Saturday March 21, 1998 Part 1 15 Messages ====================================== From: AskforArt Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 02:18:14 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Are Combo Shots Safe? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Barb--re the shot issue. My vet told me that the protocol was taught to her as a means to get the owner into the office for a checkup, that without the annual visit for shots most owners would never bring in their pets. As for the bulllies please try the Bach remedy called Rescue Remedy. And, for anyone that's interested go to www.alternativemedicine.com/digest/issue21/121-a74.shtml and scroll about half-way down the page to "Resetting the Immune System's Thermostat with Thymic Protein". Maybe another round of ammo? Linda P in Sacramento -------------------------------------- From: WORKPARK Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 02:54:31 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Immunoregulin & Interferon dosages Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi all, We went to the vet again today for Rissa-Tai's Neupogen and Immunoregulin injections. She weighed 7.3 lbs. once again so we guess that the scale was off last time. Not something I want to have happen again, as half a pound is too much to lose in a week. We'll be getting the results of her cbc back tomorrow, and I'll update the list then. The last few times we've been to get her the IV Immunoregulin injections, she has apparently been giving the vet a hard time. She will no longer let her give the injection to her in her front paws, and is beginning to protest the back paws. We are now going back to giving her the injections twice a week, we only did the once a week for two weeks and her energy level has dropped, so we changed it. We're also upping her prednisone back up to 7 1/2 mg. a day - less than the twice a day she was at before, but more than the 5 mg. we'd lowered it to. Hopefully, this will keep her from scratching around her right ear so much, and she'll let the scabs heal so they won't bother her anymore. My question is this: she has been getting the Immunoregulin through the IV since Feb. 13. Can we give it to her another way? Does giving it sub-q have the same effect? I'd like to hear opinions, as the vet is willing to try this since it'll be easier on Rissa-Tai and she won't fight it so much. Our next appointment is on Tuesday, so all input before then would be appreciated. Also, should we do the Interferon every day, or one week on and then one off? We've been doing it every other week so far. It's hard to tell what's causing her energy loss since we changed how we were doing the Immunoregulin, the Prednisone, and the Interferon all within the same week and she contracted the Hemobartinella too. Thanks for the help, Pam -------------------------------------- From: PUFFERINO Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 05:49:32 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: FeLV+ Cat Hospice Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Judy, I am so happy that you have decided to join the list. Your home and life is something special--and I am so glad that you are sharing it with the other fine people on this list. I can assure everyone that a cat is indeed lucky to be in your home--your whole family (including sisters,etc) is a family which is full of love and compassion--and all of your companion animals are happy,calm and affectionate with each other and humans. It was great meeting you--and we all have a lot to learn from each other. Joan & Alison -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:09:06 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Are Combo Shots Safe? Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dana, While I don't think the use of vaccines will create superbugs, the over use of antibiotics certainly will and does. Anyone who used to or still does watch MASH may notice that when the Dr. would order penicillin, they would order it in like 10,000 units, now, if plain penicillin will work at all it must be used in the millions of units. Most of us have both neg and positive cats. While our first instinct is to give them something when they sneeze or don't feel good, we might want to let the negative ones fend things off for themselves before reaching into our rather large cupboards filled with goodies. I'm not talking about vitamins and such, but the big guns, the antibiotics, the steriods. of course, we have to be a little more careful with our immune supressed babies. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:11:46 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: bullies Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Linda, Please explain the Bach remedy. I will try anything to get those three out of that bedroom. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:18:29 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Immunoregulin & Interferon dosages Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Pam, The ImmunoRegulin can be given under the skin. If it is causing her so much stress, it might be a good idea to have the vet show you how to do it and do it at home. She's been getting it IV for a while and I usually switched to SQ after the first 6 weeks anyway. As to the Interferon, I would do the week on, week off, but there are many that give it everyday. It's good her weight is back up, or never dropped at all. Is she eating good? barb -------------------------------------- From: katseven@pcsia.com Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 07:29:52 -0600 Subject: Ernie Update To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hello, everybody, Ernie is doing pretty well on the acemannan. He had his first treatment Tuesday; the doc injected some into his stomach and into his two largest tumors. The larger tumors on his jaw and in his groin seem smaller. ( maybe just wishful thinking--hard to be objective) The one in his groin has been draining continuously (it was removed once and grew back, so there is a small opening). He's not eating much, again. I couldn't get him to eat regular Science Diet wet food (or dry food); I think it hurt his jaw to chew. I have been feeding him chicken baby food, but I am worried about him getting his nutrition. Is there a taste-free supplement I could put in his food? I know that's probably a silly question. Later this morning, I am going to a little town (Fairfield, Iowa) which has a lot of alternative medicine available (herbalists, etc.) and am wondering if anyone has suggestions. Susan -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:22:41 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Ernie Update Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Susan, There is a suppliment called Nutrical, you can get it at pet stores or your vet may carry it, mine does. It is a high calorie, protein gel, brown, flavored. Looks like toothpaste! Merlin loved it and would lick it off my fingers. It's not expensive, about $10 and last a while. Two teaspoons give a cat all the nutritian they need for the day. Regular food is best of course,but this stuff works good in a pinch. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:24:42 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: food supplements Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net susan, forgot to mention. Make sure the baby food you get has no onion salt in it. Onions cause anemia in cats. Most of the straight meats don't, but best to check. barb -------------------------------------- From: WORKPARK Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:03:30 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Good News Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi all, The vet's office just called with the latest info on Rissa-Tai's bloodwork. Her wbc is up to 12,600 (I was hoping for 5,000, so this is great - the Neupogen has really worked for us), her rbc is at 2.5 or 17% (which is actually up 1% from last week - not a significant change, but better), and she is now coming up negative for the Hemobart (which is good as well, although the Tetracycline is really yucky tasting to her). They want me to call the Oncologist on Monday to talk about restarting the chemo at a lower dose, and if we should continue the Neupogen injections. I know the Oncologist wanted to do a Bone Marrow Aspirate to further pinpoint the plasma cell myoloma, which would mean putting her under for about 30 minutes witht the gas, which they say isn't very stressful on the body. Any opinions about that? I'd appreciate the input. We'll also talk to the vet about the Immunoregulin under the skin (thanks Barb, and all those other letters about this yesterday were very timely). We'll also discuss about doing the injections at home. My only problem with that is I am pretty squeamish around needles. It's even kindof difficult for me with getting the Interferon out of the vials, but once I take the needle off, I'm ok. As I said, her weight is at 7.3 lbs. To be honest with you, we don't see her eating as much, but she looks better (she's been filling out, and she's not as bony on her back) and she does real well with the litterbox - you'd think she was eating enough for two at once if you saw the size of the piles she leaves :) Her energy level is kind of low, not as bad as when we first took her to the vet in December, but not great. I guess our next goal is to get that rbc up higher, that should help. I know that everyone at the vet's is impressed with how well she has done up to now, they were all expecting her to be much sicker. We owe that partly to this list and the support I've been getting from everyone. Thank you. Pam -------------------------------------- From: WORKPARK Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:06:53 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Ernie Update Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Susan, Prozyme is a good supplement to add to Ernie's food. It's a powder you can mix into his food that's tasteless. It adds back in the enzymes that are lost by the processing of their food. I know that people on the list don't like prednisone that much, but it works real well as an appetite stimulant, and is a small pill, and easy to give to the cats. maybe that would help as well, or some kind of appetite stimulatnt. Good luck, Pam -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:23:56 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Hello. Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Cheri, I got the D'arco at a health food store. Some of the bigger grocery or drug stores may have it also. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:29:01 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Good News Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Pam, Neupogen has a counterpart called Epogen that stimulates RBC production. But maybe at this point some good old calves liver might help a lot to. As to the needles, it's not hard, you can practice with an orange and use an insulin needle, very small. But I would suggest having someone hold them for you. Doing it alone takes so doing sometimes. barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 12:39:56 EST To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: vet visits Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Linda, You are probably right. Lord knows humans are just as bad with themselves. Only seek out a dr. when sick or hurt and then sometimes it's to late. We have trouble getting people to bring in their kids for shot let alone their pets. But then we are in a quandry. The risk of abcesses and sarcomas from the shots, is it really justified? The felv shot is one that is at risk and I have seen some pretty nasty abcesses from the rabies shot as well. We are kind of caught between the proverbial rock and hard place.barb -------------------------------------- Date sent: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 08:51:25 -0500 From: Selena Walker To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: food supplements Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Susan, As a wildlife rehabber (of bats) I often have to convince bats which are not in the best of condition to eat. In order to stimulate the appetite you might try: Nutrical (human liquid nutrient supplement usually available at grocery stores and pharmacies), Nutripet (I'm not sure what it would be called in the States, but it is a nutritional paste supplement specifically designed for cats and available at local pet stores), and for additional nutrition you might want to add baby food banana to your baby food chicken. I don't know whether any of this will work for you but it's something to try. One thing to keep in mind though, the supplements are meant to induce eating with the goal of eventually returning to the appropriate diet. These supplements are not really meant to permanently replace the appropriate diet. I'm sure there are others out there who could help with homeopathic or herbal remedies which might also be of benefit. Unfortunately I'm not knowledgeable enough in that field to make any suggestions. Sincerely, Selena Walker swalker@rohcg.on.ca Stittsville (near Ottawa), Ontario, Canada in memory of Zachie, June 1982-Nov. 1994 -------------------------------------- END