Friday August 7, 1998 10 Messages ======================================== From: WORKPARK@aol.com Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 04:52:41 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: A new member with questions Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear Cary, First of all, welcome to the list. I think you'll find lots of good info here, as well as the support we often don't get by others who aren't "cat people." :) First of all, what tests were used to determine her negative status? The ELISA is notoriously unreliable (anywhere from 30-70%), the IFA is better, and the bone marrow aspirate only gives you a "good" answer if it hits the right bone. If they do the aspirate in a bone that is not affected, you'll get a negative reading. They have to hit the affected bone. In addition, I believe there is a new type of test that has been discussed recently on the list (or am I getting it confused with all the FIP and FIV info that has been floating around lately?). She cannot get FeLV from a cat that has a different disease unless she has been harboring it in her system for some time, which is possible. She could have gotten it from her friend that groomed her, and it didn't come out until this point in time. As far as the Interferon goes, what dosage was she on? I initially tried it with Rissa-Tai, my positive cat, on a daily basis. She did get very depressed. We switched to an every third day regimen, and her emotional health immediately improved. She has now been on it for almost seven months. She had a transfusion in January that didn't take, but we have been able to improve her counts. Getting rid of Molly's Hemobart definately helped improve that bloodwork, I'm sure. Rissa-Tai had Hemobart for two months and her counts dropped so low twice we were sure we were going to lose her. Once we cleared those nasty parasites out of her system, she showed a vast improvement! Taking care of that for Molly could definately explain the improvement - Rissa-Tai had gone down to 11 and 12% with the Hemobart, she is now at 46% for her rbc! During the worst period we also tried Epogen, but as she didn't show any improvement with it, we stopped. As far as Pred, she was taking it at that point as well, but between that and the two antibiotics for the Hemobart she began to vomit all the time, and she isn't a puker. We switched to DepoMedrol injections, which made her feel so much better and were much easier for us then pilling her. She now gets the injections only once every three weeks, if she continues to improve, we will try once every four. Finally, regarding Immunoregulin - when we started all this, we used the Immunoregulin/Interferon combo. In all honesty, she showed little improvement until we got rid of the Hemobart, and then the improvement was miraculous. She now has great bloodwork, we check it every three weeks when we see the vet. (We used to be at the vet's office 3 or 4 times a week, so this is much better!) The Oncologist recommended this so that we know immediately when something is wrong rather than when she is sick. If there is anything else that I can assist you with, just holler - that's what we're all here for, and I know that Barb (Newtanator) will be sure to have good info for you as well (I haven't read her response yet, sorry if I repeated anything). And congrats on the count of 22! Pam ---------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 12:24:56 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: Felvtalk Subject: Various FeLV Strains Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Dear All, I have been wondering myself -- and this would explain why Schurli did not pass it on to the kittens! After all, Cora and Aziz were only 6-7 weeks old when I found them, and it was Schurli who adopted them with much grooming and licking!! Then, when he tested positive about 6 weeks later, the vet and I thought the damage had already been done and we let them carry on, with much heartache on my part, when I saw them all curled up together. I did not dare to test them until 6 month later -- and they were BOTH NEGATIVE!!! Later the triumvirate was joined by Sweetie Pie (about 4-5 months at the time), who also turned out negative later!! After all this I, of course, had been hoping that Schurli did not really have FeLV, until he became so ill at the end of April this year. I suppose it means that his strain is less infectious than some others! Any ideas, anyone? Many purrs and headbutts, Sonja and the furry family ---------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 13:08:30 -0400 From: Selena Walker To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Sorry, I know this is long and and that it has nothing to do with FeLV, but, I'm sure that many on this list will relate to the following (picked up from another list): "Strict, Unbending Rules For Dealing With Stray Cats" 1. Stray cats will not be fed. 2. Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food. 3. Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food moistened with a little milk. 4. Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food moistened with warm milk, yummy treats and leftover fish scraps. 5. Stray cats will not be encouraged to make this house their permanent residence. 6. Stray cats will not be petted, played with or picked up and cuddled unnecessarily. 7. Stray cats that are petted, played with, picked up and cuddled will absolutely not be given a name. 8. Stray cats with or without a name will not be allowed inside the house at any time. 9. Stray cats will not be allowed inside the house except at certain times. 10. Stray cats will not be allowed inside the house except on days ending in "y". 11. Stray cats allowed inside will not be permitted to jump up on or sharpen their claws on the furniture. 12. Stray cats will not be permitted to jump up on, or sharpen claws on the really good furniture. 13. Stray cats will be permitted on all furniture but must sharpen claws on new $114.99 sisal-rope cat-scratching post with three perches. 14. Stray cats will answer the call of nature outdoors in the sand. 15. Stray cats will answer the call of nature in the three-piece, high-impact plastic tray filled with Fresh'n'Sweet kitty litter. 16. Stray cats will answer the call of nature in the hooded litter pan with a three-panel privacy screen and plenty of head room. 17. Stray cats will sleep outside. 18. Stray cats will sleep in the garage. 19. Stray cats will sleep in the house. 20. Stray cats will sleep in a cardboard box lined with an old blanket. 21. Stray cats will sleep in the special Kitty-Komfort-Bed with non-allergenic lambs wool pillow. 22. Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed. 23. Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed, except at the foot. 24. Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed under the covers. 25. Stray cats will not be allowed to sleep in our bed under the covers except at the foot 26. Stray cats will not play on the desk. 27. Stray cats will not play on the desk near the computer. 28. Stray cats are forbidden to walk on the computer keyboard on the desk when the human is asdfjjhhkl;ljfd.;oier'puyykmm4hbdm9lo9j USING IT. Have a nice weekend:)! Sincerely, Selena Walker Stittsville (near Ottawa), Ontario, Canada swalker@rohcg.on.ca in memory of Zachie, June 1982- November 1994 ---------------------------------------- From: Newtanator@aol.com Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 16:23:04 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Selena, How true, how true. barb ---------------------------------------- From: GinaTex@aol.com Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 16:31:58 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Various FeLV Strains Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Sonja I been wonderring the same thing myself. Sophia, when she was 6 months old tested a very high postive 5 out of 5. At that time she was very ill with URI, after that she cleard right up and has never been ill since. Her brother tested negative and continues to test negative along with our kittens. Sophia is now 4 1/2 and still knock on wood never been ill at all. Rubin got sick 3 years after testing postive. Sometimes we wonder if Sophia is just a carrier? Esp since her brother contiues to be negative. Maybe there are different strains? Gina ---------------------------------------- From: GinaTex@aol.com Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 16:38:21 EDT To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net SOOOOOOO very true, :-) Gina ---------------------------------------- From: "Equinox Corp." To: "'felvtalk@MailingList.net'" Subject: RE: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 12:19:04 -0700 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Consider your post forever preserved for posterity. It's been cced & forwarded to many foks all over the planet. It's also been printed, laminated & put in to circulation in my corner of the globe, Thank You. Saliha ---------------------------------------- From: "Claude Horstmann" To: Subject: Re: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Date sent: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 15:54:54 -0400 Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net OOOoooh Yesss ! thank you, it's copied here too ! .marilyn. ---------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 22:27:38 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Various FeLV Strains Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Gina, did you ever have Sophia retested? She could have been a false positive!? Sonja ---------------------------------------- Date sent: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 22:33:48 +0100 From: "Sonja Lnders" To: felvtalk@MailingList.net Subject: Re: Talk: Strict Unbending Rules for dealing with Stray Cats-long Send reply to: felvtalk@MailingList.net Lovely, and guess what? Just as I was reading it, my 1/2 cat, Rossignol the 1/2 stray, sang outside to be let in for his supper! Sonja ---------------------------------------- END