In reply to both dlgegg and Beth:
Yes, Hemobartonella in combination with his FeLV was what brought him down.
It became impossible to fight the problem when his spleen and liver failed
due to blood waste buildup. We tried and tried to get electrolytes and blood
sugar in balance, but every time we thought we had it, he'd level out for an
hour and then something dropped or spiked.
What I understand having spoken to the vet is that a more thorough approach
(taking care of what might be an upper respiratory with the clavamox, which
was suspected also) and the hemobartonella with azithro was what the vet was
trying to do, before zapping him with the doxy, which they thought would be
too much for his already taxed little system.
As for the 24-hour Emergency Hospital, although they have specialists coming
out of their ears, they failed to diagnose the same for my first case of
this horrible combo. As I was walking out the door after putting down "Bog",
(a precious little female) they asked me if I wanted more tests to see what
the problems with her blood were. She did not have sickle-cell, they said.
They described it as "irregularities, on the cell walls, some looking like
they had exploded, others looking fuzzy". I had to grimace when I heard
that. Finally, they had taken a closer look at her blood, after she had been
in their care for three days.
After seeing an internist, a cardiologst, etc., they offered a transfusion,
as a last resort, saying: "we can try it but it'll probably kill her". So
that was the last choice they gave me: let her pass in peace or die while
getting a cath put in for a transfusion. I knew it was too late for her. If
they had come to a diagnosis two days earlier it would have saved her life.
Sometimes I wonder about these specialists: they seem to be less aquainted
with FeLVand its complications than we are, and we're not vets.
I am going to try to get an audience with the vet I used to go to. She's a
country doctor who kept my first cat alive to 22 years old. When he was
diagnosed with hyperthyroid she put her hands on him and said, "Oh. I know
what this is. No problem. I'll get you the medication right way. He'll be
fine."
I said..."What? No test?" "No, no need. Unless you want an expensive
confirmation." I said of course not. Total for visit: $35 for the
medication. No emergency exam fee.
He was right as rain in a week, and I got the pills compounded into vaseline
with could be administered in his ear. He lived 5 more years completely
symptom-free.
Her name is Jaqueline Perkins and is the best vet on Long Island (and
possibly in all of NY), and she does things the old fashioned way. Problem
is she does mostly surgery (semi retired) and I'm going to have a devil of a
time trying to get to see her. But I'm going to try.
Amanda Vollaro
avoll...@optonline.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Beth" <create_me_...@yahoo.com>
To: <felvtalk@felineleukemia.org>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 9:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Urgent Advice Needed
So sorry to hear about Kiss. Poor baby.
Are sure he had Hemobartonella? Doxy would have been the treament. I had a
non FeLV cat who had it.
So sad.
Beth
dlg...@windstream.net wrote:
If you have any question about the antibotic and cannot get a reasonable
answer from him soon, I would go for a 2nd opinion. Do yo have a 24 hour
emergency vet near you? I can get to one i about 1 hour and they have a
very up to date set up with ultrasound and the works.
---- Amanda Vollaro <avoll...@optonline.net> wrote:
I am sad to say that Kiss (FeLV + Blood parasite boy) did not make it.
He hung on for three days and fought like the dickens but could not
shake it.
What I need to know is why my vet prescribed azithromyicin and clavamox
for the parasite when doxycycline is the only proven treatment. I cannot
get him on the phone as he is in surgery, and I have another cat who has
stopped eating and is lethargic. I need her to get the appropriate
treatment quickly, she is the mother of most of our brood and is very
special to us.
Thanks,
Amanda Vollaro
avoll...@optonline.net
516-350-0131
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