Re: Way Off Subject of Cats....sorry!
If she really has no income and you think she is close to the poverty line, and not much assets, she should call the local legal aid program. You should be able to find it by doing a google search on her city or state and the term "legal aid" or "legal services." Otherwise she should call the National Lawyers Guild chapter in her state, if there is one, and ask if they can refer her to someone. They are a great group of very progressive lawyers and members often do sliding scale work. Also check to see if there is a Women's Bar Association in her state. They sometimes have referral lists for women lawyers whose work focuses on representing women in family law matters. Also, there are a few organizations devoted to providing legal help to military personnel and their families. You might do an online search to see if there are any near her that could either help her or refer her somewhere. If he has done 2 tours in Iraq I would assume he is dealing with some pretty tough emotional issues that might be making him act strangely. Which is not anything that would make you or your daughter feel better, but could be an explanation for seemingly unpredictable behavior. Michelle
Re: Prayers for Allie
Please try Immuno-Regulin (see articles on www.felineleukemia.org). Smokey on this list went through the same thing and completely stopped getting fevers once he started getting Immuno-regulin shots. I believe he gets them sub-q at home now. Michelle In a message dated 5/11/2006 6:28:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Allie was back at the vet today with 105 fever- came down to 102.5 with Metacam (kitty NSAID) and sq fluids. I did get the vet to show me how to give the sq fluids, so I can administer them now if she stops eating and drinking and looks dehydrated, or if her temp goes up (I've been monitoring her temp daily). They were also thinking of giving me some Metacam to administer at home, but decided to hold off on that. This is her 3rd temp spike in 2 weeks. The vet was prepping me for the fact that at some point Allie's body is not going to be able to tolerate these temps anymore and is not going to fight them off even with treatments because the fevers are causing such a stress on her system. Of course we don't know if that will be a week or a month, but it looks like it may be sooner than I thought. It's so hard because 2 days ago she was totally back to herself- eating great, playing, and she even sleep with us! I guess the calm before the storm... Keep her in your thoughts. I don't want her to suffer, but I'm not ready to say good-bye yet either! I'm still hoping she can beat these fevers, but that's not looking realistic anymore and I don't want to torture her...
Re: Lysine question
Carmen, Did you mean to send me this message individually, because that is how it was sent. I do not even think I weighed in on the recent lysine discussion, so I think maybe it was a mis-send? I do know that a lot of people in this group have given their cats 500 mg per day, though, and that this is a standard. It is true that cats are smaller, but they handle certain things differently (for instance they can handle way way more steroids proportionally than we can), and also I am not sure that taking extra lysine is actually toxic. Michelle In a message dated 5/13/2006 1:39:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: This is a quick response to your cat taking lysine. 500 mg is what is to be given to humans at a humans average body weight. NOT a little animals! So if you are giving 500mg to a small animal ( cat averages about 8 to 15 lbs,) that is way out of proportion to its body weight to ratio . And you stated you are or where administering this supplement everyday. This is got to be way to much for the animal. This could lead to some toxicity reaction. Or just the animal not feeling to good. I would not give a cat or dog Over 250 mg a day. Think of the animals stomach. There stomachs are not built like a humans at all. Also did you ever think of crushing the pill and mixing in the food. good luck
Re: New to the list - hello.
Hi. Sounds like you are doing good things. I would heartily recommend that you use Immuno-Regulin. There are articles about it on the website. I personally had very good luck with it for upper respiratory infections, and someone on this list used it for anemia in a severely anemic cat (transfusion level anemic) a month ago and the cat seems ok now. I think her cat, Chelsea, has had 6 doses of it over the past month. Michelle
Re: Immunoregulin for Chelsea
It's about $35, I think, for a bottle, which is at least 5 or 6 doses, I think, from revival. Michelle In a message dated 5/13/2006 12:38:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi Nina, I'm paying $10 a dose for IR from my vet Do you remember where you got yours and what it cost? I friend of mine wants to start some of her felv+ kitties on IR and is fairly certain that she can get it from one of the vets that her rescue group works with, but I'd like to know where else we might be able to get it. Thanks, Deanne
Re: Allie has said good-bye
I am very sorry. Michelle
Re: Demetri
Have you suggested trying Immuno-regulin for him? Prayers, Michelle In a message dated 5/18/2006 10:35:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Yes it's me again,needing prayers for my sweet Demetri AGAIN! I don't know how bad he is but he is at the clinic again.I believe he has the bad snoogies again,which hits him hard.He has felv and fiv.I will worry about him all weekend .I am going out of town till Monday camping and stopped in to see my babies and he was not there.I was about in tears,cause evertime he gets sick I am so worried.I give him all the love I can cause I know these diseases will take him way before his time. It is going to tear me to pieces when he loses his battle.So I am just asking for some of your wonderful prayers for him.Please forgive me for all the asking for prayers so much,but I believe they help.THank you so much Sherry
Re: Anemia
Niki, The things you are doing (steroids, immuno-regulin) are a good start, but you need to find out what is causing the anemia. If it is lymphoma, he will not get better without chemo (which might or might not put him into remission). If it is hemobartonella, he needs doxicycline (and probably should be on it just in case, as hemobart is hard to diagnose). If he is not producing new red blood cells he may need Epogen. I would recommend bringing him to an internist, if you can, at a larger clinic or hospital, and seeing if the internist can run the proper tests to try to see what is wrong. There have been several people on this list who have successfully reversed anemia in their positive cats, usually through a combo of Epogen, steroids, doxicycline, and pet tinic, as well as immuno-regulin in one case (seemed to help a lot) and iron shots in another. My Simon had very bad anemia from lymphoma in his bone marrow, and a combo of chemo and strong steroids got his hematocrit almost back to normal for a couple of months. So you need to find out what is wrong, or at least try to cover as many bases as possible. Michelle In a message dated 5/23/2006 5:22:09 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hello all: I am not sure if my previous post went out correctly but if it did I have an update on Ziggy and really need some help on what to do. Went to the vet yesterday who ran Ziggy's blood work which showed him to be "moderately" anemic. Vet immediately gave him a shot of immon regulin (I believe) and then gave me predisone and and antibiotic along with a liquid appetite stimulant. What his exact numbers were I am not sure as I was devastated by what the vet said. Ziggy is still eating but is lethargic at times and shows no interest in playing with any of his toys. Additionally, he licks the interior walls of my house intermittently and the marble threshold b/w my hall and bath. I know I am in a daily fight for his life but I just can not seem to stop thinking that he is losing his battle. My vet has also ordered Interferon for me so that I can start a regime of that. I don't know what else to do and I do not know if there is any advice anyone can give me to try and ease my fears. I have lost sleep over this for the past four nights (three when I didn't know what was going on and now tonight). Will someone PLEASE help me? Thanks Niki
Re: Pekoe is gone .....
I am so sorry, Marlene. Michelle
Re: Anemia
I'm so sorry. Michelle
Re: Mowgli
I am so sorry, Michelle
Re: Allergic-type reaction to EVO?
