Re: [Felvtalk] urgent question on FELV tests/vax
I had the same thing happen this past year in October when I moved Bunny, a rescue who had turned from positive to negative and had stayed negative for 3 months after into my home office where two of my other cats reside because one of them had an eye infection that needed treatment and then I found that his sister was hiding in a kitchen drawer, terrified of the rest of my inside cat community. Well, Bunny lived a year with Samson and Delilah. This past October, she began acting tired, eating less and sleeping more and no longer pestering Samson and Delilah or sleeping with us on the bed. It took a week for me to realize that something was very wrong. I took her to the vet and she tested positive for FeLv. She passed away less than a week later, in spite of intense antibiotic treatment and supportive vitamin injections. I am left with the question of did either of the other two cats or both contract the disease? I am not going to test because there is nothing I can do if they did contract it and I don't have the financial resources to pay for tests. I do not vaccinate because I have had the experience both with cats and myself that vaccines can do more harm than good. Also, I tend to agree with the "barn door" theory that the vet put out. None of the other cats in the other part of the house were exposed, except by me walking back and forth. I washed my hands frequently so as not to pass the disease around, if that is possible. I am just going to allow Sam and Dee to live the best quality lives they can and hope for the best and longest time they can enjoy their stay on this planet. Fortunately, cats do not agonize about illness or death like humans do so they are blissfully happy, as was Bunny before the disaster struck. It was a blessing that she was not ill for long. She was feeling chipper up until two weeks before the FeLv returned and then the downhill slide was quick. I was with her the whole time. I did not isolate her but kept her in her familiar environment where she slept most of the time in a prepared bed on the floor until she slept forever. On Saturday, January 11, 2014 12:24 PM, Margo wrote: > > >Hi KG > > I'm not sure I understand, so bear with me. Is the newly positive cat from the colony? If so, what are your plans, depending an the results? How many cats are you talking about? I went thru the same dilemma last year, and it was not easy. Short version, I talked to my Vet, and did a LOT of research about vaccinating and testing. For the group of cats that were living with the positive cat, her opinion on vaccinating them was "that ship has sailed". They'd been together for more than 2 years, so she felt any transmission would have already occurred. She did want to test them, but I declined. Couldn't see the benefit. Of course, when anyone gets sick, they will be tested, as I now handle the +'s differently. They remain separate from the other groups. I have added two cats to the group, both were vaccinated, twice, before introduction. I would vaccinate twice, 3 weeks apart. I have not found any source that indicates that a single vaccine in an adult is enough, but that may be a judgment call. > >The Snap takes three drops of blood per test, so you need to be able to draw >blood. Ear nicks probably won't do, unfortunately. > >http://www.drugs.com/vet/snap-combo-felv-ag-fiv-antibody-test-kit.html > >The well tests say they can be done with saliva, which might be easier, but I >have read they are not always as accurate that way. > >Assure >http://www.amazon.com/Synbiotics-ASSURE-Leukemia-Virus-Antigen/dp/B00061MOCU > > Both are available at Revival; > >http://www.revivalanimal.com/?ic_location=header&ic_name=homelogo > > but may be cheaper elsewhere. > > Has the newly positive cat been re-tested? I'd wait a month and >test again, at least. False positives can occur. I did vaccinate everyone who >might come into casual contact, because that was much cheaper than re-testing >AND vaccinating. > >I wish you the best. I thought I had a houseful of confirmed negative cats, >and then this. Heartbreaking. > >Margo > > > >-----Original Message- >>From: KG BarnCats >>Sent: Jan 11, 2014 10:26 AM >>To: "felvtalk@felineleukemia.org" >>Subject: [Felvtalk] urgent question on FELV tests/vax >> >>Seeking advice and best places to shop. >> >>In addition to a small phydically isolated of FELV+ cats, I care for a >>large colony of cats. These are all fixed, all previously tested >>negative and mostly adult. They range from friendly to full feral. >>A few were FELV vaccinated a couple years back. >> >>One previously negative diabetic cat h
Re: [Felvtalk] urgent question on FELV tests/vax
Hi KG I'm not sure I understand, so bear with me. Is the newly positive cat from the colony? If so, what are your plans, depending an the results? How many cats are you talking about? I went thru the same dilemma last year, and it was not easy. Short version, I talked to my Vet, and did a LOT of research about vaccinating and testing. For the group of cats that were living with the positive cat, her opinion on vaccinating them was "that ship has sailed". They'd been together for more than 2 years, so she felt any transmission would have already occurred. She did want to test them, but I declined. Couldn't see the benefit. Of course, when anyone gets sick, they will be tested, as I now handle the +'s differently. They remain separate from the other groups. I have added two cats to the group, both were vaccinated, twice, before introduction. I would vaccinate twice, 3 weeks apart. I have not found any source that indicates that a single vaccine in an adult is enough, but that may be a judgment call. The Snap takes three drops of blood per test, so you need to be able to draw blood. Ear nicks probably won't do, unfortunately. http://www.drugs.com/vet/snap-combo-felv-ag-fiv-antibody-test-kit.html The well tests say they can be done with saliva, which might be easier, but I have read they are not always as accurate that way. Assure