there is any money in it. Unfortunetly money runs the world today. Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
lI think those are the two most important things we can do for them, lots of love and keep the stress down. Stress as in humans, causes so many things. My Anney never tested positive with her 1st owner, just after Katy's death and being shuffled from here to there and have no real love and attention during Kathy's illness. She is still having trouble adjusting to NOT being the only cat in the house and takes a lot of loving. Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: First of all, I'm so sorry about your loss of Yang. I've been through it so many times and it NEVER gets any easier. The good news is that I have two adults, 10 and 11, that have had leukemia since I got them, almost 10 years ago. They have been healthy all along. I've had my share of ones that made it less than 2 years and some that made it 4 or 5 years. You never really know. Just take it one day at a time and cherish every minute. We don't do anything special here. We tried lots of stuff at the beginning but it never seemed to help for us. I just try to keep stress levels low and love them and that seems to work :) Best of luck. Hope you have many years with Merlot. Amy From: Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2014 3:12 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I give mine Standard Process Feline Immune Support On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:54 PM, Kelley S moonv...@gmail.com wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:48 PM, Kelley S moonv...@gmail.com wrote: I've heard bad things about the research they do do. Don't know if they are true or not. I know the Ragdoll people raised quite a bit of money for heart disease research in cats (apparently there is lots of heart disease in Ragdolls) On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:40 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: I don't think there is any research on FELV because they don't think there is any money in it. Unfortunetly money runs the world today. Jennifer Lewis blonded...@mac.com wrote: We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I would try to find a holistic vet. Mine has a 22 year old felv+ patient who is currently dying - not of FELV but of liver failure. I swear by her. Tons of controversy here, but I also swear by raw food diets if you can swing it. Others will disagree We never know how long we have with them. On Fri, Jul 25, 2014 at 12:56 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: lI think those are the two most important things we can do for them, lots of love and keep the stress down. Stress as in humans, causes so many things. My Anney never tested positive with her 1st owner, just after Katy's death and being shuffled from here to there and have no real love and attention during Kathy's illness. She is still having trouble adjusting to NOT being the only cat in the house and takes a lot of loving. Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: First of all, I'm so sorry about your loss of Yang. I've been through it so many times and it NEVER gets any easier. The good news is that I have two adults, 10 and 11, that have had leukemia since I got them, almost 10 years ago. They have been healthy all along. I've had my share of ones that made it less than 2 years and some that made it 4 or 5 years. You never really know. Just take it one day at a time and cherish every minute. We don't do anything special here. We tried lots of stuff at the beginning but it never seemed to help for us. I just try to keep stress levels low and love them and that seems to work :) Best of luck. Hope you have many years with Merlot. Amy From: Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2014 3:12 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
On 7/25/2014 12:51 PM, dlg...@windstream.net wrote: I have noticed that most ferals turn into cuddlebugs. I have noticed that they are the most anxious when you leave home. It seems they have found a good hoe and person and don't want to loose them. They also don't tolerate being boarded. BT was an old feral tom who lived a hard life before I saved him from a catfight battle wound that would have killed him. I visited with him every day in the hospital, and they said his demeanor was totally different when I was there. After he recovered and was well enough, he was neutered, and lived in my house under construction, where he enjoyed climbing up in the rafters, hunting mice, or curling up on a heated mat or a soft cat bed. He had kibble to eat whenever he wanted, and I would bring him canned food each day when I visited, and he would cuddle on my lap or stomach and purr for an hour. Then came the day I had to board BT for a few days while the house was being insulated. The stress pushed his fragile internal system over the edge. He had hemobart on top of barely functioning kidneys and poor heart function, and soon developed a bad heart murmur. When they brought him to me for a visit in a room, he was developing pulmonary edema and was having trouble breathing. They gave him oxygen while we waited for the vet to come examine him. There was no saving him this time. He probably would not have lived a whole lot longer even had he not been boarded. After I got the results from the necropsy, I would guess he would have had only a few months. But the stress from being boarded greatly accelerated his journey to life's end. BT was OK with the guys that were working on the house, and I saw him rub against one of their legs and enjoy some pets. Most of the time he would watch them work from the rafters. I was going to keep him in a 10' x 10' kennel outside the house during the insulation phase, but the clear tarps that protected from rain and wind would still flap or vibrate in the wind, and frightened BT. I thougt it was pretty nice out there with 2 dog houses, donut bed in one, blanket in another, lounge chair, picnic bench, but BT seemed upset, so I made the mistake of boarding him. Marsha ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Holy crap, not even an IFA confirmation?! I once took a feral in to be spayed, only to discover in the afternoon they didn't do the surgery when she tested positive, and they couldn't get hold of me for instructions. Now I make sure to give instructions beforehand - go ahead with the spay or neuter regardless of FeLV / FIV status (though I might hold off if there was a positive on the heartworm test). Marsha On 7/25/2014 12:54 PM, Kelley S wrote: The low cost spay clinic I took Merlin to recommended immediate euth for merls, without so much as an IFA. Of course I said no. THen I found my holistic vet who boosts their system through supplements. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
[Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
My condolences on your loss of Yang. You just have to take it one day at a time with Merlot, and savor each day of good health. Survival time seems to be such a roll of the dice with FeLV. I lost FeLV+ Milkdud in May, after 4.5 good years. His buddy Harley is still with me after 3.5 years, but he is lonesome for his friend. I don't think probiotics would be helpful for a FeLV+ cat. Feed the highest quality diet you can afford, avoiding grains like corn on the ingredients list. I personally would not feed a raw meat diet to a cat with a disease that compromises their immune system. For symptom-free Harley, I am currently giving a few drops of Vetri-DMG in his canned food, and a VitaChews multivitamin. I am looking at other possibilites also, but didn't want to throw too much at him at once. He appeared to have the beginnings of stomatitis at his last checkup, but it hasn't bothered him - he eats with no discomfort. He will have a 3-month follow-up, and if there has been progression, I will be looking at importing Virbagen Omega. My vet conferred with others through the Veterinary Information Network, and looked at informational material I gave him, and didn't feel it would be beneficial at this time. Marsha On 7/24/2014 2:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
GOOD ADVICE! I can only add to watch him, don't drive him crazy with your attention, but be aware and at the first sign of something NOT normal with him, get to the vet. If you catch something when it first starts, your and his chances are better. ABOVE ALL, LOVE HIM and prayer does not hurt, worked for me. Marsha mar...@lynxe.com wrote: My condolences on your loss of Yang. You just have to take it one day at a time with Merlot, and savor each day of good health. Survival time seems to be such a roll of the dice with FeLV. I lost FeLV+ Milkdud in May, after 4.5 good years. His buddy Harley is still with me after 3.5 years, but he is lonesome for his friend. I don't think probiotics would be helpful for a FeLV+ cat. Feed the highest quality diet you can afford, avoiding grains like corn on the ingredients list. I personally would not feed a raw meat diet to a cat with a disease that compromises their immune system. For symptom-free Harley, I am currently giving a few drops of Vetri-DMG in his canned food, and a VitaChews multivitamin. I am looking at other possibilites also, but didn't want to throw too much at him at once. He appeared to have the beginnings of stomatitis at his last checkup, but it hasn't bothered him - he eats with no discomfort. He will have a 3-month follow-up, and if there has been progression, I will be looking at importing Virbagen Omega. My vet conferred with others through the Veterinary Information Network, and looked at informational material I gave him, and didn't feel it would be beneficial at this time. Marsha On 7/24/2014 2:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Hi Maya, I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a gift. Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't be afraid to trust your gut. For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the good times together. We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. Katherine On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
IT HURTS TO LOSE ONE AND EVEN MOE WHEN YOU LOOSE 3 CLOSE TOGETHER. YOU TAKE SOLACE FROM THE ONES YOU HAVE REMAINING. THEY SENSE YOUR LOSE AND ARE ALSO GRIEVING SO YOU HELP ONE ANOTHER WILL KEEP YOU ON MY PRAYER LIST. Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Maya, I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a gift. Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't be afraid to trust your gut. For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the good times together. We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. Katherine On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Thank you for all of the support everyone. Katherine - Yang was 3, Merlot is just two years old now. I don't know which cat had it and then gave it to the other. I feel terrible, I was not informed on FeLV and didn't test for it before I introduced another cat in to my house, so one of them gave it to the other. I will look in to the interfuron and LTCI, thank you! I was not informed on cat vitamins before, so I will definitely be looking in to those as well. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:40 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Maya, I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a gift. Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't be afraid to trust your gut. For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the good times together. We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. Katherine On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org --
