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Feline Leukemia - need suggestions for postive cat living with negative cat.



 
 
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  #11  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:15 AM
MacCandace
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If you got the FELV shots then it is possibly a false negative since I have
heard this happen before with it.

I've heard that, too. If the cat really is positive, though, I would still
keep both of them at this point. If he's had the vaccine, then he has some
protection (not total, by any means) and, as you say, he may already be
infected at this point. Keep both of them and continue to vaccinate the male
as long as he continues to test negative. Keep them as healthy as possible
with a stress-free life. Some cats never get sick from FeLV and some do but
recover. I think it's best that they are kept together. You're probably right
that no one would take either now, under these circumstances.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)
  #12  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:44 AM
Cat Protector
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He stated the shelter said the test was negative while the vet says it is
positive. Both run pretty much the same test. As for the money, try telling
that to the vet. Sometimes the vets charge just as much for the tests as
they do the shots. I take my cats to the clinics because they can get the
same thing (shots, etc.) for half the cost.


"KellyH" wrote in message
news:rzQVc.17668$9d6.15831@attbi_s54...

He said the shelter is running a different test, which IS the correct

thing
to do. The "snap" test can produce a false positive sometimes. There
really isn't much money to be made in running a test.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
www.kelltek.com
Check out www.snittens.com




  #13  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:44 AM
Cat Protector
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

He stated the shelter said the test was negative while the vet says it is
positive. Both run pretty much the same test. As for the money, try telling
that to the vet. Sometimes the vets charge just as much for the tests as
they do the shots. I take my cats to the clinics because they can get the
same thing (shots, etc.) for half the cost.


"KellyH" wrote in message
news:rzQVc.17668$9d6.15831@attbi_s54...

He said the shelter is running a different test, which IS the correct

thing
to do. The "snap" test can produce a false positive sometimes. There
really isn't much money to be made in running a test.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
www.kelltek.com
Check out www.snittens.com




  #14  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:52 AM
Cat Protector
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
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I would get a second opinion though regarding the FELV test. It's very
possible the shelter is correct and they are negative. I know at the Humane
Society they are able to tell as soon as the blood is taken what the results
are. They also have vets on staff. I know to save money I prefer to take my
cats to the clinics because a lot of vets are outrageous in prices and will
even charge for another test just to make money.

You are right that some cats never get sick from FELV and even if they have
it, they can live long lives with the right treatment. I too think it is
best to keep them together and if the original OP is really uneasy then she
should take the cat to a different vet and clinic and have them re-tested.


"MacCandace" wrote in message
I've heard that, too. If the cat really is positive, though, I would

still
keep both of them at this point. If he's had the vaccine, then he has

some
protection (not total, by any means) and, as you say, he may already be
infected at this point. Keep both of them and continue to vaccinate the

male
as long as he continues to test negative. Keep them as healthy as

possible
with a stress-free life. Some cats never get sick from FeLV and some do

but
recover. I think it's best that they are kept together. You're probably

right
that no one would take either now, under these circumstances.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye

other
than human." (Loren Eisely)



  #15  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:52 AM
Cat Protector
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I would get a second opinion though regarding the FELV test. It's very
possible the shelter is correct and they are negative. I know at the Humane
Society they are able to tell as soon as the blood is taken what the results
are. They also have vets on staff. I know to save money I prefer to take my
cats to the clinics because a lot of vets are outrageous in prices and will
even charge for another test just to make money.

You are right that some cats never get sick from FELV and even if they have
it, they can live long lives with the right treatment. I too think it is
best to keep them together and if the original OP is really uneasy then she
should take the cat to a different vet and clinic and have them re-tested.


