Wednesday January 21, 1998 Part 2 8 Messages ====================================== From: "AZ-HART" To: Subject: Can we establish an FeLV+ Rescue Network? Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 13:56:56 -0700 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net James, You know you make me cry when you talk about how shelters rules deem that FeLV+ cats are automatically put down, after their 90 yr old caregiver went into a nursing home. This is so terribly sad, that there is no room out there for the "special needs" cats. Sad too is that many elderly people that must go into nursing homes or move in with relatives cannot take their precious cats with them. This is so sad, I can't imagine how painful it must be for the elderly person. Kind of like someone telling you your babies have to be killed because no one will take them. Why in this country of such wealth can people not find room in their homes for an ailing person's pets, I will just never understand. We have 6 FeLV+ cats here at the shelter, and only 1 (Topaz with iris problems) has any problems. But we are so limited for space, so although any cats we take in that come up positive will always have a home with us, we couldn't take in outside FeLV+ cats or we'd fill up immediately. Many rescue groups in Phoenix have no place at all for positives, which breaks my heart. My oldest FeLV+ cat, a beautiful snowy-white blue-eyed Angora named "Stella" has been weak positive since 1995, and she's always been a robustly healthy girl, now nearly 6 years old. She was a Pound rescue (an owner turn-in), and we've had her almost 3 years. You had mentioned possibly getting together a network of places that do take in FeLV+ cats. I think that would be such a wonderful thing, and probably a painstakingly difficult one to establish. Although I can never find enough hours in the day as it is, I'll pledge to call at least all of the rescue groups I know of in the Phoenix valley and see if any FeLV+ safe-houses exist. I would ask everyone on this FeLV mailing list to do the same--gather together a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area, call them and see if there are any FeLV+ places where symptom-free cats can live out there lives in a cageless environment. This would be a wonderful list to put together. Irene Hart Arizona Homeless Animals Rescue Team (AZ-HART) http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/azhart Email us at: azhart@sprynet.com -------------------------------------- From: "Steve Lackow" To: Subject: Re: Interferon Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 13:21:06 -0800 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net At this point, I can say with some degree of certainty that it is the Interferon that is giving my cat her life back. The protocol I was given was every third day until a half pint is gone. As I remarked last week, I did not like what I saw at all after discontinuing it, and now that she's back on all seems well again. She does seem to be having some trouble keeping warm, though -- and since I live in Southern Cal, I would imagine this to be a much more severe problem elsewhere. It does get into the low 40's or even the 30's here at night. Since we are not prepared or insulated, seems pretty cold, but International Falls it ain't ;-) -- Steve -------------------------------------- From: "AZ-HART" To: Subject: Re: Aspirin? Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 14:22:29 -0700 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net James' advise below on aspirin is very good. My vet prescribed 1/2 a BABY aspirin every 3 days for "Topaz", my kitten with severe iris problems. Although she is off of it now (her iris problem requires other meds), it did seem to make her feel a lot better when she took the baby asperin. Again, make sure the aspirin is given with the vet's recommendation, and at the dose the vet prescribes for your cat. Make sure it is BABY ASPIRIN, not adult strength aspirin, and DO NOT USE ACETMINOPHEN, which is the active ingredient in Tylenol which can be deadly to cats and dogs. Irene Hart Arizona Homeless Animals Rescue Team (AZ-HART) http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/azhart Email us at: azhart@sprynet.com -------------------------------------- From: "Steve Lackow" To: Subject: Re: Can we establish an FeLV+ Rescue Network? Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 13:29:41 -0800 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Irene, I think it's a great idea to identify shelters that are FeLV capable. The best list of shelters I've found is at http://www.ecn.purdue.edu/~laird/animal_rescue/shelters. -- Steve -------------------------------------- From: "Lynn Stickels" To: "felvtalk" Subject: Update on Stinker....... Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 13:43:51 -0800 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Stinker is alot better today!:) He went outside for awhile. I have an enclosed porch for the cats to get fresh air and play. He ate some on his own and has been real affectionate and perky. He sleeps stretched out and looks alot more comfortable. His eye is doing better. He has herpesvirus in one of his eyes. I treat that with betadine solution(that the vet mixed up). That has seemed to work the best and fastest than all of the ointments and all that I've tried in the past. Just thought I'd let you all know some good news.:) (While it lasts!) -------------------------------------- From: "AZ-HART" To: Subject: Re: Update on Stinker....... Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 18:21:25 -0700 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn, Good for the little Stinker! When he seemed so close to the end, to come around must be especially wonderful for you. I hope he stays well. Irene Hart Arizona Homeless Animals Rescue Team (AZ-HART) http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/azhart Email us at: azhart@sprynet.com -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 20:27:05 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Update on Stinker....... Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com) Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn, Great news about Stinker. It's like being on a roller coaster sometimes isn't it. Merlin seems to be holding his own. Eating better. That day or so he didn't want to eat scared me to death. The homeopathic meds got him out of that I think. He just finished a snack of some freshly cooked chicken, (that and tuna are his favorites, dark meat only) and some dry food! He hasn't wanted dry kibble for weeks! Now he busy bathing, but only seems to get the easy parts. Ariel, my clean freak, helps him with the rest. His eye is not worse and strange as it sounds, there was some matter there when I got home from work today, (this is new) and his eye actually looks a little better. But I am keeping a close eye on it. His ears seem a little better, but if he has vestibular disease, it is going to be a long haul getting over it. I can only guess at this point, but here goes. Several months ago an URI roared thru the house. Merlin, like several others got it. They got over it, he didn't. We kept fighting it and fighting it. It was then we tested for felv. He was started on ImmunoRegulin, but it seemed to take forever to get the interferon. About 3 wks. I believe in that time, the URI, which was by now firmly imbedded in his sinusus, traveled up the tubes to his inner ears. The interferon got rid of the URI in short order, but the ear infection was running wild. I have been told by a homeopathic specialist in Germany and an MD in S. Africa that it is very possible his paralysis was caused entirely by his ear infection. Of course, his felv status, makes everything harder to beat, but he is still here, walking, even if he does look drunk, eating, using the box and bathing himself. ANyway, that's my idea on how his troubles got started. So felv positive kitty owners beware. A simple cold can lead lord knows where, so jump on any sickness with both feet in a hurry and never never give up. Barb -------------------------------------- From: "Cheri Gardiner" To: Subject: Re: Update on Stinker....... Date sent: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 20:13:34 -0600 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Love the idea of a network to help felv+ cats. Put me on the list as a home for those babies in the north central Iowa area. I'm in Mason City. I've already talked to the vet I use and the local humane society. I volunteer there one night a week. So I keep reminding them. My vet said the problem is most are too far gone by the time they get to her. People just aren't getting them tested early enough or at all. You can reach me through this mailing list or I could post my mailing address. Cheri G, Kitty & Chaz -------------------------------------- END