I haven't, but every cat is different. There has been a weather change in recent weeks too, at least where I am, so it could be plant-related. I am not sure, but I think the symptoms you are describing could potentially be food allergies, though. Anyway, I agree with you-- don't change anything now that they are better! :) Michelle
Re: prayers needed for Ember
I definitely do not think it was the interferon. It is good she still has an appetite. Please let us know what the vet says. sending prayers, Michelle In a message dated 6/1/2006 3:11:34 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Ember suddenly isn't doing well. I woke up this morning to hear her in her box. There was a moist bm awaiting me, but nothing odd. Not long after that, she went to the box again, and this time, it was obvious that she had diarrhea. I cleaned her up a bit. Not long after that, she threw up a small hair ball, and then a bit more. It was pretty much just bile and fur. I stayed home from work to watch her. She's gone to the box one or two more times, but I can't tell what's actually come out. I fed her some yogurt, which she ate with her normal appetite. After a nap, she got up and threw some of that up, too. This really alarmed me.Ember had an extra dose of interferon alpha last night (we accidentally did six days in a row instead of the normal five days), but I wouldn't think an extra 1cc of that would cause this problem. I'm thinking it's the Advantage dose we put on her Tuesday night. I noticed that her neck fur was back to normal this morning (not crusty from the application), so it sure seems like she's been poisoned, hopefully in a very mild way, if at all. We're going to the vet, but I just don't know what she can do. Since Ember's felv+, I really want to keep all the stress off of her that I can. I don't see any way around going to the vet, though.I ask your prayers for Ember, that she will get over this easily and feel better tomorrow, and that this will not cause any problems in her overall health.Thank you,Lance
Re: fleas, Frontline and FeLV
Program, a pill that is a flea birth control hormone, seems to work well, and I feel like it is safer than the chemical topical applications (not sure if that is true or not). I don't use it with mine, but I don't use anything for fleas at this point. If they get them, I would use that before a topical. Michelle In a message dated 6/2/2006 3:49:14 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: As long there is a dog in the home and it goes outside there will be fleas around. If it isn't treated for fleas the fleas are going to jump on the kitty. Then you know for obvious reasons. Us humans can carry fleas into our homes as well. Especially when around a lot of sand and dirt.
Re: fleas, Frontline and FeLV
True, but somehow it seems to control the flea populations sufficiently that way so the fleas disappear. I am not sure why. I think maybe the adults, by the time they bite, don't live much longer. Michelle In a message dated 6/2/2006 4:38:17 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: PS. Program only kills the eggs not the actual fleas though. Here is some info on it:
Re: Treatment - Michelle are you there??
It is probable, though not certain, that the mass is mediastinal lymphoma, something cats with FeLV are very prone to. Chemotherapy tends to help a lot, as mediastinal lymphoma is particularly responsive to chemotherapy. They do not give strong enough chemo to usually completely cure, but sometimes cats go into remission for a year or more (sometimes not). The chemo tends to make them feel better too. With lymphoma, especially mediastinal, I would always opt for trying chemo and seeing if it helps. If not, I would ask for a combo shot of dexamethasone (1/2 cc for an adult cat) and depomedrol (same dosage), which shrinks lymphoma and keeps them comfortable for a while. You need to see an oncologist if you can, for definitive diagnosos and options. Where are you located? Michelle In a message dated 6/11/2006 4:26:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Julia Hagstrom wrote:> I have a 9-month-old kitten who has been diagnosed with Feline > Leukemia. She has fluid in her lungs and a mass in her chest. What > can I do for her???>> Julia Hagstrom> [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Re: OT: negative with blood in urine
My Lucy has blood in her urine and it is from a bladder stone, diagnosed by x-ray and ultrasound after antibiotics did not clear it up. She is on food to try to dissolve it. If that does not work I am told surgery is necessary, which scares me because she is positive. MIchelle
Re: OT: negative with blood in urine
Jill, is Gary at home? What is her HCT at now? I am so glad to hear she is here and eating! Lucy, who has the bladder stone I wrote about a minute ago, sometimes has a lot of blood in her urine (bright red) and sometimes only a little (very slightly tinged pink). It usually seems to do with how much urine she passes-- the more urine, the less concentrated the blood and the less straining. Sometimes she urinates without any blood, then goes back a minute later and urinates a few bright red drops. The vet told me to give her sub q fluids to keep her bladder fuller and help her strain less. But she drinks a lot and does not really strain that much, so I have not done that consistently. I would think you would definitely want to rule out any kind of partial or total blockage before giving fluids, though. Michelle
Re: My Lucky is gone
Julie, I can hardly say how sorry I am. I still am not really functioning since Simon's death, so I know how hard it is. Was Lucky a positive? If so, the length of time she lived is remarkable. I am glad that one of your last memories of her is of her purring on your pillow. Michelle
Re: OT: Melange (negative blood in urine)
Jill, do you know what Gary's HCT is? I am so amazed at how well she seems to be doing!! I really, really wonder what is happening with her, and hope that it continues. Michelle
Immuno-Regulin
I am just wondering if anyone on the list has used Immuno-regulin, and why we never talk about it as a potential remedy for anemia that is not diagnosable? The article on the felineleukemia.org website says it is helpful for that and for general FeLV-related crashing, and I talked to the vet who wrote it, a few years ago when considering giving it to one of my positives, and he really went on and on about it. But none of us seem to use it. Why is this? I had actually forgotten completely about it as an option until Hideyo asked me about it in an indivdual email. Michelle
Re: Gary's HRT, treatment plan
if you think the dex might have helped her, she can get that fairly frequently if she needs it (if she starts to crash again). I have even given it two days in a row on occasion when it is near the end (as with Simon both times I thought it was near the end). Michelle In a message dated 2/14/05 4:11:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle, She hasn't had another blood test since hertransfusion and we didn't plan on asking for one untilafter this first amount of Epogen is gone (nextThursday). We weren't even sure if she'd live throughthe weekend so we didn't have plans to re-check her!Her nose seems to slowly be getting more pale so I'mnot convinced her hematocrit will stay normal andEpogen apparently takes a while to work and is alsonot normally indicated for the type of anemia that shehas (per the vet) so we are really going by the "itmay not work but it can't hurt to try" theory rightnow. We have briefly discussed and agreed that weprobably won't do another blood transfusion unless thevet really recommends it. We have the inital idea to finish out this Epogen andif she is still looking good (or the same, remembershe is definitely not back to "normal") then we'd liketo do another blood panel and buy another 2 weeks ofEpogen, maybe get another dex injection depending onbloodwork.I'll keep you posted.Jill
Re: Gary's HRT, treatment plan
You also might want to read the article on Immuno-Regulin on the felineleukemia.org website and ask your vet about it. Michelle In a message dated 2/14/05 4:11:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle, She hasn't had another blood test since hertransfusion and we didn't plan on asking for one untilafter this first amount of Epogen is gone (nextThursday). We weren't even sure if she'd live throughthe weekend so we didn't have plans to re-check her!Her nose seems to slowly be getting more pale so I'mnot convinced her hematocrit will stay normal andEpogen apparently takes a while to work and is alsonot normally indicated for the type of anemia that shehas (per the vet) so we are really going by the "itmay not work but it can't hurt to try" theory rightnow. We have briefly discussed and agreed that weprobably won't do another blood transfusion unless thevet really recommends it. We have the inital idea to finish out this Epogen andif she is still looking good (or the same, remembershe is definitely not back to "normal") then we'd liketo do another blood panel and buy another 2 weeks ofEpogen, maybe get another dex injection depending onbloodwork.I'll keep you posted.Jill
Feline Immune Support by Genesis
A vet who is a radiologist but also does herbal stuff recommended to me today a product called Feline Immune Support available at www.genesisvet.com. She said that she has seen positives do really well on it. I will probably try it. Michelle
Re: Gary - Immunoregulin
If she will give you the shots, you can give them subcutaneously at home without having to stress her by bringing her in. I did that. A lot of vets do not like to send home drawn injections, though. Michelle
Re: Gary and Melange
That is absolutely amazing about gary and I hope to god it continues. I really wonder what is happening with her, as I lost Simon to a sudden plunge in HCT, and while he had lymphoma they did not think the anemia directly caused by it at the end. Maybe if he had withstood the catheterization and gotten the transfusion he would have been able to fight it too. I want so badly to know what it is that is working with Gary, but with these things it is possible you will never know exactly what combination of things has helped her. Please keep us updated. Michelle
Re: Gary and Melange
Jill, could you send a list of every treatment Gary has gotten/is getting for the anemia? I know you did before, but I can not find it and want to save it. My memory tells me she got a transfusion, a dex shot, and is on Epogen. Anything else? And her HCT was down to 10, right? Thanks, Michelle
Gypsy
Nina, how is Gypsy doing? I have not noticed a post about her for a while. Michelle
Re: Gary's anemia treatment
I have really been wishing, now, that Simon was able to get that transfusion the day before he died. he freaked out and needed to be put in an oxygen tent, and they said it could kill him to keep trying or sedate him in his condition. Afterwards I felt horrible that I had even tried. Now I feel horrible he didn't get it, since Gary's HCT was just as low as his was, or almost. I don't know why I keep going over this, as I can not bring him back now, but I do. I found out yesterday at the shelter he came from that he was 4.5 or 5, rather than just 4 as I had thought. So he got at least another 6 months more of his joyful life than I had thought. I also found out that my Ginger, who I thought was about 4, is actually at least 5.5 and possibly 6. This made me happy to know she has made it so far, though of course a little scared because that is getting up there for a positive. Michelle
