Re: [Felvtalk] different types of Felv

[Margo]

(I have been without internet, so if this is really late, sorry)I don't do the FeLV vaccine unless I'm going to house the new cat with FeLV+ cats. I do use the Purevax recombinant for those I do. I did NOT vaccinate the others who were living with Mako and Gribble when they were diagnosed. My Vet and I both figured that ship had sailed out the barn door.Margo-Original Message-
From: Ardy Robertson 
Sent: Jun 11, 2016 2:05 PM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] different types of Felv






See --- if the vets office ever explained anything like what you just did, I would realize the risk is worth it, but they don’t explain things. So you feel the FeLV vaccine is worth doing then? They sort of steered me against it at the store, and the shelter where Topaz came from. Topaz is about 13 months old now, according to the shelter’s vet’s best guess – I suppose based on her teeth? Thanks,Ardy   From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amani OakleySent: Thursday, June 9, 2016 12:13 PMTo: Margo ; felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: [Felvtalk] different types of Felv I am VERY pro-vaccine. I have a lengthy and extensive background in Microbiology and there is a very solid scientific basis for my position. Unfortunately, my experience is that many many people who are anti-vaccine don’t understand how vaccines work and certainly don’t understand where we came from and just how many animals and people died from diseases we now have under control. The only reason that people can now get away with avoiding vaccines, whether that is in people or in animals, is because they are dependent on the herd immunity. You don’t need to worry too much about getting German measles if all your neighbours are vaccinated, and you don’t need to worry about vaccinating your dog for rabies if all the neighbourhood dogs and cats are vaccinated. I completely agree and echo Margo’s observations. Be careful about this. People are deciding to forego vaccinations because they don’t see the awful repercussions often enough to be reminded of why vaccination is one of the most effective medical interventions in ever. If your cats are completely indoor, and you aren’t introducing new ones in all the time, then your risk is probably low and are probably okay to decide not to vaccinate regularly, with the important proviso Margo intelligently pointed out that sometimes animals get out despite our best efforts. Margo is also bang on when she cautions about the whiney world we live in where a mother will point to a scratch her precious child got while interacting with your cat and insist on testing to ensure that her coddled child is not going to die from your dirty animal. You’d better believe that in a contest between an animal’s life and a human being who has been “harmed” by contact with the animal – no matter how teensy weensy and inconsequential that harm may appear, or how unlikely it is that the animal is infected – that animal will die. You can hire the best lawyers in the country and pour as money as you’ve got into defending your animal, but it is an entirely lost cause. There isn’t a court in the world who will rule that the life of your cat isn’t worth the peace of mind of the mother and child. Many vets agree that annual vaccinations are no longer needed, especially with indoor animals, but check with the laws in your area and don’t run afoul of them if you can help it. And don’t take for granted the power of the microorganisms that attack animals and humans. With animals, unfortunately, vaccine manufacturers likely rush a vaccine into production well before it reaches the level of proof and safety we expect in human medicine, and thus, for diseases like FeLV, the vaccine is iffy. However, considering what we all know – how lethal FeLV can be and how little is in the arsenal to fight it – it is not surprising that someone decided a partially or sometimes effective vaccine is better than no vaccine at all, until something better comes along. Same goes with rabies – it is lethal and a terrible and painful way to die and very transmissible. Again, the only reason people are taking chances with rabies now is because of the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine – most of us luckily never have seen an animal infected with rabies. So we get complacent. However, as Margo pointed out, in animal species who are not pet species and thus don’t have a high vaccination rate (like raccoons, foxes and skunks) rabies is still a significant threat. Where our animals may come in contact with skunks, raccoons and foxes, even inadvertently, it is not wise to have unvaccinated dogs and cats, though I agree that annual vaccinations are probably not necessary. As for vets and dog groomers, they may not ask if animals have been vaccinated because it was long 

Re: [Felvtalk] Tucker

[Margo]

Rachel, "senior" rescue isn't for everyone, and I don't fault you at all. ANY cat who finds a home is cause for celebration. If we couldn't place  the young ones the less adoptables would be out of time that much more quickly. It's hard to wait for the right cat, but you'll find her. Good luck :)Margo-Original Message-
From: Rachel Dagner 
Sent: Jun 11, 2016 9:45 AM
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Tucker

