Friday March 20, 1998 Part 3 13 Messages ====================================== From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:18:59 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: felv+ and felv- cats together Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Ann, This is probably one of the hardest parts of this disease to deal with, next to the loss of a cat. There is so much about this disease we don't know or understand. Why do some get it and others don't? What makes them different? What is in their body chemistry that keeps them safe while others seem to get it from almost casual contact? Boy, if we could answer those questions, we would have the disease beat. One of the problems, is it is people like us, who pick up the lost and injured that, with the best of intentions, bring it home. That's what I did. So far, counting the original carrier, I have lost 4. There are still 3 cats here who tested negative. However, that could change at any time. Those three were exposed with no vaccination to help them. All others that have come in are isolated until two weeks after the last shot for felv. With the exception of Merlin, who we now believe had it when I brought him home, all have remained negative. I also have three that are positive, but healthy. Is there a risk? Sure there is, but I only allow cats here that are in immediate danger of death or being abused. Faced with that I feel the risk is warrented. But everytime someone sneezes or seems to sleep a little longer, I am staring at them. Are they eating, are their gums pink? But even if, god forbid, one of them does get it, despite the shots, whether they have 6 months or 6 years, it is longer than they would have had. They are never hungry, cold or without toys. There is always a hug and a pet and a friend to play with. So I walk a tightrope sometimes. Being alone here, to isolate someone means they wouldn't get much attention. I actually do have three that are in a bedroom, but not because of felv. I have a couple of bullies and they terrorized them so I put them in there. I don't like it and I am getting some cat phermones that are supposed to help stop that kind of behavior. I'm hoping anyway. They seem happy in there, but I'm not. They need to be out with the rest of us. Well, that's how I feel about it. Life is a risk with no guarentees. We just do the best we can do. barb -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:25:27 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: chester Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thanks, Liz. Chester was a sweetheart and I had him for 4 wonderful years before he succumbed to the Felv. He was a gentle giant of a cat who was a great comfort to me in the last months of my pregnancy with my daughter. He died one month before she was born and I was inconsolable for weeks. I still think of him often and I miss him. Judy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:32:02 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Welcome Judy!! Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thanks so much. From what I've read everyone on this list is special - to be doing so much to help their precious babies. Working with cats the way we do, my husband and I see so much of the bad side of people, the abused, abandoned, neglected cats & kittens, that its so nice to see there are such good people out there. Judy -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:44:44 +0000 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: BILL BEAMISH Subject: Re: Gretchen doing good and questions Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Ann, I'm so glad to hear Gretchen is doing so well! My vet told me the Immunoregulin can be given IV or under the skin but she seemed to feel it was more effective IV. That was her opinion. I just asked my vet tonight how effective the Felv vaccine is and she said it is 80-85% effective. I just wrote a very long letter about keeping positive and negative cats together and you probably already read it so I won't go into it here. It really is a decision you will have to make. I personally think the risk would be small if your other cats are vaccinated, but that is just my opinion. The vaccine is not 100% and there is always a small chance it won't work. I wish you the best! Judy -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:46:40 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Gretchen doing good and questions Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Ann, Being an RN, about the only thing I can tell you with any real assurance is that the body works in very delicate and incredibly involved ways. While we go about our business, the body is checking and balancing tens of thousands of things a day, keeping them all in balance and the body working at peak effecincy. Everything from hormones to electrolytes to body temp and killing off invaders we don't even know are there. Most people think we breath because we need O2. Actually, we breath because the brain senses we have to much CO2. I guess what I am trying to say is this. Sometimes I wonder if we don't try to tinker to much with the bodies own good sense. Cravings are not nonsense. If we listen to the body, it usually leads us down the right road. We were wondering why felv cats tend to eat cat litter. Then someone had read that there is a componant in the clay that helps clean out the body. Of course, with our cats, we don't always know what their needs may be. But I think if we feed them well, give them some vitamins and maybe a simple additive, just one, they should be ok. (Unless they are sick, then some more may be needed for a while.) Problem is there are so many out there it's tough to settle on one. We spend tons of money adding so many things. For now, I have settled on the Ambrotose. What I like about it that it stimulates the cat to produce it's own feline interferon. What we give them now is human interferon and not nearly as effective as their own would be. It didn't help Merlin, but if he had a brain tumor, as I suspect, nothing would have. So I will see how it helps my others and if it does as I hope, it is worth the expense. I probably didn't answer your question, but I think that sometimes we overdo it and I hate to see them run because they think I have pill, or some icky vitamin they don't want. barb But's it's tough. We want to do anything and everything to help keep them healthy and happy -------------------------------------- From: EBenishin Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 22:47:11 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: FIP Prevention wise? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Dana, You will get a million different answers to your question. Read the cornell stuff as well as the Alice Wolf article. (Can get there via Peacock's page). I lost A kitten to FIP and have a foster that I am worried about (though the secod opinion vet told me that she doubts FIP, which is what the first vet said but I was paranoid....long story). I think the vaccine is a good idea, at least in my case where I have fosters, get new cats from shelters or feral colonies...I think it is very safe and I believe the efficacy rate is good. Liz -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:00:45 +0000 From: LawBet Organization: Home for Wayward Felines To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: FIP Prevention wise? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dana, Our Vet absolutely refuses to give the FIP spray unless the pet owner is also just as adament that their pet receive it. Our Vet's reasoning is that the chances of the kitty contracting FIP are considerably LESS WITHOUT the spray. She believes that giving the spray INCREASES the likelihood of getting the disease. I know there are varying opinions by Vets on this issue. None of our 15 cats have ever received the FIP spray and none have ever contracted the disease. I'm sure you will receive other opinions that may be contrary to mine. That makes it pretty much your decision. Further deponent sayeth not. Larry (The Lurker) -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:01:16 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Are Combo Shots Safe? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Speaking of shots, the Cornell Feline Center issued a report that they were going to change the protocal for giving boosters. That yearly boosters were probably not necessary and that we over vaccinate our cats. I mentioned this to my vet and he said they have been saying that for years, but never actually do it. I guess the main reason is: Most vets make their money from all the shots. This is not a vet bash, this is reality for them. They spend a zillion dollars getting thru school, spend another small fortune getting set up, hiring help etc and their bread and butter are the vaccinations and spaying and neutering unless they specialize. When you think about it, once we humans have our shots as kids, how often do we get boosters? About the only one we get a booster for is tetanus.(About every 10 years or so) There are some they won't even give an adult. One is Whooping Cough I think. So why do our pets need yearly shots? I really think they are hesitate to change the yearly protocal because of the possible financial ruin it may bring to our vets. I mean they spend as long in school as MD's and are prob as in debt as well when they get out. This would be a major change for them and I think they are very hesitant to make changes. Do our pets really need yearly shots? Prob not, but until they say otherwise, we don't really know for sure. barb -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:05:05 +0000 From: LawBet Organization: Home for Wayward Felines To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: computer virus alert Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Jim, Thanks for the ".doc" info. I was not aware of this. We live and learn. Larry (The Lurker) -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:07:54 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Any word re T.V. Publicity??? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dana, Actually, I had forgotten all about that. No, I never heard back from anyone. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:07:17 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: FIP Prevention wise? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dana, There have been mixed reviews on the FIP nasal vaccination. My vet won't have it in the building but Dr. Myers feels it is safe. While it's true that felv cats are more prone to FIP, as they are to everything, I personally would be hesitate to give it to them, but that's prob because my vet doesn't like it. But what I have read doesn't excite me either. I guess all I can say is research it, talk it over with your vet and then decide what you want to do. There is no doubt it is a horrible disease. Worse even than FeLV. Thank God I haven't had to deal personally with that one....yet. Barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 23:15:19 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Welcome Judy!! Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Judy, Your story is similair to mine. I think people like us have sucker in neon lights on our foreheads!! That's what my vet says anyway. It's amazing how many of them find their way to my door and I can't turn them away. I guess I wouldn't want it any other way. Thank goodness I have a fairly big house, but I have the upstairs closed off now because of winter, but come warm weather, they will hve the run of that to... and more windows to sleep in! barb -------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 21:59:31 -0800 From: Dana Crow Organization: Magical Moments Preschool To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Are Combo Shots Safe? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Interesting again Barb, My vet was mentioning this to me the other day as well. She had been to a conference in the states in Jan. or Feb. & this was a big issue there. She feels that yearly vaccines will be a thing of the past in a very short time. We will see. At least they are beginning to think about it now. Perhaps we are actually creating super bugs in the animal world too. In fact, in our vet newsletter, they were mentioning that we must use up all antibiotics till the cycle is completed to stop the growth of antibiotic resistant bugs.Dana -------------------------------------- END