Hi all. First of all, thank you SO MUCH for all of your advice, help, and support!!!! It's done me worlds of good!! I can't remember what all I've already posted and what I haven't (esp. cuz I've told so many people all the details that it's all getting a bit jumbled), so if some of this is repeat, forgive me. Slinky has never stopped eating entirely. He's been eating his dry Innova Evo like crazy...just wouldn't eat the raw I usually feed him. He's also been drinking quite a bit and using his litter box regularly (and no diarrhea). I got some sub-q fluids at the vet yesterday (they didn't really think it would help but gave them to me anyway), but didn't end up using them. When I went to bed last night his temp was 103.6, so I just syringe-fed him some ice water, wiped him down with a cold washcloth, and opened the window. He ate several times during the night (I had his dish with the dry food on my bed next to my pillow, so I heard him when he started eating, and his water glass - only thing he'd drink out of - is next to my bed), drank, and used the litter box. He felt cool to the touch to me all night (when he's had high fevers, he's usually been very hot) and this morning, so I didn't even take his temp. But, after reading all of your posts about transfusions, anemia, etc. I noted that his gums were VERY pale, and I thought his breathing and heart seemed a bit fast (though I'd never really paid attention before so wasn't sure how abnormal they were), so I decided to take him in this morning. Let me first say that I have the BEST "chosen family" in the entire universe!!!!!! I called my "sister" this morning because she said she was getting together with the 2 "dads" (it's complicated but you get the idea) and did I want to come. I called to tell her I couldn't go and why and she recommended I take Slink to a 24 hour animal hospital in DC (she took her dog there and both of the dads took their cats and dogs there as well). So we headed out to see what they could do. I had called the hospital and they said they could do a payment plan. But it turns out that what they have is a credit card you can apply for, but I applied for one through my bank this morning and was denied. The visit alone was going to be $110, but I figured I could at least find out what my options were. When I walked in, I said that my cat had FeLV and was very anemic, his gums were almost white..they came and took him back and started checking him even before they had all my ID info (I figured this was a good sign - they were serious about getting him taken care of!). When we got there, his temp was 106!!! That's the highest it's ever been! I gave them the results from the clinic on Wed (the ones I posted earlier) and they ran a PCV. They said his RBC was at 12 and Wed. it had been at 14...but since they were different machines and different types of tests they were hard to compare but figured the numbers were fairly comparable - at least it wasn't plummeting. They said about the only option was a transfusion and broad-spectrum antibiotics...but for all of that we were looking at probably about $1000 (the transfusion plus overnight stay, tests, etc.). They're a little higher than most because it's a 24 hour hospital, but I figured the other places would end up being about the same with all the tests, etc. The doctor said she had had a cat that was FeLV+ who lived to be about 5 and then got really sick...so I knew that at least she was familiar with the disease and was not going to write him off because of his label. That made me feel TONS better!!! She continued to say that his long-term prognosis is not great, but that it was worth trying the transfusion if I could spend the money. I called my "sister" in hysterics not at all sure what to do. She came over immediately and said if I wanted to do it, she'd pay for it if necessary. She doesn't have THAT much more money than I do though, so I wasn't crazy about that idea. But while I was waiting for her to come, I had called one of the "dads" who has 2 cats and recently spent $3500 on surgery for one of them. Despite the fact that he was running a million errands to get ready for a big trip, he said he'd be there in 20 minutes. When he got there, he looked at the estimates, talked to the doctor, and said, "we can put it on my card." I said, "I don't know when I can pay you back" and he just said, "we'll figure that out someday." In other words, I can pay him back slowly and he's not going to stress about it. I really considered not doing the transfusion, but Slinky was very alert, was walking around the exam room and looking around like, "Hey mom! Let's go home and PLAY!" Everyone says that when they're done fighting, they'll tell you and I knew he wasn't done. So we decided to go ahead with the transfusion and I came home. I called when I got here and they said the first bag of blood product they tested didn't match his type, but the second one did. They were a little concerned because when they mixed it with his blood to test it there was a little bit of "clumping" so she wasn't sure how he'd take it. But she said they'd give him a mild, short-acting steroid and take it slow. She said they'd see how the