Thursday March 19, 1998 Part 1 15 Messages ====================================== From: WORKPARK Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 02:44:02 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Rissa Tai Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi all, sorry for not filling everyone in, it's been a little crazy around here lately. Barb, thanks for being concerned :) Since Saturday - the vet called me Monday morning. Rissa-Tai's wbc count had jumped from 1.4 at last check to 3.8! The Neupogen was working pretty well, so the vet asked that I bring her in for injections Mon, Wed, and Fri this week, and we'll check her cbc again on Fri. She was prescribed the tertacycline for Hemobart, as that is what was causing the drop in her rbc count again - it had dropped to 2.5 (I hope that's the main reason for it dropping, anyway). We're still giving her the iron supplement Pet-Tinic, which is really good for cats with low rbc counts. And we're doing the Immunoregulin only once per week. Does anyone know if going back 2x per week for the Immunoregulin will help her along? We'd also dropped the prednisone to 5 mg. per day, could this be contributing to the rbc drop? We went in today for her Neupogen injection, where I found that her weight had dropped to 6.8 lbs from the 7.3 she had been at last week. It seems strange since she appears to be filling out more, and seems like she's been eating pretty well from what's in the litterbox. We're keeping an eye on that as well. She's also itchy again, and is scratching around her right ear and leaving some pretty big scabs. If she would just stop long enough for them to heal a little more, I'm sure it wouldn't bother her quite as much. For now, we're putting the spray lidocaine for pets (prescription) on it to try to numb it a little at the vet's suggestion, but if she gets worse, we'll be at the vet's on Friday. Well, that's the latest. After I see the vet on Friday, I should know more. Take care for now, Pam -------------------------------------- From: WORKPARK Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 03:01:03 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: FeLV+ Cat Hospice Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Judy! Welcome to the list! I think what you're doing for the cats you come across is wonderful. It takes a lot of courage to take in so many with such an indefinate future. You sound like a wonderful mom, and your positive cat that has lived for 12 years is a wonderful testimonial to that. I wish I had the ability to do somehting along the lines of what you're doing. Unfortunately, I live in a two bedroom apt. with space limitations. I also don't know if I could handle the emotions in dealing with so many cats that were positive. It makes me appreciate people like you all the more. Pam -------------------------------------- From: "Helen Elizabeth Kennebeck" To: "felv mailinglist" Subject: rissa-tai Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 06:34:05 -0600 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Pam, Happy news about Rissa-tai's white count. She will now be in a much better position to fight off infections, etc. It sounds like you are still dealing well with everything else. Keep up the wonderful work. I will say prayers for you and your baby. Liz In memory of Buddy 3-13-98 -------------------------------------- From: "Lynn Stickels" To: "felvtalk" Subject: Dr. Myers-Stinker Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 09:14:14 -0800 Reply-to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dr. Myers, I am having a problem that I thought I would ask you about. I have been giving Stinker Antirobe and Cefa Drops. Well, the Cefa Drops are making him vomit and I didn't want to just give him the Antirobe. Can you suggest another antibiotic to go along with the Antrirobe? Thanks.......................Lynn(Stinker) -------------------------------------- From: AskforArt Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 12:49:44 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Dr. Myers-Stinker Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn--I've never had any problems using Baytrill for my Felv+ kitties. Linda P -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 13:42:05 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: welcome Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Liz, I'm so very sorry for your loss of Buddy. I know it hurts so much. I wanted to speak with people on this list also because I think they will understand about losing a pet to FeLV. Except for my husband, Bill, and a few members of my immediate family, no one seems to understand or sometimes even care. Actually, the truth of the matter is, lots of people think I'm nuts to do this anyway! Little do they know I'M not the one who's nuts. When I lose a cat, most people's attitude is "Well, you knew he was sick anyway (as if that makes it easier!) and you have so many others, how could you feel bad about losing one? Incredible! Every single one is precious and special to me and their loss leaves an emptyness. I know you understand and know what I'm saying. I have a 9 year old daughter, Katie, who, as early as age 3 felt the loss of a cat but it's been harder on her as she gets older. The day last October when I had to take John, a cat we had since he was a kitten and was then 8 years old, into the vet for tests, the last thing Katie said to me before she left for school was "Mom, please don't let John die." Well, later when I was told John had a malignant, bleeding tumor in his intestines and he was in shock from loss of blood and he had to be put down, not only did I have to deal with the loss of John myself but I had to deal with Katie and her pain. She still thinks I can save everybody. That's my goal but I guess I have a lot of work ahead of me, huh? I wanted to say that I hope I didn't offend anybody when I said that my vet said our positive cats live so long because of the amount of love we give them because I have never seen such an incredible amount of love just pouring out of the letters I've been reading on this list. They most certainly need the love we give them but sad to say that isn't enough. We have to find a cure. I'll never give up on that goal. Thanks for welcoming me and I know I will learn a lot and also get some comfort from talking with all of you. Judy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 13:48:14 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Re; Hello Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thank you, Marilyn! I really feel welcome on this list! Judy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 09:19:08 -0500 From: Kathy Giddings To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: welcome Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net > > Judy, > Hi and welcome to the list. I have a friend who has a list called Holisticat, where they talk about nutrition (including natural foods, etc.) and other "alternative" ways to help our kitties. If you would like more information, just let me know! Kathy G and the three furries in Daytona Beach =^.