http://www.amazon.com/Synbiotics-ASSURE-Leukemia-Virus-Antigen/dp/B00061MOCU Both are available at Revival; http://www.revivalanimal.com/?ic_location=header&ic_name=homelogo but may be cheaper elsewhere. Has the newly positive cat been re-tested? I'd wait a month and test again, at least. False positives can occur. I did vaccinate everyone who might come into casual contact, because that was much cheaper than re-testing AND vaccinating. I wish you the best. I thought I had a houseful of confirmed negative cats, and then this. Heartbreaking. Margo -Original Message- >From: KG BarnCats >Sent: Jan 11, 2014 10:26 AM >To: "felvtalk@felineleukemia.org" >Subject: [Felvtalk] urgent question on FELV tests/vax > >Seeking advice and best places to shop. > >In addition to a small phydically isolated of FELV+ cats, I care for a >large colony of cats. These are all fixed, all previously tested >negative and mostly adult. They range from friendly to full feral. >A few were FELV vaccinated a couple years back. > >One previously negative diabetic cat has fallen ill and just re-tested >positive, after a host of other tests and treatments over the last two >months. I don't have the money to test and vax everyone at the vet. >So I am looking for the most cost efficient way to test and vax. > >Is it possible to buy snap tests and do them myself, using a blood >drop from the ear? (similar to getting blood for blood glucose >testing). Is special equipment required to run the test? Best source >for bulk test kits? > >Where are the cheapest vaccines? I have seen 10 dose FELV only vials >on sale for $69 at California Pet but if anyone knows a better source >for single doses or multi dose vials, I'd appreciate it. > >Is there any data/studies to indicate that a single dose conveys >protection for cats over 6 more? I recall reading on cat info.org >that FVRCP single dose can convey longterm immunity for cats over 4 >months. My understanding is that multiple doses are needed because of >potential maternal derived immunity interference with vaccines, at >least for FVRCP. > >Thanks in advance. > >Kg > >___ >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] urgent question on FELV tests/vax
In terms of testing, you can buy bulk tests, I think my group paid about $12/test when we did, but we had to buy $400 worth. I think you need to take blood from a vein. We never bought our own again. Since they live together, you can ask the vet to do batch tests. Our vet does that with kittens from the same litter. You can see if your vet will do adults living together. They mix the blood of up to 3 or 4 together and then do a test with that. If it's negative then they are all negative. If it's positive, you need to then test those cats individually to see whose blood the antibodies came from. There is some controversy over whether this is something vets should be doing. But I think in your case it might be a good option. For vaccinations, do you mean FVRCP (distemper, rhino, calici) which is what you wrote, or do you mean FeLV vax? Because the answer is different depending which you meant. Michelle -Original Message- From: KG BarnCats To: felvtalk Sent: Sat, Jan 11, 2014 10:27 am Subject: [Felvtalk] urgent question on FELV tests/vax Seeking advice and best places to shop. In addition to a small phydically isolated of FELV+ cats, I care for a large colony of cats. These are all fixed, all previously tested negative and mostly adult. They range from friendly to full feral. A few were FELV vaccinated a couple years back. One previously negative diabetic cat has fallen ill and just re-tested positive, after a host of other tests and treatments over the last two months. I don't have the money to test and vax everyone at the vet. So I am looking for the most cost efficient way to test and vax. Is it possible to buy snap tests and do them myself, using a blood drop from the ear? (similar to getting blood for blood glucose testing). Is special equipment required to run the test? Best source for bulk test kits? Where are the cheapest vaccines? I have seen 10 dose FELV only vials on sale for $69 at California Pet but if anyone knows a better source for single doses or multi dose vials, I'd appreciate it. Is there any data/studies to indicate that a single dose conveys protection for cats over 6 more? I recall reading on cat info.org that FVRCP single dose can convey longterm immunity for cats over 4 months. My understanding is that multiple doses are needed because of potential maternal derived immunity interference with vaccines, at least for FVRCP. Thanks in advance. Kg ___ 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] urgent question on FELV tests/vax
Seeking advice and best places to shop. In addition to a small phydically isolated of FELV+ cats, I care for a large colony of cats. These are all fixed, all previously tested negative and mostly adult. They range from friendly to full feral. A few were FELV vaccinated a couple years back. One previously negative diabetic cat has fallen ill and just re-tested positive, after a host of other tests and treatments over the last two months. I don't have the money to test and vax everyone at the vet. So I am looking for the most cost efficient way to test and vax. Is it possible to buy snap tests and do them myself, using a blood drop from the ear? (similar to getting blood for blood glucose testing). Is special equipment required to run the test? Best source for bulk test kits? Where are the cheapest vaccines? I have seen 10 dose FELV only vials on sale for $69 at California Pet but if anyone knows a better source for single doses or multi dose vials, I'd appreciate it. Is there any data/studies to indicate that a single dose conveys protection for cats over 6 more? I recall reading on cat info.org that FVRCP single dose can convey longterm immunity for cats over 4 months. My understanding is that multiple doses are needed because of potential maternal derived immunity interference with vaccines, at least for FVRCP. Thanks in advance. Kg ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