Re: question
My positive Patches does the same thing and a low daily dose of benadryl helps her a lot. She still does it some, but not to the point of breaking her skin, and sometimes her fur actually grows back for a while. It's 1/6 of a 25 mg pill twice a day. She is hard to pill, and it is stressful for her, so I have it compounded at a compounding pharmacy into a cream to rub in her ears twice a day, which is not stressful at all. To get it in compounded form, your vet has to call it in as a prescription, even though benedryl is over the counter. I do that and also spray Feliway every morning. The combination seems to keep her happy. And catnip, of course. I would not put her on pred long-term for this if you can get it under control in some other way. I really would try what I do, because it works sufficiently to not have to give Patches other meds. Michelle In a message dated 2/16/05 7:46:47 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << My positive, DD, is overgrooming. I haven't taken her in yet, but when I was in with Lovey on Saturday I asked her about it and she suggested using pred. She said as long as the cat is asymptomatic it wouldn't hurt to give a low dose. >>
Re: Gary's anemia treatment
Steroids can save their life, though, if they are having an auto-immune response. And it can greatly improve and lengthen quality of life when they have lymphoma. Michelle In a message dated 2/16/05 11:05:11 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << I really hate the idea of steroids, even if they make her feel more perky, it's just too hard on the immune system. >>
Re: Gary's anemia treatment-- Hideyo
Hideyo, I am so sorry that happened. All of us have gotten all our cats spayed and neutered. I don't think any of us would have thought, or have ever thought, that a spay could kill a cat except that if they are FeLV+ it could trigger the virus-- but I think we even all spay our positives anyway because the stress of not being spayed can trigger it also. I would feel exactly the way that you do if it had happened to me, but it could have been any of us because it is such a freak thing that happened that no one could possibly have thought it would happen. It sounds like they still do not know what happened. I wonder if she had some sort of heart problem? My dog Chip died suddenly on a walk at 9 years old and had seemed completely healthy-- had even run 4 miles with me two days earlier-- and all the vets could figure was that she had had a hidden heart problem. anyway, I am very sorry about Suzi. I hope that you realize, at least intellectually, that there is no way you could have known that would happen. Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 12:36:08 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Michelle, I know exactly how you feel - every time I lose someone, I so wish I would have done/wouldn't have done - I torture myself for thinking all the time. When I lost Suzi a several month ago, I regretted so much for what I did, and I still cry missing her every single night. Suzi was a healthy sweet baby, and took her to spaying one day (on July 17th), and I never saw her alive after that. She woke up from the anthesia, but something happened and she stopped breathing - I was SO not ready not to see her again. I never had a chance to say good bye to her as I was only planning to see her in an hour - I wish I never brought her for surgery that day, as I was not scheduled to do originally until the vet called for an opening due to cancellation. That morning, when I tried to take her, she one time escaped from the carrier, and I chased her and forced her to go into the carrier - that was a sign - I wish I never brought her - I just miss her too much and it hurts - if I never rescued her, she would be still alive and I ended her life - she did not want to go to the vet that day - I pray every day that her soul will come back in another life again soon so that I will have a 2nd chance to take care of her - and you, too, Michelle, you will meet Simon again. >>
Re: question
We have given Benadryl to our dogs for anxiety also, like during thunderstorms, as well as for allergies. Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 5:51:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have a client, (I'm a dog trainer), that uses benadryl for her Lab's allergies. She says it mellows him out. If it's something that your vet thinks won't hurt DD, it might be worth a try. If the over-grooming is from allergies and/or nervousness, it could help on both counts. My street-wise Kimba Cat overgrooms whenever he's been stressed. I find that if I pay extra attention to him, brush out all the saliva from his fur, (poor baby), and tell him what a wonderful man he is, he stops his anxious behavior. It has also helped him to give him some time alone, away from the other cats. It seems to relax him, especially if I join him and devote a little one-on-one time to him.Nina
Fwd: [NMHP] How poisonous is poisonous?
I am forwarding this from a Best Friends forum, as it has info and links on poisonous plants, which has been a thread on this list. Michelle --- Begin Message --- Question from Clarisse:I know a lot of plants and foods are listed as potentially poisonous. But I have known animals to eat a small amount of those poisonous substances, without seeming to suffer any ill effects. For example, my pets regularly nibble on geranium leaves, which are supposedly poisonous, and they seem to be fine. Are they doing themselves gradual damage, as with arsenic for humans? Are there some consistent warning signs to look for before panicking and rushing my friends to the animal hospital every time they get a taste of something potentially dangerous?" Response from Dr Sharon Gwaltney-Brant:Actually, it may surprise you to know that some scientists think that arsenic may be an essential trace element. As with anything in toxicology, the dose is what determines the poison. Geraniums are not considered especially toxic, though they could cause some mild digestive upset (e.g. vomiting, diarrhea) if enough were eaten. When your pets eat something they shouldn't, it's always a good idea to check with your veterinarian as to whether that particular exposure is going to be a problem. There are also helpful hints on the web page of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (www.apcc.aspca.org), as well as lists of toxic plants, non-toxic plants and an interactive tool to help you keep your pet safe from poisons in the home.Response from Dr Andrea Oncken:A certain amount of a substance has to be ingested in order for it to reach toxic levels in the body. For several toxins, this actual level has been quantified and even separated out into minimal toxic dose, lethal dose, and several doses of varying degrees in between these two extremes. Many toxins, however, appear to be more toxic to some individuals than to others, and often there is no way of knowing which animals will be affected until they ingest the toxin. Also many animals will have concurrent conditions that will predispose them to certain toxins more than normal animals (i.e. old age, young age, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, etc.). Most toxins do not build up in the body after ingestion. They have a clearance rate, and, depending on how they are cleared from the body and the health of that animal, some are cleared more quickly than others. Therefore, if an animal ingests more of the same toxin before the previous ingested toxin is cleared, the levels may build up, bringing it closer to a toxic level. However, if the toxin is fully cleared, repeated ingestions will not build up and cause later damage. The exception is if a sufficient level of a certain toxin is ingested to cause mild to moderate organ damage but not severe enough to cause clinical signs. If that toxin is again ingested in the future and that damage has not been repaired, chronic exposure can eventually lead to serious organ damage. This is a rare event and only holds true for a few toxins. As for symptoms to watch for, since different toxins can cause extremely different symptoms, any abnormal behavior that follows possible ingestion of a toxin should be taken seriously. On the other hand, with the more deadly toxins, such as antifreeze, you should not wait to see if there are symptoms before taking you pet in to the veterinarian. My best advice is that if you are ever in doubt, call your local veterinarian or emergency hospital to seek advice on whether your pet should seek veterinary attention immediately. Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NMHP/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. --- End Message ---
Re: question
Tonya, Please, please try the Benadryl. My Patches does the same thing, and it is stress not allergies, and the Benadryl helps and does not seem to have side effects. Michelle
Re: For Hideyo -- Your loss of Suzi
Hideyo, I know why you feel the way you do. But I read your description of what happened and what you did. I would have done exactly the same thing as you without any changes. I would have jumped at the chance to pick them up right after surgery instead of leaving them there all day, if it had been offered to me. And I am always late everywhere and would not have thought anything of being 10 minutes late to pick up a cat coming out of surgery. As you said, it seems like something went wrong during the surgeries, which is unusual. While it happened, and can not be changed, and you feel responsible, please know that I would have done exactly the same thing that you did, without question, and I think most people on this list would have. I know from reading what happened that I should always make sure that a cat is watched after surgery for a while after awakening, but I do not think I would have thought to ask for that before. If a vet had told me it was ok to pick up, I would have assumed it was ok to pick up. So if you are responsible, we are all responsible, all of us who would have done the same thing. Michelle
Re: question
Tonya, I use plug-in and on top of that I spray the spray every morning. I think it helps to do both. Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 7:21:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi Barbara, I just talked with Brenda about refilling my feliway plug ins. I didn't notice that much difference with them when I used them in the past. Maybe another try in more locations. lol. Thanks for the info! t
OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
