Thank you so much for your advice. It means so very much to me. I feel like I've been crying for weeks. Anyway, Thor has been lethargic, "sweaty", not eating or drinking much, and has some breathing problems. The past two days, he's been better though. He's been playful, eating and drinking and he's sitting with us, not off in seclusion. I think the medicine is kisking in, but I don't want to keep him on too long if I don't have to. There are some side effects I don't like with the Retrovir. He still seems a little warm, but he also seems more alert than he has for the past couple weeks. His breathing seems more regular too. He has had some chest congestion, I could hear it, but I haven't for the past two days. I don't want to get my hopes up, my heart will then break if something bad happens. I just want him happy for however long he's still got. I don't know how long that will be. And I know it is hard to say for sure. Little Luna seems to be super normal. He's keeping
Thor company. They're actually sleeping together right now. Does this help?
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hi Kris!
I also just wanted to welcome you to the list (as bittersweet as that welcome is)! This is a wonderful group of very knowledgeable and experienced people...you'll get alot of great advice, so don't be afraid to ask about anything and everything! :)
I just wanted to add to the discussion about mixing positives and negatives because my situation was very similar to yours when I first found out that our kittens were positive for FeLV. By the time we found out, our resident negative cat, Boots, had already bonded with the babies...playing the role of "big brother,"--grooming them, playing with them and showing them how to use the litter box properly! :) When we found out that the babies were positive (they were about two months old at the time), we were devastated and made the difficult decision to separate Boots. But Boots was heart-broken...he just couldn't understand why he couldn't see his buddies! On top of it all, we had just euthanized the kitten's mother, Lucy, due to complications related to FeLV (Lucy was an infamous "false-negative"...she initially tested negative for the virus, but it must have either been hiding latent in her system, or else she was just newly infected when we found her...long story short
, the stress of her pregnancy probably activated the virus, we didn't find out that she was positive until the day that we had to put her to sleep)...anyway, the kittens immediately turned to Boots when they realized that their Mama wouldn't be coming home. Needless to say, separating the kittens from "Mr. Mom" was equally as painful. :(
About this time, I discovered this wonderful group, and with their experience in hand along with the blessing of our vet, we went ahead and gave Boots his booster for FeLV and reunited the group. Feline Leukemia, I believe, is a much more unpredictable virus than once thought. Some on this list have never mixed their positives and negatives and yet one or two negative cats still manage to test positive...on the other hand, other members do mix and have never had a negative test positive. Bottom line is that to mix or not to mix is a *personal* decision based on your own *unique* circumstances. Many individuals on this list also do rescue work, so it's in all of the cats' best interests not to mix if they can help it. And then there are others, like myself, whose cats aren't going anywhere, so we must decide based on what we feel is best. I'm of the opinion that a life of seclusion for Boots was no life at all. All of our cats were strays who found us (and, hence, woul
d probably not be alive today if we hadn't taken them in)...I've got to believe that someone or something higher up must be watching over these little angels. Boots has been with our Feleuk babies now for almost 3 years and remains negative. We've even added another negative girl who showed up at my gallery, emaciated and with a broken spinal cord...again, I have no regrets knowing what her alternative may have been.
With that said, like others have pointed out, FeLV is a fragile virus that doesn't live long outside a live host. In fact, it's actually quite difficult for a healthy, adult cat to catch the virus with or without the vaccine (the vaccine is about 85-90% effective, I believe). It's kittens and the elderly that are most susceptable due to an immature/weakened immune system. The best thing you can do is keep everybody's immune systems healthy with a superb quality diet (all-natural, no additives or preservatives...many prefer Nature's Variety, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Innova, California Natural, or a raw food diet among others). Some inexpensive and worthwhile supplements would be Vitamin C and L-Lysine. And, most importantly, keeping the Feleuk guys as stress-free as possible!
So, before I forget...what symptoms is Thor presenting with?
Anyway, hope this helps!
Jen
----- Original Message -----
From: Kris Kulak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Monday, March 7, 2005 10:49 am
Subject: Re: New To This
> That I don't know. I want to talk to my vet, but she's off until
> Wednesday.
>
> "Gloria B. Lane" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:Hey Kristina - I'm
> wondering what's the diagnosis for Thor - do you
> know? is it anemia, lymphoma or what? Maybe I missed it -
>
> Gloria
>
>
> My vet is dead set against it. I'm glad. I'm just having a
> difficult
> time deciding what to do. So many people have stated that they've
> mixed their cats back up, but I haven't read one study that
> recommends that. As-a-matter-of-a-fact, they're all against it. I
> guess I need more input from people who've blended the family
> again.
> I've got three weeks before I really need to make a final
> decision. I
> keep going back and forth on this. I mean, what if the little guy
> (Luna) is able to shake this thin and eventually test negative? Is
> it
> possible that Thor, the older kitten that is sick right now, will
> recover and live longer? I feel helpless. Thor seems more spunky
> today than he has in awhile, but I don't want to get my hopes up.
>
> Kristina
>
> "Gloria B. Lane" wrote:
>
> Hi Kristina - just wanted to mention also - watch out for vets who
> want to euthanize your kitties. There's a lot of variation in
> knowledge and attitude among vets. One may be supportive and work
> with your FELV cats, but another may just want to euthanize. Very
> scarey going to different vets, sometimtes.
>
> Gloria
>
>
> I have just found out that my two kittens are positive for feline
> leukemia. I adopted a kitten from an animal shelter in Wisconsin that
> originally tested negative. But since then he has become positive and
> has infected one of my older cats, who in the meantime has become
> quite sick. It is devastating to me. BUT, I am trying to remain
> optimistic. Therefore, I am trying to find out all I can.
>
> First of all, I have three other cats, all of which tested negative.
> I have to keep them separated now from my two "sick" ones. Even
> though the little kitten I adopted in November has the virus, he acts
> totally normal. The older kitten which is actually a year old now, is
> sick. I've been giving the older one 3cc of Retrovir in the morning
> and in the evening. I don't know what the side effects are to
> cats. I
> only received the side effects for humans when I picked up the
> medicine at the pharmacy. Is there any place you can recommend to me
> to find out more about the side effects to cats? The side effects to
> humans don't look so good, so I'm a bit worried about this medicine.
>
> Second, as I have stated, I have to keep my cats all separated. This
> is EXTREMELY hard. We were one big happy family. All of my cats got
> along, cuddled, took care of the little ones, played together,
> cleaned each other, and now I've had to tear up the family. The older
> ones in the basement are wondering what's going on. I go down there
> to sit with them and they just stare at me. It's kind of creepy. But
> they do thrive on the attention once we get past the awkward moment.
> The kittens I keep upstairs so that I can monitor them. The littlest
> one is constantly crying at the door that separates them all. I've
> even caught the older one clawing at the door today. It's really
> hard. Therefore, I was wondering, if after the incubation period is
> over and the other older cats get retested and if they still prove to
> be negative, then get their shots, could I put the family back
> together again? Or is it better for me to find a new home for the ill
> cats? I will die if I have to lose them. They are my babies. This
> will be the third and fourth kittens I have lost in three years. But
> I need to do what's best. I'd rather take care of the ill kittens
> myself than have the cost burden and the stress go to someone
> else. I
> know I have a home for the three older cats providing they stay
> negative. I just really want to try to keep the family together. So,
> how effective are the shots?
>
> Third and final, the animal shelter that I received the kitten from
> is trying to deny that it was their kitten. In a sense, they told me
> that my vet tested incorrectly. Now I know that the shelter is trying
> to do a good thing, but I feel they have a responsibility to tell the
> other people who have adopted kittens or cats from the same group and
> time period. They aren't listening to me. I've researched about the
> incubation period and that maybe they should have held onto all the
> cats and kittens for a few more weeks because it could sit dormant.
> They kept insisting that the kitten tested negative; and I told them
> I know that, but..." We got no where. Now what do I do? All my other
> cats have been tested twice a year for everything. (I take them to
> the vet for even the slightest sniffle - I'm a little protective). I
> need to know what do I do to get them to contact the other people.
> I'm concerned that there are more Feline Leukemia cats out there,
> more than that, I am sure of it and I think those people have a right
> to know. So, what do I do? I was thinking about taking out a full
> page ad in the Milwaukee Journal or contacting the Better Business
> Bureau. I need to do something.
>
> Sorry I took so much time, but I have many issues and/or concerns. I
> don't know what to do. I've been reading a lot on the internet,
> but I
> can't find the answer to these few things. I appreciate any
> help/advice you could give me. Thank you.
>
> Kristina
>
>
>
>
