I'm wondering also if there are cheaper places to
have transfusions done. My internist charged $412. Out of that, $30 was for the
red blood count.
-Kyle
- Original Message -
From:
catatonya
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2005 5:36
PM
Subject: transfusion donors
I have to say I would complain if a donor cat were kept in a cage in the
back! That is ridiculous! My vet does have donor cats who are
'office cats' . BUT they are up for adoption. They don't just stay
and do that forever! Also, if you know in advance, there are
'bloodbanks' for cats to my knowledge. Of course, I don't know how cats
are kept that donate to the bank.
Good thing to look into... I will ask my vet next time I'm
in.
tMelbeach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Jenn,
I thought about that after the last
transfusion. My vet mentioned that they had a cat on hand for doing
transfusions. What an awful fate! Spending your life in a cage, waiting to
have a needle stuck in your arm. I was definitely disturbed when I heard
about this. That's why I offered to bring Brissle's littermate brother in as
a donor. In Brissle's case with the first transfusion at our regular vet,
the onsite cat had a different blood type. So my vet was kind enough to use
his own cat as a donor. With my internist, I'm not sure. Can't they just
draw the blood and store it? I was thinking this had to be the case
with the internist, as they charged double what my vet charged ($400 vs
$200). Probably not though. My internist is the only show in town. Plus his
office is exquisite. You'd think they would cut down on overhead a bit to
help their customers save some cash!
-Kyle
- Original Message -
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 11:31
PM
Subject: Re: Brissle crashing again,
bloodwork looks grim.
I hope your baby feels better after the
transfusion!
I'd just like to point out, that in many cases (but not
all), there is a donor cat in the vet's office (maybe caged in the
back, or could be the "office cat" who greets you), who is saving your
cat's life. Try to go out of your way to tell the donor cat thanks (if
there is one), and give him/her a good petting, it's the least we can do
for those cats who do so much for us and out babies!
(I worked at a vet clinic and will never forget "Sugar"
our office's "donor cat". Just a little reminder that there's two sides to
every story.)
Jenn
~~~Well
Brissle is having her transfusion now. My internist feels that
shereally needs to have her marrow tested in order to be sure about
how toproceed. If it is erythroleukemia, this is a rare form, that's
very hard totreat. He said there's a small chance that an oncologist
may be able to moveforward without the marrow test. He just doesn't
know. That's not hisexpertise. Of course the only oncologist is about
a four hour drive away. IfBrissle's rbc is high enough on Monday, I
will probably go ahead with thetest. These people are not cheap. $750
for the marrow test.The other option the internist mentioned, as
crazy as it sounds, would be touse the blood transfusions as her main
therapy. He believes that consideringwhat looks to be going on with
Brissle's bone marrow, the interferons andimmunoregulin may have only
been helping slightly. But the transfusion itselfwas the main catalyst
towards Brissle recovering. I told him I thought bloodtransfusions
only lasted a few days. But he said they can last a month or
two.
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