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I have been unable to pinpoint who got it from whom in my house, and could go in circles about it all day if I let myself! Did you get Yang first, and then Merlot? For how long did they live together? On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:52 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Thank you for all of the support everyone. Katherine - Yang was 3, Merlot is just two years old now. I don't know which cat had it and then gave it to the other. I feel terrible, I was not informed on FeLV and didn't test for it before I introduced another cat in to my house, so one of them gave it to the other. I will look in to the interfuron and LTCI, thank you! I was not informed on cat vitamins before, so I will definitely be looking in to those as well. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:40 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Maya, I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a gift. Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't be afraid to trust your gut. For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the good times together. We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. Katherine On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I got Yang first, when she was 5 months old. A little over a year later I got Merlot when he was 3 months old. They lived together for over 1.5 years. I think it's more likely that Yang gave it to Merlot, as he was so young when he came in to our house, and I have read that kittens are much more likely to succumb to the virus than adult cats. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:57 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: I have been unable to pinpoint who got it from whom in my house, and could go in circles about it all day if I let myself! Did you get Yang first, and then Merlot? For how long did they live together? On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:52 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Thank you for all of the support everyone. Katherine - Yang was 3, Merlot is just two years old now. I don't know which cat had it and then gave it to the other. I feel terrible, I was not informed on FeLV and didn't test for it before I introduced another cat in to my house, so one of them gave it to the other. I will look in to the interfuron and LTCI, thank you! I was not informed on cat vitamins before, so I will definitely be looking in to those as well. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:40 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Katherine K. kaths...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Maya, I'm so sorry for your loss of Yang. Is Merlot also 3 years old? Last year I had a litter of 4 kittens who all tested positive at 3 months of age. We lost the first one at 8 months, and the last one died this May at 1 year old. They were all very healthy and active until the last week or two of their lives. My 12 year old cat was also diagnosed with the virus last July. He was very sick then, but bounced back and is doing well now. He has some minor health issues but energy, appetite, bathroom and comfort/happiness levels are all normal. Every day I have with him is a gift. Yes, you can be pro-active now. The key to maintaining good health is to feed high quality food, keep them indoors, in a low-stress environment, and make a vet appt ASAP if something isn't right. You know him best, don't be afraid to trust your gut. For my 12 year old cat, since his initial illness, I have been giving him a booster shot once a month of LTCI (http://tcyte.com/). It is not inexpensive, unfortunately. A more economical immune system booster is alpha interferon, which is given by mouth daily. You can search the mailing list archives or website for more info on both of these, and talk to your vet to decide what treatment might be best for you. Let Merlot's happiness and joy for life guide you. Play with him, love him, take video and photos of the two of you together having fun. It's tough knowing they'll be gone too soon, but let that help you cherish the good times together. We aren't vets here, but we can offer you experience and support. Katherine On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 3:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Milkdud was a young feral when I got him, about a year old. He turned into a total cuddlebug. Harley came to us as a kitten no more than 4 months old. He tested positive on both the ELISA and then the IFA test his first year, but will re-test at his next checkup, just in case he has had a rare conversion to negative. But when he showed the beginnings of stomatitis in June, I think he is probably still positive. Marsha On 7/24/2014 3:40 PM, Katherine K. wrote: Just wanted to add - for the kittens, I didn't give them any boosters or treaments, really. Since everything I've read said kittens usually succumb to the illness before they turn 2, I didn't think it would make much of a difference. And since I had 4 of them, it wasn't economically feasible for me. One of them became anemic toward the end, so I did give him an iron-rich liquid supplement called Lixotinic. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I’m very sorry to hear about Yang’s passing and that Merlot has tested positive. Hopefully, Merlot has a lot more time ahead of him. I used interferon alpha and Liquid DMG fairly regularly for my Ember. She also got Transfer Factor (human formula; not the one for cats), but I wasn’t consistent with that and was uncertain about its efficacy. I might have eventually looked into LTCI, but my vet did not like the lack of third-party data on the treatment. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. FeLV is scary, but don’t lose hope. Ember had minor illnesses here and there: sneezing (likely due to allergies) and an occasional day or two of diarrhea. For the latter condition, I would fast her for 12 hours (going much longer could cause liver damage), and I would feed her canned pumpkin (not pie filling but plain pumpkin) for a day to give her some fiber. These problems weren’t frequent for us, thankfully. Blood tests were moments of anxiety at times (Ember usually had low wbc). Ember lived for at least eight years from testing positive to her death two months ago. I would have liked to have had her longer (she was a little over 12 years old), but I feel very fortunate for all the time we had together. Lance On Jul 24, 2014, at 2:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Wow. That really gives me hope. My guy is only 2, so I hope I get to have him as long as you had your Ember. I am sorry you lost her. On Thu, Jul 24, 2014 at 5:37 PM, Lance lini...