I am writing to see if anyone has any ideas. I go to the local shelter, where my positives came from, twice a day to take care of Lamby, a disabled sheep who lives in the feral cat yard (she is very popular among the cats and has convinced a number of them to trust us too!). At this shelter, the ferals are put into a large yard, with access to the hay loft of a barn. The shelter also puts non-feral cats out there who can not be adopted, sometimes because they are FIV+ (I do not agree with mixing in this way, but at least they do not kill any of them). A cat who was brought there about 6 months ago, Charlie, was diabetic. Since I am in the yard twice a day anyway, I agreed to give him his shots. Luckily, his diabetes went away, at least for now, and he no longer needs insulin. HOWEVER... Charlie is a huge, long-haired black cat, extremely beautiful and cuddly and mellow and sort of looks like a bear, normally. A few weeks ago I noticed a bunch of his hair was coming out, and upon inspection found he had a number of bald spots with bite and scratch marks, clearly self-induced. I brought him to the vet and the vet said he had terrible ear mites, for which they treated him, and probably also contact dermatitis of unknown origin. The vet gave him a shot of Vetalog, a steroid often used for skin problems that has less side effects than Depomedrol. We were afraid to give Depomedrol because it can sometimes cause diabetes and he has had diabetes in the past (it can come and go with cats). The shot lasts 3 days. Charlie felt better for a week and then started scratching again. The vet said to put him on a low dose of pred for 3 days and then taper him off. I did that, and after not seeing him for 2 days after the tapering was done, he appeared and had lost probably 1/3 of his hair and was covered in scabs and had URI. My partner brought him back to the vet and he got another Vetalog shot and was put on Cephalexyn (and antibiotic) twice a day and tomorrow is supposed to start on a high dose of pred for 10 days and then taper if he is ok. They have no idea what is causing this. I put Revolution on him to help with the ear mites and also because it treats mange if he has that. I am going away for the weekend, to my parents', and the women who run the shelter asked me to put him in a cage for the 2 days so it is easier for them to find and pill him. I decided to put him on chicken and rice food for that time too, since he will have his own food, in case this is a food allergy. I am also considering bringing him to an allergist, as this looks very severe and he obviously can not stay on steroids forever. Does anyone have any ideas for treatment or diagnosis? Also, does anyone know anyone who might adopt Charlie? He is one of the best cats I ever met. When he has his fur, he is gorgeous, and is very affectionate, extremely mellow and easy to work with (goes right in a carrier, etc.), gets along well with cats and I would guess with dogs and kids too because he is such a mellow teddy bear-like cat. The problem is that he is FIV+, could become diabetic again in the future, has a heart murmur, and obviously has some kind of allergy. But the allergy started recently and I think that if he could get out of that yard and have his own food it might stop. I would take him home myself, but I already have FeLV+ cats and a negative, who I keep separate, as well as a dog with cancer. Besides having to redivide the house for Charlie, my partner, Gray, has begged me not to take in any more animals, especially sick animals, for a while because I am so at my wit's end and depressed since Simon's bout with lymphoma and losing our dog Nubi (Simon was diagnosed 2 weeks after she died of cancer). That said, Charlie looks so bad right now that Gray said he almost brought him home himself. I know you all have probably tapped out your contacts, but if you know anyone who has an FIV+ household or otherwise has a situation where they could take him and get him away from whatever he is allergic to, I would drive him just about anywhere. I can not stand how miserable he is right now. I will post an ad on the felineleukemia.org website, but do not know of anywhere else to post. Thanks, Michelle
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Patti, thank you so, so much! I had just found the FIV yahoo group and joined and posted about him. I will post about him on all the other addresses you sent me too. Thank you!!! Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 9:12:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: My heart goes out to you, you have been thru so much. I don't know of anyone around here that has romm for another FIV+, sorry, but here are some sites you could cross post on. I actually was able to place some seniors and disabled cats using a couple of these sites. It's worth a try.. The following are all at Yahoo Groups: [EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] They are excellent!! These are Yahoo Groups for FIV+ cats [EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] This group is for Felv+/FIV+ cats - supplying information on rescue, transport and rehoming of positives. Looks promising. This is another site I've used in the past: www.felinerescue.net/RESCUES_BY_LOCATION Make sure you put the___ after the words RESCUES and BY...RESCUES_BY_LOCATION Somewhere in my files I do have some other resources Let me know if you'd like me to look them up! God Bless You, Wishing the best for you, Gray & Charlie,Patti
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Thanks, Nina, but aren't you in California? I'm in Massachusetts, so it might be kind of hard to get him to California! I was at Gay Pride in Boston last summer and a shelter from a town near Boston actually had a similar idea to yours-- they had a stand set up with information about FIV and pictures and descriptions of all their FIV+ cats available for adoption. I am assuming they figured that people at a gay pride event are more understanding than the general population about what HIV means, and so might be more willing to care for cat with FIV (and that people with HIV at the event might be attracted to adopting a cat with FIV). I have no idea if they adopted anyone out based on that event, but I have always been curious about that. I can't remember which group it was now or I would call and ask them! Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 9:23:38 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Charlie sounds like such a wonderful guy. I know of one local person that just lost her FIV cat, she swore 'never again', but we all know that's not true. I'm forwarding your email about Charlie to her. Something that has occurred to me in the past, I'm not sure how to even go about it, but... I've thought of pairing HIV humans with FIV cats. Maybe in some sort of assisted care setting? I know that some of these patients can barely care for themselves, but I also know how much love and healing energy animals bring us when we're sick, and who better to understand the unfairness of disease? It's just a thought that's been swimming around in my brain. I pray Charlie finds his forever home soon.Nina
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Wow, thanks! If you were to try one of these, which one would you try first? I have to go find him and pill him twice a day and am already giving him 2 pills each time so do not want to add much more. He also does not have his own food so can not get stuff in food. Though I guess I could start bringing him baby food and a bowl for supplements... Gray is going to kill me Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 9:52:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle, Just going thru some of my files. Found some holistic items you might want to try: Vetri-Science Derma Strength for Cats - specially for skin allergies & immune support Health Cocerns Skin Balance - A Chinese herbal remedy for allergies, skin & coat problems Seven Forest Quercenol - good for allergies, immune system support & liver function (This supplement is used quite often by Dr. M. Goldstein in his holistic practice) Thorne Dermaclear - used for skin & coat problems, flea allergies Also, some of the Bach Flower Remedies may be helpful: White Chestnut - for obsessive licking & chewing & scratching,for allergies Water Chestnut - for hair loss, allergies, works as a detoxifier & cleanser Impatiens - for skin irritations Elm - stress allergies And I want to add: Olive - for anemia (I had used this w/ my Ethan) And for my dear, sweet neurotic Lucy(fer), k9 w/ OCD: Holly, Rock Rose. Rock Water & Vine - REALLY seemed to help Which was great since all the "allopathic" treatments didn't do a thing!! She's such a little over-possesive, worry-wart, but the love of my life!!! For years we had always used Derm-Caps as a supplement, but we switched to Vetri-Science Derma Strength since we had excellent results using the DMG & the Acetylator (for digestion & bowels, also for urinary health) Vetri-Science has some of the BEST supplements available in my opinion. Just throwing some more info. for you Patti
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Yes, I am very lucky to have found him. Sometimes he seems too good to be true. Especially since I often seem like a "special needs" partner! Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 9:58:50 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: By the way, your Gray seems like a wonderful human, you chose well.Nina
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Yes, good idea. Of course, Gray just bought him a ton of chicken food. The odd thing is that he came from a feral colony, so you would think if he had food allergies they would have acted up then. I don't think he was getting rabbit or duck! He was actually fine for several months at the shelter as well, and then all of a sudden this started. It seems like it started at the same time that a horse arrived at the shelter, who lives next to the feral cat yard. It seems like he probably is not allergic to the horse, right? Gray thinks that maybe when they cleaned out and prepared the space for the horse there was some mold stirred up that he is allergic to? The only other change i can think of is that they put an oil-filled heater in the hayloft a month or so ago. I can't imagine what that would do, other than maybe make the air drier? At the shelter, they only eat dry food, which consists of all the donated dry foods mixed together, so it always is a little different. I suppose something could have been added a few weeks ago that affects him. It is kind of a mystery! Maybe he had a systemic reaction to his ear mites? But those were treated weeks ago as well... Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 10:00:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle, Me again In regards to diet. It is wise to r/o food allergies. I fostered 2 little darlings that came to me almost bald. :( After trial & error, we found success using a rabbit or duck formula, exclusively. Ended up feeding that to everyone, it was impossible to feed dry separate. Anyway, (Aspara)Gus & Sarah turned out to be gorgeous, long hairs!! Patti
Re: question
Do you find the cream works better than the tincture? I put the tincture on the inside of their ears, but I have the cream also (use it on my own itchy skin in the winter). Michelle In a message dated 2/17/05 10:05:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I also use the Rescue Remedy cream.
