Comments | berrybuzz: A state of the Johnny note...

berrybuzz

A state of the Johnny note...

Feb 27, 2009 19:33

So...it's complicated ( Read more... )

Comments 18

the_megstress February 28 2009, 03:56:03 UTC

:( Aw. Well... I'll keep paws crossed for your kitty.

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 04:05:04 UTC

Thanks hun! *hugs* I'm just really trying to keep a positive, hopeful disposition about all of this.

darklingfae February 28 2009, 04:28:08 UTC

I will talk to my mom this weekend. I think she has a cat that has this and is doing just fine with medicine. But it could be the other one as well.

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 04:55:24 UTC

My parents have a cat that 6 years ago was diagnosed with FeLV and was at death's doorstep. She is a happy, pretty healthy kitty now.

redchick623 February 28 2009, 05:10:38 UTC

poor baby ... call around to local vets and ask for their opinions/advice. It sucks when our loved ones get sick!

fixerkitty February 28 2009, 08:06:13 UTC

Amen.

FeLV can usually be managed if not necessarily cured. Call around and get a second opinion. If he's doing better this quickly on formula and fluids there's definitely hope, so don't let one doc be the be-all/end-all of this.

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 18:41:36 UTC

I talked with my step-mom who is a nurse and she gave me some good ways to ask my questions that should make the vet more amenable and answering my questions better.

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 18:40:11 UTC

*hugs*

fixerkitty February 28 2009, 07:59:55 UTC

FeLV is considered the feline equivalent of AIDS (FIV is the straight analogue but is very very rare) for good reason. It destroys the cat's immune system. A lot of cats live reasonably normal, if shorter lives with it, but if you have an FeLV- cat too, they might need to be kept separated if not find another home entirely. FeLV is spread by biting and blood contact, usually, so if there's a spat and one scratches or bites the other it may not be pretty. :/

I've never had a cat with it, so I'm not very familiar with it beyond that point. There is a vaccination for FeLV and all my cats get it every year. With all the strays around that we have, even though my boys never go outside, I'm not taking any chances.

I'm sorry to hear that Johnny's so sick. With a little extra TLC he can live a (relatively) normal and happy life, but he'll always be a special-needs kitty. Try Google for more information, I'm sure there are vet sites out there that can help you.

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 18:45:19 UTC

I keep up with the vaccinations myself, ok well, this last time I was running 3-4 months behind, but with the way it's spread, there isn't any reason he should have caught it. One of those unknowable things I guess.

fixerkitty February 28 2009, 23:06:12 UTC

How old is he? If he was feral, he very well could have caught it before you got him. It can be transferred from mother to kittens in utero, too, and he could have been born with it. In that case the shots wouldn't have done any good at all. Since he wasn't showing symptoms, then you'd probably never know he was carrying the virus.

berrybuzz March 1 2009, 00:34:03 UTC

He turns 2 in April. His mom was feral. Rescued him at 3 days old. One of the things I did before he started his vaccination rounds as a kitten was test for FeLV and FIV. He came up negative, so while it might have been a false negative. He could also be just more susceptible due to not having mommy milk as a young kitten. So many antibodies and immunity aids are in mom's milk.

(The comment has been removed)

berrybuzz February 28 2009, 18:46:01 UTC

*hugs* thanks. I haven't seen an LJ post from you in a while, how are you doing?