RE: My Kitty Tom

Stacy Brown ( sbrown@mcslink.com )
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 09:09:18 -0600

Thank you so much for your care and advice. I will definitely take it!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Jordan [mailto:laura@denverdirect.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 1999 9:07 AM
To: felvtalk@MailingList.net
Subject: Re: My Kitty Tom

Stacy,

Even in his weakened state, I would get him to another vet STAT! It sounds
like
the one you are working with just doesn't know enough about Interferon or
Immunoregulin to be of much use to you or your poor kitty. He does need to
get
on some kind of treatment now, not when the other vet decides he's done
enough
research. These guys can tell you of somethings you can do for him at home
to
stimulate appetite and help keep him going til you find a more cooperative
vet
who may know more about helping FelV+ kitties.

Purrs, headbutts and lots of healing to you and to Tom
Laura and the Brat Pack

Stacy Brown wrote:

> I am writing in regard to my cat Tom. He was diagnosed with fel. leuk. a
> few years ago, but has always remained quite healthy. He only once got a
> little fever two years ago when we moved from Oklahoma to Texas. It
cleared
> up in about 3 days, and he has been great ever since. We recently moved
> again, but within the city to a very peaceful apartment. He seemed pretty
> happy, still playing, eating well. Last week however, I noticed he seemed
a
> little depressed. I believe something got ahold of him and he wasn't
> feeling so well. He was eating a little less, not quite as active, etc.
By
> the weekend he was drinking tons of water and not eating. Then I noticed
> him visiting the litter box with no results. I rushed him to the vet
> fearing crystals in the bladder. It turns he has a bladder infection, and
> then his bloodwork revealed his white cells to be 2.something, and his red
> down to 25. The doctor warned me that the fel. leuk. had finally affected
> his bone marrow, and that this could be the beginning of the end. He put
> him on some routine antibiotics to try to kick the bladder infection. I
> asked him about drugs such as interferon, etc., and he said he could check
> into getting them and the cost, etc., but that he really didn't believe
they
> were any help. Now Tom has been on the antibiotics for three days, and he
> is getting worse. He is finally eating some, though he needs lots of
> encouragement to do so. He is weak and lethargic, and I fear he is maybe
> hallucinating. He is gazing around as if following the movement of a fly
or
> bug, but there is no bug, and he prefers to hide in the cabinet where it
is
> dark. I could not get off work to stay home with him and I'm really
worried
> that my doctor is just not going to do anything to work with me on this.
I
> worry that he should maybe be on an IV or that there is something else we
> are not catching. The doctor also said his urine is extremely diluted.
> Does anyone have any advice? I plan to call around to other vets during
my
> lunchbreak, and to go home to check on him. I don't want him to have to
> ride in the car in this state. His health just went down so fast, in just
a
> few days time. I would appreciate any advice.