^= - Rusty - =^.^= - Smokey - =^.^= - Money - see us at: http://cgi.gambitsys.com/homey/webdoc5.htm The Cat: Mother Nature's Masterpiece -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 14:37:09 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Hello. Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thank you! I KNOW I'm going to love this list. I do already! -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 14:41:28 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Dr. Myers-Stinker Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net I've also used Baytril with success and no problems with my positive cats. Can't use it on kittens under 6 months, though. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 10:43:13 -0600 (CST) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Hello. Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Judy, what wonderful work you and your husband are doing! I was sorry to hear about Lucy, however. it's always said to lose a beloved animal. You are going to love this list . . . and welcome! nancy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 10:51:23 -0600 (CST) From: "Nancy A. Schmall" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Rissa Tai Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Pam, Thanks for giving us an update on Rissa Tai. This is my opinion, but I don't know how accurate it may be. I would certainly discuss with my vet the possibility of going to Immunoregulin 2x per week. Also the hemobart will destroy rbc and prednisone should help stop that--also the tetracycline. You might want to discuss with your vet not lowering the prednisone quite so fast. See what he/she says. Glad the wbc is up. The itchiness--it seems to me someone on this list had that problem--maybe it was Lynn. Hopefully, someone will respond to that. Take care and keep on giving Rissa Tai the food she likes and all the other wonderful things you're doing. Nancy -------------------------------------- From: "Lynn Stickels" To: "felvtalk" Subject: Re: RissaTai Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 09:11:05 -0800 Reply-to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Pam, Hi! Happy to hear Rissa Tai is doing well.:) When Stinker gets down, I give him the immunoregulin twice a week and it seems to help him quite a bit. Lately, I have been giving it to him once a week, but if he starts to feeling real bad, I give it to him more often. He took the regular injections in the beginning, about a year ago and now I give it to him at home under the skin. He also suffers with the itchiness. I tried the cortisteroids for a day, which helped the itching but also made him sick so I quit that. Right now I am just using an over the counter anti-itch spray(something with avacado). That helps some and he loves to be brushed. Cheryl recommended Collidal Silver but I haven't got around to ordering any to try yet. Well, hope this helps a little. Thinking about you and Rissa Tai. I have kept most of your letters about the Epogen just in case I come across your problems. It sounds really hopeful................Lynn(Stickels) -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 14:16:38 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: FeLV+ Cat Hospice Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thanks, Pam. Emotionally, this is very hard to do. Sometimes I get so depressed, I feel like giving up but then I think about all the other cats and kittens who need me and I keep going. My husband is a wonderful support for me, too. He helps me a lot, not only with the physical work but with the emotional part, too. He tries very hard to keep my spirits up when he knows I'm having a bad time with a cat. He has a hard time with it sometimes, too, however. The time I saw him sitting on the floor, cradling Joey in his arms and crying because we were losing him, it nearly killed me. Joey had been "his" cat for almost 7 years. We, of course, own our house (no dealing with landlords) and we have the room to do this. Many of our neighbors, friends and even family think we're crazy to do this but we ignore them. I feel bad for Bill, my husband, because he puts up with a lot of teasing at his job but he tells me not to worry about it, he gives it right back to them. I personally don't know many men who would do this, though. Bill is special. He has to be to give about half his pay for cat expenses!! Our house is the most popular house in the neighborhood with kids, though. Every kid on the street wants to come over and play with the cats! I usually let them, with supervision. It's good for the cats as well as the kids. Well, thanks again. Judy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 15:19:33 -0800 From: Dana Crow Organization: Magical Moments Preschool To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Welcome Judy!! Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Judy, Glad to have you aboard especially since you have such a great track record with positive kitties! It seems that many of us are here because we were trying to be good samaritans & rescue kittens/cats abandoned by uncaring people. My three positive cats (now 9 mos old) were wild barn cats when I trapped them in hopes of adopting them out before finding out they were positive. I too have children who are very attached to these little ones. I talk to them all the time about this disease because it seems that you never know when it will strike them. My kids are 14, 12, 10 & nearly 3. I hope that they one day remember how hard I & many others are fighting to understand this diseasse & helping to pass on info to vets to further a cure. I know that they share in the losses we all have had here in the last little while. I know that my kids are very compassionate when it comes to animals & humans alike. For this I am glad to have experiences like this with our cats. I seem to be the person in the neighbourhood who gets all the sick or injured animals as well as those no longer wanted. Funny; my mom was the same, always saving some little bird who hit the window or baby orphaned bunny etc. Enough rambling!! nice to have you here!!! Dana -------------------------------------- END