For kathy
kathy, I just subscribed to an FIV list serve to try to find Charlie a home, and the first post I received was someone talking about their cat Legolas! I was so confused for a second. I had never heard of a cat with that name before. Just wanted to let you know there is another out there (and he sounds pretty feisty, too). Michelle
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Thanks, Julie. There was a ringworm epidemic at the shelter many months before Charlie got there, so maybe it is that. Though it does not look like ringworm, but from your post I guess sometimes maybe it doesn't look stereotypical. They did a skin scraping to check for mange, but I do not think they checked for ringworm. I am going away for the weekend but will talk to the shelter about it when I get back. Thanks again, Michelle In a message dated 2/18/05 11:22:30 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Hi Michelle, Charlie sounds like a great guy and with you in his corner, I'm sure things will work out very well for him! Since he is in close proximity to a sheep and a horse, is it possibly that they have some kind of a parasite that he's picked up? I'm thinking especially of lice, although you don't usually see that kind of hair loss. Have they ruled out ringworm? Chappy (FeLV+) had such severe ringworm that his hair was falling out in huge patches overnight; it was not the typical kind of ringworm-y lesions, either. It was like he simply went bald in spots overnight. Possibly he had a more severe reaction because he, too, was immuno-compromised. I guess my point is, they had to actually do a skin scraping and culture it because even the Wood's lamp test didn't fluoresce the way it normally does, so maybe it shouldn't be ruled out if this additional testing hasn't been done. Hope this helps; wishing the best for Charlie. I've already committed to picking up a new FIV+ kitty (tonight, actually), so the timing is really rotten. I'll keep him in my thoughts and let you know ASAP if I hear of anything in CT. Love, Julie >>
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
Actually, going to visit my mom and my 28 year old horse in NJ. If everyone is healthy and mobile, that will be enough to please me. Michelle In a message dated 2/18/05 11:29:50 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Michelle, I hereby ORDER you to have a great time this weekend; hope you go someplace wonderful, rest and relax, and find a chocolate mine! >>
Re: OT: Charlie (FIV+ in MA) needs help and a home
And I called and left a message at the shelter about the ringworm already. And am spending so much time getting things ready for the cat sitter (Gray is away too) that I am never going to even get out of the house! Michelle In a message dated 2/18/05 11:29:50 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Michelle, I hereby ORDER you to have a great time this weekend; hope you go someplace wonderful, rest and relax, and find a chocolate mine! >>
Re: Dont know what to do
She sounds anemic. Many FeLV cats get anemic. There are different causes, and some of them are treatable. THere is something called hemobartanella that is a blood parasite that is treatable with certain antibiotics (doxicycline?), a condition where they kill their own red blood cells that is treatable with steroids, lymphoma which is a cancer but sometimes responds well to chemotherapy and/or steroids, kidney problems for which a drug called Epogen can be given to help with red blood cell production, etc. But the cause has to be known. I do not know of vets in the Albany area but someone else might. Michelle
Re: Dont know what to do
Also, there are two newish remedies that apparently save a lot of FeLV cats who are crashing with anemia and other things. One is Immuno-regulin, which any vet should be able to get. There is an article about it on the felineleukemia.org website. The other is Virbagen Omega, also called feline interferon (different from human interferon), which is only available from Europe and your vet has to apply for special permissionl from the FDA to import it and it takes over a month to get. If you look in the archives of this list for Virbagen Omega or feline interferon, there is information on how to go through that process. Michelle
Re: Dont know what to do
I did not catch the turning yellow part. If she is yellow and pale, it sounds like my Simon did. He had lymphoma in his liver and bone marrow. Chemotherapy helped him for 2 months and might have helped for longer but he had a reaction to the cancer where he started killing all his red blood cells and died suddenly from his anemia getting very bad over a 48 hour period. If your cat is turning yellow, she needs immediate attention from a veterinary hospital and possibly an oncologist (cancer specialist). Are you near any big veterinary hospital? I would ask for an immediate appointment there. Michelle
Re: New to List
Look at the artivcle on Immuno-regulin on this group's web site. Also the archived messages on feline interferon. If your cat is killing her own red blood cells she may need steroids for a while to reverse that. I would take her to an internist if you can. Michelle
Re: Dont know what to do
Sorry--ignore my message about turning yellow. I got that from Belinda's emal. Michelle In a message dated 2/19/2005 11:58:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Sorry I misread your email I thought it said she was getting yellow, but it say's her gums are getting white, she sounds like she is very anemic, did they do blood work, what was her rbc count? Try the liver shake recipe if she is eating, I have not treated a cat that is very anemic, but many others on the list have, look through the archives and see what they have tried. Michelle had good luck with the steriod dexamethesone when her Simon was very ill, ask your vet about that, but first really find a new vet, this guy dropped the ball and is not going to help, any vet that say's put to sleep without suggesting treatments when there are possible treatments either is not up on the lastest FeLV treatments or is just a very bad vet. --
Re: miatia
If she does not eat by tomorrow morning you really should syringe some food into her. If cats go 48 hours without eating, they can develop a condition called fatty liver, or hepatic lipidosis, which can kill them. It is a cat thing, and does not happen to other species, but needs to be avoided at all costs. To syringe feed her, get a small plastic syringe (if you do not have one you can get an orphan or bird syringe at a pet food store), fill it with Beech Nut or Gerbers chicken or turkey baby food (meat and corn starch only ingredients, no onion which can kill cats), kneel behind her, open her mouth, put the syringe tip in a little ways, and slowly syringe her 1 cc/ml of food and let her swallow and repeat. Try to get at least one, preferably two jars of baby food into her tomorrow. At the vet's on Monday you can get a canned food called A/D that is better to syringe her than baby food. Also, if she gets extremely listless tomorrow, you may want to bring her to an emergency clinic rather than waiting until Monday as she may need fluids and/or a transfusion. Good luck, and sending energy and prayers, Michelle
Re: OT: Skin Problem
What is Fulvicin? I don't know if it can be anything contagious, but if it is flaky skin and fur I would supplement with essential fatty acids (fish oils). There are a bunch of cat supplements with EFA's in them, specifically for coat problems. Michelle
Re: miatia
Actually, Simon would lick sour cream off my fingers when he would not otherwise eat, and so did Kerry's Levi for a few days. You may want to try that. Michelle
Re: Hills food question...
