Test protocol question
Advice appreciated for when or if we need to test our two cats again : Our third cat died of FeLV cancer on Nov.2nd. The three cats all had fairly close associated during the last month as in, being in same room and some physical contact. The other two cats had blood drawn on Nov.5 and both Elisa and IFA were negative. Should we test them again and if so when ? One vet said to be absolutely sure test again but he was convinced himself they are okay. Another vet was all for vaccines no matter what. These two are 2 1/2. they had one single vacc. at age 12 weeks and as of age 14 1/2 weeks were in VERY close contact - grooming, sleeping, eating - up to late Sept. early Oct. Thanks so much Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Gel caps
We found gel caps invaluable for chinese herbs, which are usually really bitter. At first i got the number 4 ones, hardly anything fits, it took 4 to fill 1/4 t. I never used the pill filler kit, rather put loose stuff in a shallow dish and pushed the dry herb into it, kept pushing and packing it in. I usually dabbed bit of olive oil on it so it wouldn't stick in throat, but folks have said just use water to get it to just barely start melitng to be more slippery. Then, later found and vet suggested the huge caps are fine, you toss it right into open throat, their gag reflex is fine with it, they won't aspiriate, it's liquid you have to squirt slowly from the side. So i've tossed in 'nutrigest' caps which are huge. I think the 4 or 2 is good to start with and work your way up to the 0's ! Yeah, lquid melts a cap. As soon as it starts to fold up it's hard to handle. I've kindof used slippery elm syrup in them tho. Not easy. I was given free sample of beef flavoured caps, they seem to be from Florida: http://www.capsuline.com but i'm not sure if it's a real advantage. I don't know the retail price. You can order any empty gel caps from any pharmacy. Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
re. Haunted by questions please help ?
Jenn, and others, appreciate all comments we are suffering thru bereavement, Thanks for asking more about our sweet Frodo; we are sure he was born with the virus. The haunting question is, and still looking for answers experiences and opinions : If a kitten is born with the virus, are they more likely to succumb at an early age ? Thanks Jenn for that observation that they often don't live past 3. We want to know the stats or general percentage of kittens treated with immuno regulin or whatever, to turn negative and not be contagious (or is that a separate question). We wish we had tested and treated, but we did not. He was a healthy, thriving cat til he suddenly became ill. He contracted a major bacterial infection from eating raw chicken neck, and coincidentally raw venison liver the same day. He had been totally happy and normal prior no infection or problem. Only symptom looking back was he was not as agile or fast, but we thought he was just not a kitten anymore. Because the vet acted like something else might be going on and seemed to want tons of tests and in hospital expense, it seemed bogus money grab; then, someone on a yahoo list not this one, said a culture and sensitivity was needed, but it was useless if the cat already started antibiotics. NOT true, and I believed the person and he didn't get the right antibiotic for several weeks. Meanwhile he wasn't eating. All along, we just thought it was an infection that he would overcome. GREAT regret. When he died, he also had toxoplasmosis, and we had an autopsy, he had hi grade lymphoblastic sarcoma in many places with lesions indicating it had been around before. The suggestion to us was he had the cancer before the campylobacter and stopped eating (he never ate on his own for his last 8 weeks) because of that. Other question PLEASE any opinion - is that type of scenario likely or was vet trying to make me feel better ? If we had treated the bacterial infection, I wonder if the cancer could have been tackled with chemo. Not that we had money, a ton of hospital expense went on credit cards, but it was in the end for nothing and subjected him to many antibiotics. Please help, but I want to know the truth and actual stats if anyone is aware. Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Questions haunting us please help
We just lost our cat to feline leuk cancer, that was only discovered because of a bacterial infection that didn't heal. We have questions that still haunt, and wishing we'd tested and treated him as a kitten. He died at 3 and a half. We found him in our parking lot around age. 8 or 12 weeks. Probably beating myself up over it, but i still want to know the truth so the following questions persist : if the virus is passed from mother in utero/nursing, is the infection more likely to be in the bone marrow ? I read that these cats tend to live only 2 or 3 years, ie. lesser lifespan than acquiring the infection after birth . If passed in utero, does it start off in the blood and become more persistent andpermanent infection later or is it already entrenched ? I've also just heard from humane society the tests are even less accurate before 6 months of age. By what age is the infection then accurately detected ? by elisa or ifa. How many cats, as in a percentage, go negative using immuno regulin or interferon ? If these drugs worked, are they just expensive ? or are the stories on the net the 'success' stories only ?or is the spontaneous clearing of virus in some cats due to unknown factors ? Grateful, Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Poll on FLV exposure and a question !