"MacCandace" wrote in message
I've heard that, too. If the cat really is positive, though, I would

still
keep both of them at this point. If he's had the vaccine, then he has

some
protection (not total, by any means) and, as you say, he may already be
infected at this point. Keep both of them and continue to vaccinate the

male
as long as he continues to test negative. Keep them as healthy as

possible
with a stress-free life. Some cats never get sick from FeLV and some do

but
recover. I think it's best that they are kept together. You're probably

right
that no one would take either now, under these circumstances.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye

other
than human." (Loren Eisely)



  #16  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:56 AM
KellyH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Cat Protector" wrote in message
news:H7RVc.123560$sh.101048@fed1read06...
He stated the shelter said the test was negative while the vet says it is
positive. Both run pretty much the same test. As for the money, try

telling
that to the vet. Sometimes the vets charge just as much for the tests as
they do the shots. I take my cats to the clinics because they can get the
same thing (shots, etc.) for half the cost.


From the original post:
They are indoor cats and have not come in contact with other cats
since leaving the shelter so my assumption is that she was infected at
the shelter so I contacted them. They want to run their own ELIZA
blood test and if that comes back postive then run a IFA test (free of
charge). I'm not sure what would happen after that.


--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
www.kelltek.com
Check out www.snittens.com


  #17  
Old August 22nd 04, 12:56 AM
KellyH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Cat Protector" wrote in message
news:H7RVc.123560$sh.101048@fed1read06...
He stated the shelter said the test was negative while the vet says it is
positive. Both run pretty much the same test. As for the money, try

telling
that to the vet. Sometimes the vets charge just as much for the tests as
they do the shots. I take my cats to the clinics because they can get the
same thing (shots, etc.) for half the cost.


From the original post:
They are indoor cats and have not come in contact with other cats
since leaving the shelter so my assumption is that she was infected at
the shelter so I contacted them. They want to run their own ELIZA
blood test and if that comes back postive then run a IFA test (free of
charge). I'm not sure what would happen after that.


--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
www.kelltek.com
Check out www.snittens.com


  #18  
Old August 22nd 04, 05:09 AM
Sherry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I would get a second opinion though regarding the FELV test. It's very
possible the shelter is correct and they are negative. I know at the Humane
Society they are able to tell as soon as the blood is taken what the results
are. They also have vets on staff. I know to save money I prefer to take my
cats to the clinics because a lot of vets are outrageous in prices and will
even charge for another test just to make money.


1. The OP has already said the shelter has offered to do another ELISA test.
2. If positive, the shelter is going to run an IFA test FREE OF CHARGE.
To better understand the difference, and differences in reliability, here is a
graph taken from
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/releasing.htm
"For FIV, most veterinarians use the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunoabsorbent
Assay) test, which detects whether FIV antibodies are present in the blood -
not whether the virus itself is present. As a result, the test is completely
unreliable for cats under six months of age who may have received FIV
antibodies from their nursing mother, but may never have been exposed to the
actual virus. For adult cats, because of the recent introduction of the FIV
vaccine, there is now the possibility a positive test result means a cat has
been vaccinated, not infected.
For FeLV, again the ELISA test is almost always the initial test used. In
contrast to FIV, the FeLV ELISA does not detect antibodies, but whether the
antigen of the virus is present in the blood. In other words, a positive test
result indicates the presence of the actual FeLV virus in the blood. But, the
test is extremely sensitive and is prone to false positives from improper
handling. In addition, a cat in the early stages of FeLV infection can still
fight it off. The disease does not take permanent hold until it enters the
cat's white blood cells, which only another type of test, the IFA test
(Immunofluoresence Assay, also known as the Hardy test) can determine. The IFA
test must be performed at a lab and is more expensive. Consequently, if a cat
appears otherwise healthy, a positive ELISA test should always be confirmed
with an IFA test. Only if other severe pathological symptoms of FeLV are
present should an initial positive ELISA ever be relied upon alone."

  #19  
Old August 22nd 04, 05:09 AM
Sherry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I would get a second opinion though regarding the FELV test. It's very
possible the shelter is correct and they are negative. I know at the Humane
Society they are able to tell as soon as the blood is taken what the results
are. They also have vets on staff. I know to save money I prefer to take my
cats to the clinics because a lot of vets are outrageous in prices and will
even charge for another test just to make money.