My dog was on that for a while and then we found some commercial diet food with better ingredients (can't remember the name now, as for the past year + she has had cancer and came off the diet food and onto better quality all meat stuff, and has gained almost 20 pounds on it!). I think there are more diet foods for dogs than cats, but you might want to go to a pet food store (one that sells high quality stuff if there are any near you) or go to a site like Waggin Tails online, which sells high quality foods over the internet (don't know the URL but you should be able to find it by searching). Waggin Tails will communicate with you by email if you ask them if they have any good quality diet foods. Michelle
Re: Hills food question...
Actually, Wellness has a "lite" dry food and I think also wet foods. It is a good brand. My positive Jo got really fat at one point and I switches her to that. She got lymphoma shortly afterwards, though, so I started feeding her whatever she wanted at that point. I don't think the food switch had anything to do with the lymphoma and did not mean to imply it did, only saying that she did not have a chance to be on the Wellness lite for a long time. I think Innova may also have a lite food. Michelle
FDA contact for VO application reviews
In case anyone submits a request for approval to import VO and wants to follow up by phone, here is the name and number of the reviewer for special dispensations (she said there are others as well, but she seems to be the main one there): Kenya Craven, 301-827-1168 Michelle
Re: bone marrow test
I had been told by a local vet that bone marrow biopsies are painful. However, the oncologist did one on Simon and from what I could tell there was no pain. They had to knock him out for a short amount of time to do it, which is not great, but it was the kind of mild anesthesia where they wake them up with a shot when it's done, and he did not seem to feel any pain at the spot afterwards. The oncologist did not think it an invasive procedure at all. Michelle In a message dated 2/21/05 4:46:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: But, would you want to put any kitty through that kind of pain, and if she is negative would you get rid of her? Also, if she tests negative on a blood test that should be good enough to go on...I feel.
Re: bone marrow test
I agree that I would not put a cat out for any length of time unless necessary (they said it was necessary to determine Simon's chemo treatment), but it is a small needle and they are out and I really do not think it caused any pain with Simon. I am not saying I would do it for an FeLV test; I just seem to be the only person who has taken a cat for the test and so thought I would share that it did not seem like a big deal at all. He never even looked at the spot on his shoulder, much less lick it or limp or act strangely about it. He had a lot of other things going on, though, so it was not the only thing he was dealing with. Michelle In a message dated 2/21/05 5:00:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: It just sounds very painful, and even putting them out for a short period of time and waking them back up, I am convinced this is what caused my Snowballs attack. Cherie
Re: bone marrow test
I agree that I would not put a cat under just for FeLV testing. But as for the painfulness, are you all saying it is painful during the test or afterwards? Simon was out during the test, but I feel like I am in twilight zone if you are all saying it is very painful afterwards because he really did not seem to even notice it and both the oncologist and the internist said it was no big deal. I would not have done something to him if the vets had said it would be painful. Maybe a bone marrow biopsy for lymphoma, which is what he had, is somehow different than what you are talking about, but I don't think so. Michelle In a message dated 2/21/05 6:45:39 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Very painful. The tricky thing with this and FeLV is that while they may not show symptoms prior to the test, anesthesia can activate the virus. Kind of a double edged sword... >>
Re: bone marrow test
I agree it's added stress to the body, but it is not a wound. It's a needle prick. Simon's looked like a scab from a small tick, not like a wound. Michelle In a message dated 2/21/05 7:44:20 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << But still that is added stress onto the body, healing two wounds instead of one. Be it a superficial or surgery and time a forign object goes in a attack from the white blood cells start, in turn activating the virus >>
Re: Ginger & Vitamin B 12-folic acid injections
Sending healing vibes for Ginger. If she stops eating again, I would take her in and try to get a diagnosis. Have you given her catnip? If she'll eat it, it's an appetite stimulant that you don't have to force on them. Michelle
Re: Off Topic - Tipper
I am sending energy to try to get Tipper back to you. I don't really know how to do that, so I am imagining him returning to you. You are in my thoughts. If it is any consolation, I think that many of us have had cats disappear for that long and then appear again. Michelle
Re: Ginger & Vitamin B 12-folic acid injections
Hideyo, your cats have it good! Michelle In a message dated 2/22/05 6:47:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: She eats definitely still â but she doesnât pig out â like yesterday, she ate about  of a really thick stakes in two separate meals â where as she would also eat two full plates of turkey and chicken additionally -
Re: Ginger & Vitamin B 12-folic acid injections
Oh, I know, but to tell the truth I never would have thought of cooking a steak. I'm a vegan and although I have boiled and broiled chicken and liver for sick cats, steak never occurred to me. Now it will. Michelle In a message dated 2/22/05 6:59:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: You know how we are â we feed better to our loving cats that we feed ourselves, right? Anything she would eat, I would give if you know what I meanâ
Fwd: Transport help needed on east coast (MA to TN)
Sent to the old address by accident... here is the message I meant to send: --- Begin Message --- Katherine (I think she is on this list? I am on so many now I can't remember) in TN has offered to take Charlie, the FIV+ cat at the local shelter with terrible skin allergies. I am not sure at all if the woman who runs the shelter will agree to send him so far away. I also need to bring him home first to see if he marks (he used to do it and we don't know if he still does and it is hard to tell at the shelter). But in assessing whether it is possible to get him to TN or not, I need to see if transport would be possible. Are any of you between MA and TN and able to do a few hours of driving? If so, please let me know where you are and how far you would be willing to drive (if you can, give me actual locations in each direction that represent the farthest you would be willing to go in that direction). Figuring this out will help me figure out what to do. Thanks, Michelle --- End Message ---
Re: Felv+ but white blood cell count normal
No, I don't think so. I do not think FeLV immune suppression means white blood cell suppression. In fact, when positive cats have infections, their WBC count is usually high, just like other cats. There are all sorts of different kinds of immune cells-- B cell, T cells, etc. FeLV suppresses soomething, and it may be one of those, but it is not the WBC (though FeLV-caused problems, like lymphoma in the bone marrow, can suppress WBC). Michelle In a message dated 2/22/05 10:35:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The vet left us a message to let us know that Killian's bloodwork came back normal. Her white blood cell count is normal. Now, does this mean that she can fight infection just as effectively as a felv negative cat? Kathy
Re: Tip is Gone
Oh my god, I am so sorry. Michelle In a message dated 2/22/05 11:38:14 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << I couldn't sleep tonight so I got a flash light and look again in the wooded area behind my house. I found my baby he has been dead for a couple days. His body was wet from rain we had over the weekend. I don't know how he died but it looks like maybe dogs or a car hit him. I am so overwhelmed with grief and guilt how could I let this happen to him. He was a big gentle love bug. I don't know if I'll ever get over this loss. I guess I have learned the hard way that there is no safe place out side. We will bury him in the morning next to his Mother. Thank you all for listening and for the prayers. Love, Sheila >>
Re: opening for felv+ baby male
I am almost positive that the shelter where I volunteer will have someone who fits the bill, as there are many positives there and it is the only shelter in the area that cares for positives. Your client already adopted one cat from the shelter so should have the contact info. I suppose she may already have checked. It's the Fund for Dogs and Cats in Pepperell MA, and the number is 978-433-0404. I can talk to Terry, the woman who runs the shelter, when I go there tonight and see if she has anyone who fits the bill. Michelle In a message dated 2/23/05 1:32:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi everyone-Just thought I'd let you know that a client at my vet hospital has an opening for a young male felv+.She is an excellent mom and has been adopting felv+ for as long as I can remember. Right now she has 4 girls (all young) and 1 adult male. The male will only accept very young or baby cats, he likes to play foster daddy. Anyway she is looking for specifically a male because of the current ratio, and she hasn't had a baby boy in a while. If anyone know of a felv+ in need of a home, prefferably in the Mass area let me know. Thank youKristi
Re: Gary update
Jill, I am so very sorry. I lost Simon in the same way to severe anemia, and I think a lot of people on the list have. I had so much hope for Gary when she was feeling better, as I had hope for Simon when he temporarily rebounded. At least she had an extra week, much of which was good. I feel horrible about her death, and it makes me feel more and more like it is very rare to be able to save positives when they crash from anemia other than very temporarily. I am hoping that the Virbagen Omega turns out to be as much of a saviour drug as people say it might be, and that it becomes available in the U.S. or at least able to be obtained quickly (you never, ever would have been able to get it in time for Gary-- it takes well over a month). It seems like the only hope right now for so many cats. Michelle
Re: Ginger update2
I have seen it from lymphoma. But I think other things can cause it too. Including IBD (irritable bowel disease). Michelle
Re: Ginger update2
No, not necessarily. Sometimes it forms in and around the tissues of organs. It often can only be detected through an ultrasound. Intestinal lymphoma can cause lack of appetite and also diarrhea. But it might not be lymphoma at all. A lot of FeLV+ cats have unexplained bouts of anemia and anorexia. Michelle In a message dated 2/23/05 3:30:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Can you feel lymphoma by petting?
