[Felvtalk] Please help! Anemic felv kitty, what can be done??

[Belinda]

PS.  Bailey never had a reaction to epogen, it can happen, but if his 
HCT doesn't turn around and keeps going down, he will die so when you 
look at it that way, you have nothing to lose and may be able to save 
his life.  If you do find a vet willing to try it, don't be discouraged 
and stop it if his HCT goes down, most vets freak, thinking they are 
having a reaction to it, but Baileys initially went down but then 
started going up.

I will pray for your little guy, you know him best and will make the 
best decision for him, that's all any of us can do!


On 2/27/2015 1:26 PM, N. E. Juskowich wrote:
> Belinda,
> Was Bailey diagnosed with kidney disease or did his bloodwork indicate 
> that anything was amiss with his kidneys? I did come across Epogen in 
> my research, but the doctor overseeing his care following the first 
> transfusion insisted it's only for anemia resulting from renal disease 
> and they wouldn't administer it to him because it could potentially 
> cause a reaction.  Not sure if I can convince a different doctor to 
> try it, but I am curious as to whether or not it could work in cats 
> with perfectly functioning kidneys.
>
> Very sorry for your loss, btw. What a horrible disease this is.
>
> On Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 3:41 PM, Belinda <macat at bemikitties.com 
> <mailto:macat at bemikitties.com>> wrote:
>
>         When my Bailey was anemic and yes it was non regenerative
>     anemia, we tried Epogen, it kept his HCT within normal range, I
>     have also used Procrit, when my CRF kitty was anemic.  My vet
>     didn't think it would do any good but I figured what did we have
>     to lose except his life .... he lived for months until the cancer
>     we could diagnose took him.  We knew he had cancer but non of the
>     tests or ultra sounds gave us a definitive diagnosis.  After he
>     passed my vet did a necropsy and he had pancreatic cancer which I
>     suspected because he didn't want to eat and sometimes his tube
>     feedings seemed to bother him.
>
>     There is also something called Eprex, which I have not heard of or
>     used.
>
>
>     On 2/27/2015 12:21 PM, Katherine K. wrote:
>>
>>     On Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 3:00 PM, N. E. Juskowich
>>     <nej917 at gmail.com <mailto:nej917 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>         Time is of the essence for us and I need to know if there's
>>         something else that can be done for my sweet little
>>         just-turned-one-year-old boy.  He had a PCV of 12% and
>>         received a blood transfusion, his PCV went up a little, then
>>         back down, then up to 17% over the course of 24 hours.  He
>>         was put on 7.5 mg. prednisone, 25 mg. mycophenolate, 18.75
>>         mg. plavix (to prevent clots from the pred/mycophenolate
>>         combo), 25 mg. doxycycline (in case of mycoplasma infection),
>>         and 5 mg. famotidine to prevent GI issues from the pred.
>>
>>         His anemia is currently non-regenerative with two most likely
>>         potential causes: he was agglutination positive, a sign of
>>         immune mediated red blood cell destruction; he may have
>>         leukemia in the marrow.  We did not do a bone marrow aspirate
>>         because cancer would be too advanced at this stage, the
>>         severe anemia indicating this to be the case.  The doctor
>>         said it could take a few days of immunosuppressant therapy
>>         for the bone marrow to respond.
>>
>>         Two days after the PCV of 17% we had a recheck and it is now
>>         down to 14%.  He is going to receive another transfusion.
>>
>>         I need to know as quickly as possible: Is there anything else
>>         that can be done at this stage?  I was looking into treatment
>>         with TCyte (LTCI), but my vet said it would be a waste of
>>         time and money.  I'd read on a forum that a severely anemic
>>         felv kitty responded very well to the drug and I would've
>>         been willing to give it a shot.  My vet is of the opinion
>>         that I should not have bothered with this second transfusion
>>         (he had to go to emergency hospital for it) and the TCyte is
>>         "hogwash".  I'm sitting here feeling hopeless and wondering
>>         if this really is the end and what do I do now if he doesn't
>>         respond to the transfusion.
>>
>>         Any advice would be greatly appreciated. No sugar coating
>>         necessary, but please be gentle.  If nothing can be done,
>>         what can I do for him to keep him happy and comfortable? 
>>         Will he need euthanized or will he pass peacefully?
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>     -- 
>
>     Belinda
>     happiness is being owned by cats and Emma ...
>     http://MyFundit.com/site
>     http://FreeAnimalRescueWebsite.org
>     http://HostDesign4U.com
>
>
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>
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-- 

Belinda
happiness is being owned by cats and Emma ...
http://MyFundit.com/site
http://FreeAnimalRescueWebsite.org
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