1. The OP has already said the shelter has offered to do another ELISA test.
2. If positive, the shelter is going to run an IFA test FREE OF CHARGE.
To better understand the difference, and differences in reliability, here is a
graph taken from
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/releasing.htm
"For FIV, most veterinarians use the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunoabsorbent
Assay) test, which detects whether FIV antibodies are present in the blood -
not whether the virus itself is present. As a result, the test is completely
unreliable for cats under six months of age who may have received FIV
antibodies from their nursing mother, but may never have been exposed to the
actual virus. For adult cats, because of the recent introduction of the FIV
vaccine, there is now the possibility a positive test result means a cat has
been vaccinated, not infected.
For FeLV, again the ELISA test is almost always the initial test used. In
contrast to FIV, the FeLV ELISA does not detect antibodies, but whether the
antigen of the virus is present in the blood. In other words, a positive test
result indicates the presence of the actual FeLV virus in the blood. But, the
test is extremely sensitive and is prone to false positives from improper
handling. In addition, a cat in the early stages of FeLV infection can still
fight it off. The disease does not take permanent hold until it enters the
cat's white blood cells, which only another type of test, the IFA test
(Immunofluoresence Assay, also known as the Hardy test) can determine. The IFA
test must be performed at a lab and is more expensive. Consequently, if a cat
appears otherwise healthy, a positive ELISA test should always be confirmed
with an IFA test. Only if other severe pathological symptoms of FeLV are
present should an initial positive ELISA ever be relied upon alone."

  #20  
Old August 22nd 04, 04:07 PM
Chris
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

1) Take the shelter up on their offer of IFA--absolutely necessary to verify
Elissa test results--remember, Elissa can test + while cat is fighting off
infection...
2) talke a look at http://www.felineleukemia.org join their 'Talk List" &
you can get some real concrete advice about this condition...
3) don't seperate them---the little guy's already been exposed--if he is -,
make sure he has FELV vaccine...

I just found out that my 5 1/2 year old indorr (from rescued outdoor kitten)
is +--she is basically asymptomatic

"Morac" wrote in message
om...
3 weeks ago I adopted two 4-5 month old kittens (male and female from
same litter) from an animal shelter. They had already been
spayed/neutered and the shelter said that the tests for all 3 deadly
cat virus (includ FeLV) came back negative. At the time the cats were
sniffling a little, but I was told they were getting over a "cold" (I
later learned cats don't get colds and that they were getting a
respitory infection but I digress). I took the 2 cats to the vet for
a checkup but since they had just gotten shots a short time ago and
they were sick I was told to bring them back in two weeks.

During the two weeks the female's stools were constantly soft and both
were sneezing. The male's sneezing was more violent (often shooting
out bloody snot) and more often and he had congestion problems
(especially when the AC was on). Today I brought them to the vet and
the vet decided to do a blood test even though both cats had
previously tested negative. Well the FeLV ELIZA test came back
positive on the female, but negative on the male. The vet recommended
a retest in a month.

Well, the male and female have been sharing food, water and litter
boxes since I got them (and probably before that). They have been
(playfully) biting each other and sneezing on each other a lot. This
means most likely that the male is already infected and will become
positive at some point.

So now I'm stuck with a problem. The vet officially recommended
separating the two in my house, but he and I both agreed that isn't
feasible. The alternative is to get rid of one of the cats, but
because they've been together so long neither of them could be placed
in another house with cats nor could they go back to the shelter
(where the positive cat would most likely be killed). Remember both
were already sick to begin with.

So my question is, what should I do now? Should I give up the
positive cat (which might recover) to save the negative cat (which may
already be infected) or just stick to the norm and hope things work
out? Or is there another solution that I'm not seeing?

Any suggestions?



P.S. -
They are indoor cats and have not come in contact with other cats
since leaving the shelter so my assumption is that she was infected at
the shelter so I contacted them. They want to run their own ELIZA
blood test and if that comes back postive then run a IFA test (free of
charge). I'm not sure what would happen after that.



 




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