We have gotten wonderful news that our two cats have tested negative on an IFA. Our third cat died last week, and was confirmed by IFA to be positive and died of various infection complications. Very heartbreaking. Just finally got the other two tested on Sat. and finally hearing result today Thurs. I have a question and also a comment regarding the poll activity on the list over exposure amongst cats. Because, we suspect the cat that died from it was born with it. We had him for about a year and stupidly never had him tested even tho we assumed him to have feral origins., then got 2 kittens from a breeder at age 14 1/2 wks. age. They had gotten one vaccine at 12 weeks, but we were wary of vaccines and did not follow thru on more. Anyway, the FLV cat was like a mom to them, constantly grooming, and just loved them for the last nearly 2 1/2 years. they shared everything, bedding, bowls, and even when we force fed the FLV cat we had one of the others lick his face and scraps he missed, to help encourage him food was 'fun'. of course, before we know the FLV status. could the kittens have had enough immunity to react to the FLV initially, and continue to build immunity after that ? I find this to be really interesting and useful to reposrt. Will report more on the pathology post mortem results we should get tomorrow. My question is, should we retest with the Elisa type test, and support immune systems with 'respond' (ginseng) or some other ? We have transfer factor plus adv. as well and just started giving it to the cat that has an asthma cough. In other words how happy should we be ? Am looking for good hope here where we are devasted at not aggressively treating the bacterial infection that started the whole chain reaction for our poor sweet one who died. Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Vaccination/Treatment and Asthma question
What is the reaction or how do you deal with a cat who has asthma, and may be FLV pos. or needs to be vaccinated ? Asthma cough if allergic, is an OVER active immune response isn't it ? Or is it just a warped immune system ? Can you give an asthma cat Respond (nutraceutical ginseng) or Transfer Factor ? or do these overstimulate the immune system ? It would seem great to give Moducare /Moduvet which MODERATES the immune system, calming an overactive one and stimulating an underactive one. How do they handle vaccine or for that matter being exposed to FLV positive cats ? Many thanks Lynne __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Hard To Diagnose SymptomsPlsHelp
I am craving support and helpful advice please help !! have a number of questions different areas. One, Has anyone heard of enlarged salivary glands, in conjunction with FLV ? Our cat had needle aspirate samples sent to a pathologist and he was stumped, there was no cancer and the combo of things in it was 'bizarre' he said. But we wouldn't know for sure without a biopsy. Two. Vet is concerned with no real change in his demeanour, eating, and his liquid stool. symptoms Meanwhile, the gut feels like there are enlarged lymph nodes there. He has had a reduction in the neck swelling with prednisone. I can get him to be a bit interested in lapping liquid, and he likes water. No solid food tho. I give him a liver shake, and his regular raw food diet with supps like Respond, Moducare, probiotics, c, e, sometimes nutrigest, slippery elm, colostrum. While still on atbx for long campylobacter infection, he tested inhouse positive for FLV. I personally wonder if he's positive due to illness and stress of campylobacter. It took us weeks to get the right antbx, so he went thru that for a long time between tests and vets without the azythromycin. I am at a loss what to do and vet is saying we're in a difficult situation, with contradcitory approaches; if he has surgery to do biopsies we're conerned he'll not be able to cope after and heal. This vet tho has advanced training in chinese herb approach and treatment. Can anyone comment or advise any of this ?? Thanks so much Lynne for Frodo __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
Please Help NewMember I'm scared
Our cat Frodo has evident cancer because of huge, enlarged lymph nodes, abdomen and neck, and an inhouse test at the vet today. Vet will recommend treatment options; another vet there interened with oncology. If our cat has had a severe campylobacter infection. lost a lot of weight and has been syringe fed already for a number of weeks, will chemo continue as the same sort of thing that we have to do ? I am so stunned I'm sure i don't know what to ask, i like holistic and supportive measures. I like homeopathy. Has anyone heard of success with homeopathy ? or with eg. colostrum or transfer factor ? Anything i could get right now for him ? Lynne many thanks please reply !! __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca
