Wednesday May 20, 1998 Part 2 18 Messages ====================================== From: Newtanator Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:12:51 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Jack and Leia and Holly Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Nancy, Jack seems to have caught on that in the house is pretty nice. The first two weeks, he tore down the curtains in his room every night, but now has the run of the house and seems very happy. He is an attention hound! barb -------------------------------------- From: Newtanator Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:23:44 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Lymphosarcoma Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Paula, What are they giving him? With both of mine, they barely had any lung function at all. It was terrible watching them stuggle just to breathe. In both cases, both their lungs were affected and after consulting with Michigan State Vet School, I realized that there was just nothing I could do but end their suffering. I couldn't let them just sufficate. IF your cat has what mine had, the prognosis is grave. I never lie to folks on the list or give them false hope. But I stress IF he has the same thing. I have since researched it some, tho there isn't much to find, but there is apparently nothing that has been successful in treating this FeLV complication. The fact that your vets are doing something is a good sign they may feel it is something different. The fact he has one good lung is good also. You can live quite well with only one. We find that we have to take one day at a time and do the best we can. But sometimes it's hard. barb -------------------------------------- From: "zimmerman" To: Subject: Welcome Paula Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:18:24 -0400 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Welcome Paula, I have 2 FeLV + cats, 1 with no symptoms, 1 who had a nasal infection that's almost gone. FeLV is incurable, but there's hope you can give your cat more time. Others on the list with lymphosarcoma experience may be able to help you. I wish Lucky good luck. Beth -------------------------------------- From: katseven@pcsia.com Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 18:43:02 -0600 Subject: Lynn and Stinker To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lynn, I am so happy to hear that Stinker is doing so well Susan -------------------------------------- To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:50:33 -0400 Subject: Re: Panther From: naohalloran@juno.com (Naomi J O'Halloran) Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Nancy, I'm so sorry to hear that Panther is gone. I haven't been home for a while, so I just read all of your postings from last week. You've been through so much the past few days. Please just relax and get some rest now and think of how happy he is running around at the bridge with all of our furbabies. Sending comforting thoughts, Naomi -------------------------------------- To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:53:48 -0400 Subject: Re: Arnie's gone From: naohalloran@juno.com (Naomi J O'Halloran) Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Jean, I'm so sorry to hear of Arnie's passing. Now he and Panther are exploring the Bridge together. Think of how happy and carefree they are! Sorry they're so late, but I'm sending comforting thoughts your way. Naomi -------------------------------------- From: "James G. Wilson" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:14:17 +0000 Subject: (Fwd) Re: Steve's re. & ?'s Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- From: Newtanator Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 19:28:52 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Steve's re. & ?'s Beth, I am a big supporter of ImmunoRegulin. I do like the way your vet worded it tho. He is careful to not say that it cures, which it has not been shown nor advertised as such. But it does help give them the extra strength to ward off the constant flow of problems FeLV cats seem to have. It's one weak spot is Tumors. It doesn't seem to have much effect on them. barb -------------------------------------- From: Boonedagel Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 21:20:51 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Copies to: barbara.moermond@heab.state.wi.us (Moermond,Barbara), ccmyers1@erols.com Subject: Re: Ninja news:) ... long Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Barb & Ninja, Hello. I must tell you that Ninja is experiencing virtually identical symptoms to my Pooters II. You may check the archives for the few past posts about Pooters II. But, I am including my most recent post to another list that should shed some light on Ninja's situation, and, hopefully point you in the right direction. In addition, have the blood test for Toxoplasmosis done, because that common protozoa, that virtually all of us have been exposed to, causes seizures in immuno-suppressed cats. I must be honest and warn you, however, that the pupil dilation problem typically does not bode well for FeLV+ cats. So, please read the following. I hope it helps. <> -------------------------------------- From: Kelly To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 18:43:33 -0700 Reply-to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi Barb. He hasn't been tested yet, but I plan on getting him tested at the end of the week (money). Its been sunny and muggy today, but it rained 4 days in a row before that. This whole food thing is very strange though. I've never seen him do that, he always piggin out on it. Thanks. Kelly, Jade, Paige. -------------------------------------- From: Kelly To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: Administering Ambrotose Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 18:49:08 -0700 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hey Angela, I gave it to Jade by breaking it open and putting in a glass, add a few drops of water then suck it up with a flusher type thingy and squirt it into his mouth. I got the "thingy" from a prior vet visit. Kelly & Jade & Paige. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 18:50:50 -0500 To: felvtalk From: Melanie Moore Subject: Introductions... Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hi. I'm Melanie and just joined this list. I have one FeLV+ cat, Maxwell, and 3 negative cats. Maxwell is three and has been positive since I found him abandoned around age 10-12 weeks. He's always tested very weakly positive, so the vet and I were hopeful that he would throw off the virus, but he started displaying some illness around November. Currently, he's having problems with fluctuating pupil size. He started in January with both pupils fully dilated, then only the left one was intermittently dilated (after a short period of swelling, pain, and inflammation) and now, since Sunday, the right pupil has constricted (thought to be to compensating for the dilated left pupil) and the eye is swollen, painful, and inflamed (much like the left eye began). Otherwise, he seems to be perfectly healthy and happy these days, very playful and sweet. -------------------------------------- Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 21:11:49 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Melanie Moore Subject: Re: Introductions... Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Umm....actually, I did mean to sign this, but I was having ISP problems and after getting back online, my email program apparently sent this on, anyway. Anyway....just wanted to say hi to folks and give a little background. Melanie -------------------------------------- From: "James G. Wilson" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 21:31:49 +0000 Subject: Feline Leukemia IS Treatable Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hello all, I'm posting this message to the list to supplement everyone's resources for getting information regarding FeLV and our projects. I've distributed the note below to all of the main newsgroups (rpc.*, alt.med.veterinary, alt.pets, alt.animals.felines, alt.animals.felines.diseases). If anyone knows of any groups that I missed, please pass this on. Is anyone on the "wellpet" mailing list or the "cat fanciers" list? If so, please contact me privately to distribute this message. Thanks. BTW: Please take note of my new address: phaedrus@npwt.net ---------------------------------------------------------------- Hello all, I'd like to remind everyone about our project web page concerning newer treatments for Feline Leukemia (FeLV). You can find our page at: http://www.angelfire.com/il/felv/ You can access information about these newer treatments, find out where to obtain them, join our "felvtalk" mailing list for more info and support, read and search the mailing list archives, review our FeLV information sheet, and much more. I've also created a new Usenet newsgroup so that people can freely discuss issues of feline diseases- especially FeLV, FIV, and FIP. If you have any questions, comments, contributions, and/or criticisms, please feel free to contact me at: phaedrus@npwt.net. Here are some important addresses to remember if your cat has been diagnosed with FeLV: http://www.angelfire.com/il/felv/ http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/8025/ http://thor.prohosting.com/~felvinfo/ news://alt.animals.felines.diseases Please let me know if you have any trouble accessing them. Don't let your vet tell you that there is no hope for your FeLV+ cat- all of the feedback I've received since starting this project back in September clearly shows otherwise. Of course, FeLV is still incurable, but there is absolutely no reason for your cat to suffer needlessly or be put to sleep upon diagnosis. Not every method will work for every cat, and some cats will not respond at all to these methods. Yet, the vast majority of these cats that ARE treated with these methods live a much longer, healthier and more comfortable life that they would not have otherwise had. Please come visit our site and help spread the word because FeLV is not the immediate death sentence that it once was. Take care, and I look forward to hearing your questions and comments. In loving memory of Vyvyan: March 20, 1988 - August 15, 1997 James G. Wilson phaedrus@npwt.net http://www.angelfire.com/il/felv/ http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/8025/ http://www.fortunecity.com//skyscraper/sterling/20/niu.html -------------------------------------- From: katseven@pcsia.com Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 21:55:46 -0600 Subject: Introductions... To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Hello, Melanie, Welcome to the group. There has been a lot of discussion recently about fluctuating pupil size, a common symptom in FeLV+ cats. You may do a topic search in the archives to get more detailed info. Is your vet treating Maxwell for Uveitis? What symptoms (other than unequal dilation) did Maxwell exhibit in November? I lost my cat Ernie to FeLV last month. I have nine other cats, all neg., so far. This is a wonderful group of people fighting a devastating disease. I'm glad you and Maxwell have joined us. Susan -------------------------------------- Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 23:08:06 -0400 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Angela Holderby Subject: Re: Introductions... Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Welcome! I am sure you will be as impressed with this wonderful group of people as I have. As well as constant advice and support from the list, make sure to take advantage of the information sites and the archives. I have been spending a lot of time there lately. Good luck with Maxwell and your others. Angela. (and Poncho & Lefty) -------------------------------------- From: "Steve Lackow" To: Subject: Re: Steve's re. & ?'s Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 20:23:14 -0700 Reply-to: felvtalk@MailingList.net There's no clinical proof that anything defeats FeLV. Interferon helps keep the virus from replicating, that is infecting healthy cells, and in combination with treating the symptoms seems a worthwhile therapy since interferon is cheap and relatively easy to administer. Perhaps Doc Myers or Jim or Barb would care to comment on exactly how Immunoregulin works, and what it was designed to do in the first place. You know, it occurred to me to treat my Chloe like a clinical case and methodically try one thing and then another. But she was my babycat and I was not inclined to treat her like a test subject, rather, I threw an intelligent kitchen sink (in a safe, non-toxic way) at the problem. My vets (all 3 of 'em) seem to think I doubled Chloe's life expectancy with the interferon, the aloe vera, the Vitamin C, all in sensible doses. Double=10 happy months from the onset of grave symptoms, a year in total with the entropic period at the end. -- Steve -------------------------------------- Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 22:26:04 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Melanie Moore Subject: Re: Introductions... Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Susan, first let me say I'm so sorry for your loss. And, yes, I think I will search the archives for information about the fluctuating pupil size. We've been dealing with that problem since mid January, and have tested Max for toxoplasmosis, which was negative, but we had already started treatment for it and went ahead and finished it, anyway. Back in November, when Maxwell first became ill, he was initially displaying what appeared to be allergy symptoms, particularly with his eyes, although he didn't have the dilation problem then. I took him in because of what I thought was allergies, and his platelet count was 6,000. Two days later, he was not eating, was lethargic, and hiding in the closet. I took him back, and he apparently had cholangiohepatitis, but his platelet count was much improved and has returned to, and stayed within, normal limits since then. He was on an appetite stimulant for about a month or so, and has finally gained back what he lost, then, which is good because he didn't have much to spare. What seems frustrating to me is how quickly he goes from running and playing one day to severe pain the next. As for treatment for uveitis...well, we're doing steroid drops, and atropine ointment for the constricted pupil to try to prevent pressure from building. I took Maxwell to a veterinary ophthalmologist last week, and the diagnosis was idiopathic pupillary dilation and conjunctivitis (which means "I don't know"). I'm glad to have found this list. Thanks for the welcome. Melanie -------------------------------------- Date sent: Wed, 20 May 1998 22:31:31 -0500 To: felvtalk@MailingList.net From: Melanie Moore Subject: Re: Introductions... Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Thanks Angela, Poncho, and Lefty. You all seem to be a knowledgeable group of folks (although, unfortunately, that knowledge has come through painful experience), and I'm glad to have found this resource and support group. Melanie and Maxwell -------------------------------------- END