first hour went, knowing there was a possibility he could go into shock, but she was willing to try it. So I decided to go back to the hospital so I could be there if anything happened and they waited 'till I got there to start. I was able to go back and see him and hold him for a bit. He's in isolation, but was still very alert, etc. He ate quite a bit of the dry food I'd brought with me (Innova Evo) and some of the dried chicken treats. The doctor kept saying that despite the fact that he looks bad on paper (everything was very low including the regeneration, etc....though there was some regeneration), "clinically" (meaning physically, I guess) he looks very strong. He's alert, seems comfortable, and seemed to be doing very well. I stayed at the hospital for the first couple hours of the transfusion. After the first hour the doctor came out and said "so far so good." His temp "spiked" to 103 (which after being at 106 I wasn't so worried about!), but they slowed the blood rate and that brought the temp back down. They're only doing about 1-2 mL an hour and will give him a total of 15mL. They're also going to do IV antibiotics and continue with some of the other meds. They'll keep him at least 24 hours, maybe longer. Every single person I talked to at the hospital, from the vet tech (who told me in the isolation room that she's worked at 3 hospitals and this one is AMAZING and she loves her job) to the other owners in the waiting room told me this was absolutely the BEST place to be. Not inexpensive, but very good. They have all kinds of specialists on staff (including oncologists), etc. So I feel REALLY good about having him there!!! They let me go back and say goodnight before I left. They also let me leave a T-shirt of mine with him so he could have my scent. :) He looked pretty tired and was sitting quietly in the back of the cage, but he was awake and looking comfortable. I promised him I'd be back in the morning (and sooner if anything happened) and that they'd take good care of him. They're checking his vitals, etc. every fifteen minutes and let me see the chart. His temp is hovering between 102 and 103, going down when the give him DexSP and slow the transfusion rate. But he seems to be stable and doing alright. I told him that as long as he wanted to fight, I would do everything I could to help him...and that when he wants to be done fighting all he has to do is tell me. I also told him if he needed to go, he could and I'd always love him. So far it seems that he wants to fight. I'm just PRAYING that the transfusion helps. I asked the vet about hemobartanella (sp?) and she said it was possible but that the treatment would be broad-spectrum antibiotics and we were already doing that. She said we could switch to Doxy, but that she didn't know that that would be much more effective than what he's already on (Clavamox and Baytril). She did put him on IV abx so they'd be quicker and more effective. She also said that in a couple weeks if his RBCs haven't gone up enough we'd look at starting him on Epogen. The estimate for all of this was $1100 or so, but my "dad" is already telling me that he's anticipating it will be higher and not to worry about whatever the final bill is - we'll deal with it. Both he and my "sister" said if this doesn't work, we'll regroup and figure out what to do. But "dad" said that after seeing Slinky he would've made the same decision because he definitely wasn't a cat who was giving up - he's had to make the decision both to have cats put to sleep and to do major procedures, so I felt like he knows. It's AMAZING to have such wonderful family who will help out! He said (and I felt the same way) that it just didn't make sense not to get Slinky the treatment he needed just because of money and he was happy to help out. WHEW!!!! Another friend of mine has been in town last night and tonight, so I have company to help me here (it's weird being here w/o Slink!) and tomorrow a good friend is coming for the week (her spring break)...and she's a vet tech! So she'll be able to stay with him while I'm at work and make sure that he gets all the best treatments he needs! The dr. seemed to think aftercare would really only be oral abx and follow-up appointments, but it's nice to know that if something is needed, I'll have an expert on hand. And I already have sub-q fluids if his fever spikes. :) I know this is a long message, but I wanted to make sure I got you all an update. Again, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO much for your prayers, love, and support...and especially for all the information! It's so great to be able to go in knowing what kinds of questions to ask and what my options might be! I tell every vet I go to about our list serv so they can tell other families. I truly am amazingly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family around me...especially ones who understand what it's like to have a sick animal and love him more than yourself. Thanks again for everything! I'm praying for all your fur-kids! Keep the thoughts and prayers up for Slinky...so far so good!!! Have a great night everyone! Hugs and love, MJ
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