[Felvtalk] Kitten Problems - Please Help

[jbero tds.net]

Hello Crystal,

I love the people in this group.  They are compassionate and knowledgable.

Here are my suggestions.

1.  The upper respiratory infection - common in felv kittens.  I have fought
this battle.  As far as an effective antibiotic - Azithromycin works
wonders.  It is not currently approved for veterinary medicine, but I got it
from the vet school in Madison, wi.  It is amazing.  Call you vet and ask if
they would be willing to get it for your somehow.  The pet apothecary, etc.
The additional items are also helpful lysine for viral infection, vitamin c
for antioxidant and improved immune response.

2.  GI problems - oral antibiotics can often cause gi problems because it
truely does kill off the normal flora of the system and allows for
infectious bacteria to invade and actually viruses as well (including feline
coronavirs, partial cause of FIP).  Here is my biggest concern from what I
am hearing.  FIP is seen in association with felv especially in younger
multicat households.  The big symptoms are diarrhea, vomitting, high fever,
anemia, loss of muscle mass and anorexia.  Another woman in this group is
battling that right now.  It is thought by many vets to be nearly 100%
fatal.  No good conventional treatment options exist for them and decline is
usually days to weeks.   You can see neurologic symtpoms - unsteady gait,
seizures etc.  Or you can see fluid accumulate in the abdomen and chest so
they get sort of a barrel shaped abdomen that bulges out.   I can't say for
sure this is going on but it would be my biggest concern.  Things to look
for are high fever (~103F), anemia, loss of appetite, loss of muscle mass,
any bumpy or enlarged lymph nodes or new skin lesions, diarrhea and
vomitting, and the presence of eye changes - you see their third eyelid (it
is located on the side of the eye towards the nose) or clouding of their
eyes.  The other woman in this group is currently using high dose iv vitamin
C and I believe successfully.  It is, however, a day by day process.

3. Felv+ - Almost every vet I have ever spoken with believes this is a death
sentence.  It isn't always, but there's no way to tell now who will do well
and who won't.  So here's the deal.  If you have any chance of these kitties
turning negative or least living longer lives, it is to treat them all now.
If you wait until they are sick you are almost always fighting a losing
battle.  Things to do - diet - high protein diet (Evo or Nature's
Variety-instinct, there are others) or raw diet (frozen Nature's variety of
stella and chewy's), I recommend raw, but some will disagree.   Treatment -
LTCI , a monthly injection to stimulate the immune system cost about $70 per
injection, requires prescription, made by Imulan, they will send your vet
the meds or find a vet that has them they have names of vets near you;
Acemannan or Ambrotose - either intraperitoneal injection or oral supplement
- oral about $40 per bottle, no prescription for oral, made by Mannatech I
believe.  Interferon - oral medication, very cheap, need prescription most
vets can get.

You can use them separately or together.  Sometimes you can reverse the
viral status if you start early enough.

I really fear you have an FIP situation on your hands.  I would start
aggressive treatment with him now if that is the case.  I would stay away
from Prednisone (most vets recommend it)it will only symptomatically help
and the disease will progress.  I pray the high dose vitamin C will work for
this other woman and I would probably take that route with your little guy.

This is what I would consider - Azithromycin for the URI, high dose(by this
I mean on the order of grams per day - for the exact regimen I wouldl have
to speak with the other woman in the group)  vitamin C for possible FIP
(this will be a daily IV drip - labor intensive), Imulan injections and
continued oral supplements.  You are not going to win with conventional
treatment - I believe that with all my heart.  You have to look beyond what
the vets out there are telling you.

There are two other routes I am aware of for FIP, if you are interested I
can give you more info.  Good luck and God bless you.

Jenny


On 11/18/09, Crystal Proper <crystal_proper at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi, my name is Crystal.  My husband and I rescued three kittens that were 4
> weeks old at the time, (now 14 weeks), from an old building.  We tamed them
> as well.  About 6 weeks ago we found out that they were all FELV
> positive.  Two of them are fine and doing great.  The runt, Nibbler,
> isn’t.  He’s been on antibiotics to try and get rid of his constant runny
> eyes and nose…we had to stop them about 2 weeks ago because he has bloody
> diarrhea.  He is very symptomatic and my vet says the disease is just
> running its course and has run out if suggestions for me.  He’s also half
> the size of his brothers.  However, I was hoping someone here might have
> some help for me because I don’t want to give up on him.  Here’s my list…
> He has severe diarrhea.  Today it seems to be much more watery and
> blood.  I have been given him yogurt, acidophilus, and Purina Forta
> Flora.  He was getting boiled chicken, but will only eat canned cat food
> now.  He’s also been wormed.
> He has a constant runny eyes and nose.  He gets L-Lysine, B Vitamin
> Complex, and Ginger Root.
> Also, from the diarrhea he is very anemic so he gets Pet Tinic.
> He still runs and tries to get into rooms he’s not supposed to and gets on
> my chest and purrs in my face.  He’s my baby.
> Please and help and prayers would be appreciated.
>
>
>
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