Re: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends
Good letter! I'll send one too. Lorrie On 01-26, Laurieskatz wrote: Here is what I wrote to this address: edi...@bestfriends.org Dear Editor: The article about Feline Leukemia Virus by Virginia Clemans is inconsistent with my experience and, I believe, does a great injustice to cats diagnosed with this virus. Certainly not all cats diagnosed with FeLV have the health issues Clemans reports. I lived with two cats who were diagnosed with feline leukemia after I adopted them. Stripes lived to age 16 years. Squeaky lived to age 22 years. They were robust boy cats who lived together for 15 years. They weighed 15-16 lbs. People always commented about what big boys they were. They were playful and fully engaged in life. Stripes had an occasional undiagnosed illness that always resolved. Squeaky was never sick a day in his life until his final three weeks. Squeaky died from oral cancer. We did not determine Stripes' cause of death. My vets did not treat these cats any differently than other cats I have had. There was no alarm sounded when their tests came back positive. The information was given to me as part of a routine exam. I had no idea anyone thought this was a big deal. Certainly my vets did not think so. I rescued two other cats who tested positive for FeLV. Ollie lived to an old age, asymptomatic except for some dental issues at the time he was rescued. Bella is still alive. She is a 13 lb ball of love. She was rescued 3 years ago and was an adult cat at that time. She was anemic and had a high fever when rescued but these situations quickly resolved with medication treatment by an internal medicine specialist. Feline Leukemia does not have to be a death sentence. The kitties who test positive should be retested as there can be false positives (and false negatives). Their owners can find information and support groups on the internet (yahoo offers several groups for FeLV cat owners). In this group format they can talk to other people who live or have lived with cats with FeLV. They can get questions answered. They can learn about feeding a quality food, keeping stress to a minimum and various supplements and treatments in the event of illness. Not all the cats who test positive will be as lucky as those I mentioned here, but there is another side to this disease and there are many cats who survive and thrive with this disease. Sincerely, Laurie Crawford Stone Cedar Rapids, Iowa ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends
That's great. I love it! Sent from my iPhone On Jan 27, 2010, at 7:08 AM, Lorrie felineres...@kvinet.com wrote: Good letter! I'll send one too. Lorrie On 01-26, Laurieskatz wrote: Here is what I wrote to this address: edi...@bestfriends.org Dear Editor: The article about Feline Leukemia Virus by Virginia Clemans is inconsistent with my experience and, I believe, does a great injustice to cats diagnosed with this virus. Certainly not all cats diagnosed with FeLV have the health issues Clemans reports. I lived with two cats who were diagnosed with feline leukemia after I adopted them. Stripes lived to age 16 years. Squeaky lived to age 22 years. They were robust boy cats who lived together for 15 years. They weighed 15-16 lbs. People always commented about what big boys they were. They were playful and fully engaged in life. Stripes had an occasional undiagnosed illness that always resolved. Squeaky was never sick a day in his life until his final three weeks. Squeaky died from oral cancer. We did not determine Stripes' cause of death. My vets did not treat these cats any differently than other cats I have had. There was no alarm sounded when their tests came back positive. The information was given to me as part of a routine exam. I had no idea anyone thought this was a big deal. Certainly my vets did not think so. I rescued two other cats who tested positive for FeLV. Ollie lived to an old age, asymptomatic except for some dental issues at the time he was rescued. Bella is still alive. She is a 13 lb ball of love. She was rescued 3 years ago and was an adult cat at that time. She was anemic and had a high fever when rescued but these situations quickly resolved with medication treatment by an internal medicine specialist. Feline Leukemia does not have to be a death sentence. The kitties who test positive should be retested as there can be false positives (and false negatives). Their owners can find information and support groups on the internet (yahoo offers several groups for FeLV cat owners). In this group format they can talk to other people who live or have lived with cats with FeLV. They can get questions answered. They can learn about feeding a quality food, keeping stress to a minimum and various supplements and treatments in the event of illness. Not all the cats who test positive will be as lucky as those I mentioned here, but there is another side to this disease and there are many cats who survive and thrive with this disease. Sincerely, Laurie Crawford Stone Cedar Rapids, Iowa ___ 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] Article at Bestfriends
How ridiculous!!! I have seen MANY felv+ thrive and live a pretty good life.I am so glad that Dr. Jen gives them ALL a chance no matter what. :) Sherry We who choose to surround ourselves with lives more temporary than our own, Live within a fragile circle,easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps. We still would have it no other way --- On Tue, 1/26/10, Gloria B. Lane gbl...@aristotle.net wrote: From: Gloria B. Lane gbl...@aristotle.net Subject: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 3:36 PM I just saw an article at Bestfriends.org which I was surprised and disappointed about: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/cats/catfelv.pdf The author includes What happens to a cat who has contracted the virus? and says The virus adversely affects the cat’s bone marrow and immune system. An infected cat becomes anemic and is unable to fight off even routine infections. Cats with feline leukemia are commonly jaundiced and lethargic, and they experience weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, and poor stamina. It sounds like an FELV cat is going to die immediately after getting the virus. So I can see folks reading that article and then euthing their FELV kitties, thinking they're doing them a favor. The 5 FELV cats that I have now haven't seen any sickness since I've had them. Gloria ___ 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] Article at Bestfriends