Yes, the two I am looking at are girls as well and look very similar to Tucker. I figure girls have way less of chance for getting blockages.  I know I will disappoint a lot of people on here, as well as some friends that do rescue by admitting they are young kitties and not old. I do feel a lot of guilt because I don't want any kitty to not have a home, but in the end it needs to be my decision and I have thought about the pros and cons a great deal. I wish I could save them all.  I am praying my new kitty will get used to riding in the car and will take her to work to get her used to it. Tucker actually loved riding in the car, when he was homeless at work he used to follow me to my car and put his paws up on the door ledge to get in. When I did take him home he snuggled right in the crate and looked positively content. I took him to the mountains on vacation. We had a nice cabin with a huge screened porch so he could watch the wildlife. I also have the pet tracking gps collar he had to wear on vacation just in case. I never left Tucker or Daizy in the eleven years I had her with a sitter, where I go they go or I just don't go, I don't trust anyone with my animals except my mom and she lives in Texas. I want my new kitty to travel too if at all possible and will work very hard to make this happen. I also hope to get her used to brushing her teeth every night just like Daizy. And I hope that she and Daizy will play together like she and Tucker did. I hope that Harry will fall in love with her antics and cuteness like he did Tucker and come to appreciate cats even more, and even fall in love with her.  I meet them tomorrow and hope I feel something when I do. I desperately need to heal from this aching emptiness. One thing I know for sure is that my kitty will never see a shelter again. Even if I  die my family would never let that happen. It makes me so mad that people adopt a pet only to later find it "inconvenient" for whatever reason.  They give up their animal yet end up getting another one later. Pets are forever for better or worse. Anyways I hope everyone still likes me even though I am looking at young kitties after all they need a good home and life too and one will have that with me for all of her days. Sent from my iPhoneOn Jun 10, 2016, at 9:29 PM, Ardy Robertson  wrote:




Rachel – you sound like you are going through a lot of the feelings I had after Tigger passed away. I quite accidentally looked over at the kitties in PetSmart – I was NOT going to look at them that day. But Topaz looks very similar to Tigger even though she is a girl and Tigg was a boy. That somehow is comforting – even though I am determined to not compare the two of them. I even had GUILT about liking Topaz. But I did feel like I had to get her out of that glass enclosure, and heck – I have a big house, what’s wrong with bringing one home. You will know if it is okay to help out another kitty…….Ardy  From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Rachel DagnerSent: Thursday, June 9, 2016 8:50 AMTo: felvtalk@felineleukemia.orgSubject: Re: [Felvtalk] Tucker I picked up Tucker’s ashes yesterday. I was really worried as I didn’t know if it would make me feel better or worse. I haven’t eaten since Sunday my appetite is nonexistent, I have managed to choke down a couple protein shakes. My eyes are so swollen, I feel bad for anyone who has the misfortune of looking at me, or being around me for that matter. Well, I of course cried all of the way to the vets, and all the way home. But then I curled up in bed with my little box of Tucker, and I actually did feel a little more at peace. I laid there with him and went through my pictures again and talked to him about all of my feelings and my love for him, about our memories and how much I miss him.  I have actually been in touch with a rescue group I found on pet finder, they test every cat for FELV/FIV while many others don’t. I know that there is no sure thing with testing, and I wouldn’t trade my time with Tucker for anything in the world. I just know that emotionally and financially I am not ready for FELV again right now. If it happens, just like with any illness, then I deal with it, because that is what you do.  I am going to Petsmart over in Tampa on Sunday to meet their kitties, I have no idea if I will be ready, or if this is what I desperately need to do to help me heal, but it 

Re: [Felvtalk] Tucker and Kittens...

[dlgegg]

You must have my Harley, at 4 years, he still acts like a kitten and he has an 
attitude.  There are days I swear I could kill him, he wants what he wants and 
will not take no for an answer.  But then he jumps on my lap, rolls over on his 
back and grins at me, What are you going to do?

 ROBERT CHAPEL  wrote: 
> Rachel:
> While I would like, of course, to see more people take the animals that 
> are harder to place, you are hardly to be critiqued for giving a needy 
> animal(s) a home.   I wouldn't take Kittens at my age ( 64) simply 
> because there is a good chance that I would not outlive them ( with 
> current health concerns) and I don't have anyone to leave them with when 
> I go...  It KILLS me when I see animals that lived in a home for most of 
> their lives brought to our shelter at age 14 or older because the owner 
> passed away or became too infirm to take care of them any more.  Worse 
> still when someone finds out ,after having the animal 10 years that they 
> are " allergic " ( but I won't start on that one)  Enjoy 
> themthey add such energy to a household!!
> My one 9 month old still acts as though he is 6 weeks old and I VERY 
> much wish he weighed the same todayHe'd wreck the place if I didn't 
> keep an eye on him constantly
> 
> 
> Bob


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