Re: Ginger update2
In my experience anorexia comes before they otherwise act sick, but they do usually start acting sick after a little while too if they have lymphoma. But there are fast growing and slow growing lymphomas. Blood work can let you know how her organs are functioning. If there is a problem with an organ, it could be lymphoma or could be something else and would need to be checked through ultrasound. If her bloodwork is fine she probably does not have lymphoma, but that is not definite as sometimes it does not show up in bloodwork for a while-- for instance if it is intestinal lymphoma it may not be affecting any organs in a way that would show up on blood work. HOWEVER, there are a lot of other things it could be. I just wanted to let you know about lymphoma because a lot of cats with FeLV get it. If caught early it can sometimes be treated for a long time-- a year or more-- with chemotherapy and/or steroids. Basically with any FeLV+ cat who stops eating or starts eating less, I would get them blood work, have a vet feel them for lumps or enlarged organs, and from there decide whether an ultrasound is needed to check for lymphoma. Michelle In a message dated 2/23/05 4:18:54 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Oh no.. now I am worried â can one be really active and playful, but still develop lymphoma?? Is this something that I should get checked out for Ginger separately? Or will it show on the blood work?
Re: Ringworm?
I can not imagine there is anything else to do other than what you are doing. If you want a natural treatment, tea tree oil, which you can get in any health food store, is an anti-fungal and kills ringworm (I myself had a spot of ringworm last summer and used that to get rid of it and it worked). I am not sure you can put it on cats straight and so would not do so without further guidance from a vet, but I have a natural flea powder that contains it so I know they use it to some degree on cats and dogs. But you can mix it with water in a spray container and spray surfaces with it. Michelle
Re: Loki Advice: fleas, throwing up
Does he vomit a tubular shaped vomit with food still visible, or is it yellow-like liquid with no visible food, or something in-between? It makes a difference. If it is the first, it may be hairballs and treatable by giving him a little bit of Laxastat every day. My Patches has that. If it is one of the latter, it may be a digestive problem or something else. Michelle
Re: Loki Advice: fleas, throwing up
You get get Laxastat or laxatone at most pet food stores and most vet offices. My Patches likes it and licks it out of a bowl like it's a treat. I give it to her once a day in the morning. If I run out and don't give it to her for a few days she starts vomiting again. She is semi-long haired. Michelle In a message dated 2/26/05 3:24:19 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Loki vomited again last night and I found for the first time a tubular shaped object that was clearly hair. Before, it was undigested food. He would sometimes vomit not long after, in which case it was a yellow-like liquid; but I thought that was simply because he had no food in his stomach after he had already thrown-up. I'm hoping the hairball was the problem and will hope he does not vomit again tonight. If so, I'll try some things. Sally also wrote me with some great suggestions. Thanks Michelle. >>
Re: how to best sterilize a kitty condo?
If you do the spray bleach, I would think that then leaving it outside for a few days would be enough so you would not have to rinse it. I think the harmful stuff in bleach actually evaporates. But I don't use bleach much, so I'm not sure. Michelle
Re: New FeLV+ Cat, transfusion yesterday. Please see blood results.
I would do Immunoregulin instead of Interferon. There is no indication that interferon can help a cat rebound from anemia, while there are some anecdotal reports that immunoregulin can. Feline interferon is another story, but has to be imported from England with FDA approval (see archived posts on Virbagen Omega, the brand name). I would also ask for a shot of dexamethasone and a shot of depomedrol, two strong steroids, in case your cat is having a hyper-immune reaction making her kill her own red blood cells. Someone on this list had results with that, though the anemia was not as severe (I thinkhematocrit only went down to 17). I would also try to do an ultrasound to see if your cat has lymphoma, in which case chemotherapy and steroids could help. Michelle
Re: New FeLV+ Cat, transfusion yesterday. Please see blood results.
Where are you located? I have some feline interferon (Virbagen Omega from England, not human interferon) I might be able to share if you want to try that. Michelle
Re: New FeLV+ Cat, transfusion yesterday. Please see blood results.
steroid side effects are usually only long-term. the only short-term side effects is that every once in a blue moon a cat gets diabetes from one or two shots of depomedrol, but usually even that side effect is after months of use. If there is lymphoma or a hyper-immune reaction, steroids can help immensely and nothing else (except chemo if lymphoma) will. Michelle In a message dated 2/28/05 11:55:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Well my vet wants to combine the Interferon and Immunoregulin therapies. Hewasn't too keen about the steroids because of side effects relating to itbeing human form.
Re: outdoor arrangments (was:Tip is Gone)
I don't know if anyone else has suggested this, as I was not following the thread closely, but I use a product called Cat Fence-In. It's netting and brackets that attach to the top of a fence and make it so cats can not climb out (the netting just in and up at an angle, so if they try to climb the fence they end up hanging from the netting and jumping down). It works great and is orderable online, though a bit expensive. But my positives have a big yard because of it. Simon got out a couple times when it came down without my seeing-- we came home once and he was on the roof of the house! But it generally works well. Michelle
Re: Michelle, How's Lucy?
Thanks for asking, Nina. I have not gotten her re-xrayed yet to see if it has shrunk. She is supposed to be xrayed this week but I have not taken her in yet and may wait until Monday. She still urinates frequently and has blood in her urine, but it does seem to me to be less blood the last few days, but I am not sure and do not want to jinx her! I'll post when I know more. Michelle In a message dated 3/2/05 4:41:47 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Michelle,How is Lucy doing? My dad has had some health problems this last week (he's going to be okay), and it's taken me away from the list. I take it she doesn't need surgery?Nina
Re: outdoor arrangments (was:Tip is Gone)
I actually lock my cats in at night, because we have fishers and other creatures in the area. So they only have access to the yard during the day. Michelle In a message dated 3/2/05 10:48:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Great horned owls have been known to kill and eat cats too. We have a lot of them hoo-hooing in our neighborhood at night.Bonnie
Re: Effie has her angel's wings
Del, I am so so sorry. Like Simon, Effie has been followed so closely by this list that I, and I bet others, feel like I knew her. I am very sad to hear she is gone. She had a long run with the cancer, which is amazing, but it does not make the end any easier. Michelle
Re: Michelle, How's Lucy?
