On 11/26/06, TenHouseCats <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
i think that part of the problem is the over-riding lack of information mentioned so often (by me, too, if i recall....): for a long time it was assumed that if mom was positive, or if one kitten was positive, then the whole litter was.... i'm not even sure that that wasn't the case at one point--i know that "mixed" litters seem to be showing up far more often now than they did five years ago and, thankfully, more kittens who initially test positive are testing negative later on.
Unfortunately people still assume this. Misinformation abounds, and often people don't want to be educated. (I think part of it is not spending the money for additional combo tests). I would probably still assume this had I not found this list (thanks again yall). something that all rescues/shelters should know is that idexx, at
least, has a great discount program for 501(c)3s--i'm fuzzy on the current details, but it used to be that you had to buy in bulk (30 test kits, which during kitten season any group can easily go through!), with each test costing under $7/per for the combo test. most shelters/rescues that deal with dogs know how to draw bloods for heartworm testing, so it's not out of the question for them to do their own blood draws for kitties. vet techs will often donate their time to do the blood draws, too, if you ask around...
We are so small I am not sure I could convince a vet tech. We don't deal with dogs (yet) either. Fortunately I can get a combo test at the wellness clinic for $16. I usually just take the whole litter in at once. and it's important, again, to distinquish between FIV and FeLV--i
don't test for the former, but will for the latter.... perhaps finding out the current specifics on the idexx program (and others, if they exist) is something someone could take on, then provide the info to the rest of us to distribute to rescues/shelters in our areas.... MC
Good idea.