@fastmail.fm wrote: I’m very sorry to hear about Yang’s passing and that Merlot has tested positive. Hopefully, Merlot has a lot more time ahead of him. I used interferon alpha and Liquid DMG fairly regularly for my Ember. She also got Transfer Factor (human formula; not the one for cats), but I wasn’t consistent with that and was uncertain about its efficacy. I might have eventually looked into LTCI, but my vet did not like the lack of third-party data on the treatment. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. FeLV is scary, but don’t lose hope. Ember had minor illnesses here and there: sneezing (likely due to allergies) and an occasional day or two of diarrhea. For the latter condition, I would fast her for 12 hours (going much longer could cause liver damage), and I would feed her canned pumpkin (not pie filling but plain pumpkin) for a day to give her some fiber. These problems weren’t frequent for us, thankfully. Blood tests were moments of anxiety at times (Ember usually had low wbc). Ember lived for at least eight years from testing positive to her death two months ago. I would have liked to have had her longer (she was a little over 12 years old), but I feel very fortunate for all the time we had together. Lance On Jul 24, 2014, at 2:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio mde...@gmail.com wrote: Hello everyone, My cat Merlot, just tested positive for FeLV yesterday afternoon. We had him tested, because my three year old cat Yang (female) started acting ill at the end of June, the next morning I took her in to the vets and we discovered she was anemic, jaundiced and had a high fever. They checked her blood levels and found she was anemic (about 13, vs 26 in a healthy cat). She stayed at the vet during the day and her blood levels didn't get any worse, and our vet was optimistic. They transferred her over to the emergency clinic which was open all evening and in to the weekend. They monitored her overnight and her red blood cells decreased, her fever lowered but she went past normal to too cold. That morning the blood tests came back and she was positive for FeLV. We were shocked. Even worse was that her detailed blood work showed no uptick in blood cell production, where she should have increased production, she actually had almost no production. We then got to see her before we had to put her down. That was the hardest day of my life. Now, with Merlot testing positive I am terrified of losing him so quickly, and I am still grieving for Yang. I know the statistics are not great for long term prognosis, but he is currently healthy (just a tiny bit of gingivitis - we are going to start brushing his teeth). What can I do to keep him healthy? How do I live with him everyday without starting to grieve him already? I know we all are going to die someday, but this just feels like it is going to hang over me. I am still doing reading on the disease and newer treatments and such, but do these all start after the cat becomes noticeably ill, or are there things I can be doing now to help keep him healthy? Are probiotics helpful in this case? For those who have or have had a healthy FeLV cat, how long did they stay healthy for? -- Maya D'Alessio ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org -- Maya D'Alessio PhD student B1 377B, x32320 Graduate Student Endowment Fund Coordinator Biology GSA Vice Chair GSA Director At-Large University of Waterloo ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
Note to Maya on interferon alpha: that is human recombinant interferon, much easier to obtain and less expensive than Virbagen Omega, which is feline recombinant interferon that must be imported. I feel that the feline recombinant is a better choice, and currently can afford it, so I will go with that rather than the human version when the time comes. Butwe all seem to be pioneers here. You'd think that with FeLV being the one of the biggest causes of cat death, there would be more research, more certainty on courses of treatment. But while I've heard of one or two vets that swear by LTCI, more say they've had no luck with it. The latest flash in the pan is a drug from Malaysia. A couple years ago, the company signed up with another company that helps them through the FDA approval process. But that takes a long time, and what if the company fails before then? There has been at least one product that was being used in FeLV+ cats where the company went belly-up. Not approved by any govermental agency, but being used off-label, some people felt it was helpful. Marsha On 7/24/2014 4:37 PM, Lance wrote: I used interferon alpha and Liquid DMG fairly regularly for my Ember. She also got Transfer Factor (human formula; not the one for cats), but I wasn’t consistent with that and was uncertain about its efficacy. I might have eventually looked into LTCI, but my vet did not like the lack of third-party data on the treatment. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Just tested positive
We said goodnight to my heart, my Smoosh about an hour ago. She contracted the virus from her feral mom, and came to us at 8 weeks after being trapped. We loved her dearly for 13 wonderful months until she left with my heart tonight. On Jul 24, 2014, at 6:12 PM, Maya D'Alessio wrote: I am a microbiologist, so the lack of research really does frustrate me. I was asking the vet if we know if the viral load increases over time like in hiv. He said there was very limited funding for felv research. Very frustrating. ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