Thank you for that tip. She has a large bladder stone, no crystals, and her ph was borderline so they could not tell which kind of stone, struvite or oxylate. We are trying the food that helps with struvite, as well as some chinese herbs used to dissolve bladder stones, to see if that works. It's been a month and she has a recheck on Monday. If the stone is smaller we will continue this way. If not, she needs surgery, which is a big deal because she is FeLV+ (if she needs surgery I am going to start her on feline interferon a week or two beforehand). If she gets surgery, I will find out what kind of stone it is, and if it is the appropriate kind I will try what you recommended. I am filing it for future use anyway. Thanks, Michelle In a message dated 3/3/05 12:35:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I am sorry to budge in, but I was wondering about Lucyâs condition regarding blood in urine? Does she have crystals in urine? What is her urine ph level? If itâs too alkali which has been for one of my FIV positive cat, Papa. I have something I finally found which is working for Papa. He used to have incidents of he had to pee all the time, and blood will come out instead of urine every 2 to 3 weeks or so, and antibiotics do not work, but with L-methonian (? â I canât spell) â he is problem free now!!
Re: Michelle, How's Lucy?
Yes, it was 6 exactly, so more acidic than papa's but borderline. Michelle In a message dated 3/3/05 1:59:28 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: When itâs borderline, is it like 6? My papa was somewhere between 6.5 and 7, but was considered to be alkali.
Re: Feral cat book...to the Lottery/freecycle
Actually, many freecycle lists do not require that you offer anything before posting a request. It varies depending on who is moderating it. Michelle In a message dated 3/3/05 4:07:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: just a thought. is there a www.freecycle.org listed for your local area?in case you don't know how it works, you have to register and then (at leastin our area) the first post must be an Offer of something. everything has tobe free. people offer things from packing materials to boats to food etc.you could post as a cat rescue looking for food--that would smoke out anycat lovers and perhaps you could network with them. also i googled for newmexico(that is where you are,right? or did I hallucinate again?)and foundthis group. perhaps they could help or know others.http://www.albcat.com/
Re: off-topic: do hospices for pets exist?
I read about a hospice service somewhere on the west coast, but it is like hospice care for humans-- going to the home to help with pain relief, care, etc. for terminally ill animals, rather than a place that takes them. There is an FeLV sanctuary somewhere with a woman who has about 50 positives at any given time and she describes herself as providing them with hospice care. I do not have her info, but my mom might. My mom corresponded with her when I first took in my 6 positives. Michelle In a message dated 3/3/05 1:50:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Hi all Just wondering---a friend asked me if I knew if there were hospices for pets. I've never heard of one--has anyone else? Kerry
Re: OT: please pray for Oreo
Sending prayers, Hideyo! Michelle
Re: OT - need help for North Carolina cats
I have not read all the emails on this thread, so sorry if someone has already suggested this, but she should contact Alley Cat Allies in Washington, D.C. They are a national advocacy group for TNR of feral cats, and they have resources (written, video, etc.) on trapping and have a network of volunteers in just about every state who are contacted to help in situations like this. If she emails them or calls them they can probably put her in touch with people in NC who can help with their time. Alley Cat Allies, and/or the people on their list for NC, may also have ideas about financial resources or vets who are willing to do the s/n at reduced costs, etc. Michelle
Re: [rescuecat] Urgent: Cat in Pennsauken, NJ to be PTS
What about Nikki's? Michelle In a message dated 3/5/2005 12:22:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In a message dated 3/4/2005 10:48:34 PM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: March 4, 2005 There is a sweet cat at the Pennsauken Animal Hospital that has tested FIV and FeLuk positive. The vet office will only keep her over this weekend and then euthanize. I am unsure of the sex of the cat, but the age is around 5 yo. Cat is healthy and not showing ANY health problems. Perhaps we know someone with no other cats or dogs only who could adopt?
Lucy doesn't need surgery (probably)!
Lucy had her 30 day x-ray today, a little early, and her bladder stone is much, much smaller! So the plan is to keep her on the food (S/D) and the meds (Clavamox, pred, and some Chinese herbs) and re-xray her in another 30 days. She is urinating less frequently and with less blood, so I think she is more comfortable (though she never really acted uncomfortable), but I was not allowing myself to hope! The vet said "well, you deserve some good news every once in a while." My horse Pepsi is doing worse, and I am still so grieved about Simon, so I am not feeling as elated as I should, but I am feeling somewhat elated and very grateful about Lucy. I was so scared that getting surgery would trigger her virus. There is still a small chance that the stone will not continue to dissolve all the way, because sometimes the outside is one kind of stone and the inside is another, but it dissolved so much that the vet thinks this is not the case with her. He thinks she had an infection and the stone built around it, which happens sometimes, and which would make sense in her case because she is positive and thus prone to infections and had never had crystals before. Michelle
Re: New To List
FeLV is worse than FIV, in that most cats infected with it do not live to old age. Some do, though, and some live to middle age. There are people on this list who have positives who are 10 and older. But many of them die as kittens or before age 2. I have lost 3 so far-- at 18 months, 3 years, and 4.5 years. I have two around 4 and one around 6 still with me at home. Basically, it varies a lot, but it is more common for them to die fairly young than to live past 5 or so. You should contact Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. They have an FeLV house. While they are often full, they are more likely to take animals from a rescue group like yours than from individuals. They might be willing to do a trade-- take your two positives if in exchange you take 2 or more adoptable animals from them to adopt out in your area. For instance, if you take 4 adoptable cats they might take your two positives. I would check ASAP. Michelle
Re: New To This
I would look into getting feline interferon, i.e. Virbagen Omega, for Thor. Michelle In a message dated 3/7/05 11:08:36 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << My vet is dead set against it. I'm glad. I'm just having a difficult time deciding what to do. So many people have stated that they've mixed their cats back up, but I haven't read one study that recommends that. As-a-matter-of-a-fact, they're all against it. I guess I need more input from people who've blended the family again. I've got three weeks before I really need to make a final decision. I keep going back and forth on this. I mean, what if the little guy (Luna) is able to shake this thin and eventually test negative? Is it possible that Thor, the older kitten that is sick right now, will recover and live longer? I feel helpless. Thor seems more spunky today than he has in awhile, but I don't want to get my hopes up. Kristina >>
Re: New To This
Gloria, Don't feel bad about not having given interferon to those you lost to lymphoma. I gave interferon to Simon every day and he got lymphoma, whereas I don't give it to Patches and Ginger (because it stresses them too much) and so far (knock on wood a thousand times) they have not. So I do not think interferon prevents lymphoma. Michelle In a message dated 3/7/05 10:44:11 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << I give my FELV babies interferon, wish I'd started it a few years ago with the babies I've lost to lymphoma. >>
Re: Please Help! Anakin is very sick
Anita, Try Immuno-regulin if your vet can get it; I think there are reports it has helped with FeLV-related anemia. There is an article on this group's web site about it. He will probably need a transfusion if he is to last long enough to try the Immuno-regulin, though. I would do a transfusion, doxicycline in case the anemia is from Hemobartanella, steroids in case he is killing his own red blood cell (dexamethasone and depomedrol), and Immuno-regulin. Though I think Immuno-regulin is supposed to work better without steroids... Michelle In a message dated 3/7/05 6:03:50 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Anakin is very sick.All he does is sleep.I checked his gums & tong are white.I am taking him to the vet tomorrow,but they said his bone marrow is not producing blood cells.They said there was not much they can do.If there is anything I can try or if you have any suggestion please let me know.Thanks so much Anita
Re: Please Help! Anakin is very sick
To get him to eat more, try making the liver shake. The recipe is in the archives or I can send it again if you can't find it. They will often eat this when they won't eat anything else, and it is full of nutrients so even if they just eat a little they get a lot out of it. Also try sour cream and also roast beef deli slices. Michelle In a message dated 3/7/05 10:18:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The vet said it costs all & she thinks at this time, she can't see putting him through that when it probably won't do much.I went & got a cat of KMR mothers supplement to give to him,because it has so many good vitamins & stuff in it.He is drinking it I am hoping it might help.Thanks for all the emails of suggestions,love & support. Anita
Re: OT - We need your prayers
Nina, my horse Shire had this, and of course it is impossible to deal with in horses, but I don't think it is in dogs. I am hoping and praying. Michelle