I wonder if the author of the article has ever actually gone to their FeLV unit and looked at the cats? I certainly hope they don't look like the article says they look, mine don't look like that and they don't all get anemia and don't all get jaundiced. The ones who do get anemia may be lethargic and jaundiced, but it is not an ongoing condition. But you never know, I once asked the vet at BF why they give a monthly sub-q shot of immuno regulin to all the FeLV cats, figured I'd get some good info on IR. WRONG!! The vet said they use it because that is what was being done when he arrived, I believe he doesn't have a clue. Gary - Original Message - From: Gloria B. Lane gbl...@aristotle.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 2:36 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends I just saw an article at Bestfriends.org which I was surprised and disappointed about: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/cats/catfelv.pdf The author includes What happens to a cat who has contracted the virus? and says The virus adversely affects the cat’s bone marrow and immune system. An infected cat becomes anemic and is unable to fight off even routine infections. Cats with feline leukemia are commonly jaundiced and lethargic, and they experience weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, and poor stamina. It sounds like an FELV cat is going to die immediately after getting the virus. So I can see folks reading that article and then euthing their FELV kitties, thinking they're doing them a favor. The 5 FELV cats that I have now haven't seen any sickness since I've had them. Gloria ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends
That's pretty sad isn't itI'm disappointed in BestFriends. On Jan 26, 2010, at 3:04 PM, Gary wrote: I wonder if the author of the article has ever actually gone to their FeLV unit and looked at the cats? I certainly hope they don't look like the article says they look, mine don't look like that and they don't all get anemia and don't all get jaundiced. The ones who do get anemia may be lethargic and jaundiced, but it is not an ongoing condition. But you never know, I once asked the vet at BF why they give a monthly sub-q shot of immuno regulin to all the FeLV cats, figured I'd get some good info on IR. WRONG!! The vet said they use it because that is what was being done when he arrived, I believe he doesn't have a clue. Gary - Original Message - From: Gloria B. Lane gbl...@aristotle.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 2:36 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends I just saw an article at Bestfriends.org which I was surprised and disappointed about: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/cats/catfelv.pdf The author includes What happens to a cat who has contracted the virus? and says The virus adversely affects the cat’s bone marrow and immune system. An infected cat becomes anemic and is unable to fight off even routine infections. Cats with feline leukemia are commonly jaundiced and lethargic, and they experience weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, and poor stamina. It sounds like an FELV cat is going to die immediately after getting the virus. So I can see folks reading that article and then euthing their FELV kitties, thinking they're doing them a favor. The 5 FELV cats that I have now haven't seen any sickness since I've had them. Gloria ___ 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] Article at Bestfriends
We should send testimonials. -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Gloria B. Lane Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 6:41 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends That's pretty sad isn't itI'm disappointed in BestFriends. On Jan 26, 2010, at 3:04 PM, Gary wrote: I wonder if the author of the article has ever actually gone to their FeLV unit and looked at the cats? I certainly hope they don't look like the article says they look, mine don't look like that and they don't all get anemia and don't all get jaundiced. The ones who do get anemia may be lethargic and jaundiced, but it is not an ongoing condition. But you never know, I once asked the vet at BF why they give a monthly sub-q shot of immuno regulin to all the FeLV cats, figured I'd get some good info on IR. WRONG!! The vet said they use it because that is what was being done when he arrived, I believe he doesn't have a clue. Gary - Original Message - From: Gloria B. Lane gbl...@aristotle.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 2:36 PM Subject: [Felvtalk] Article at Bestfriends I just saw an article at Bestfriends.org which I was surprised and disappointed about: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/pdfs/cats/catfelv.pdf The author includes What happens to a cat who has contracted the virus? and says The virus adversely affects the cat's bone marrow and immune system. An infected cat becomes anemic and is unable to fight off even routine infections. Cats with feline leukemia are commonly jaundiced and lethargic, and they experience weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, and poor stamina. It sounds like an FELV cat is going to die immediately after getting the virus. So I can see folks reading that article and then euthing their FELV kitties, thinking they're doing them a favor. The 5 FELV cats that I have now haven't seen any sickness since I've had them. Gloria ___ 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
