[Felvtalk] Interferon

Sun Oct 30 19:39:35 CDT 2016

Thanks Amani,

I will save this email so I can review it later if necessary. You have
guided so many pet-loving care givers in their fight against FeLV, it might
not be a bad idea for you to type up your guidelines so you can just
copy/paste :) 

And I will tell you again how much I appreciate all the help you gave me
with Tigger. Our dear little Topaz has eased our grief of course, but we
will always have a special place in our heart for our Tigger Babe! And good
news - yesterday I was able to pet Wild Thing for the first time. He put up
with it because he was eating. I petted him twice yesterday and twice today,
so progress is being made there too.

Ardy

From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-bounces at felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of
Amani Oakley
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 2:05 PM
To: felvtalk at felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Interferon

Ardy

>From my research, I see that Doxycycline is found to interfere with RNA
replication, which is how viruses reproduce. Thus, my theory (based on my
observations of what happened with my FeLV little boy AND weekly blood work)
is that with the combination of Doxycycline/Prednisolone/Winstrol each does
something different and leaving out one of them will often not give you good
results.

The Winstrol pumps up red cell production, promotes bone cell reproduction
(that's why it can be used in older adults with osteoporosis), which in turn
eventually increases white cell, red cell and platelet numbers since the
progenitor cells (those that make these three cell lines) are all found in
the bone marrow and are all attacked by the FeLV virus. 

However, the problem is that since the Winstrol does nothing to the virus
itself, the virus will continue to attack both bone marrow and white cells,
ultimately killing the cells it attacks, or diverting them from their normal
activities (producing cells lines or attacking intruders) and instead
turning them into virus-making machines, causing a greater and greater load
of viruses in the body. This obviously will eventually overpower the good
that the Winstrol is doing, since the viruses will keep attacking the new
cells being promoted by the Winstrol.

The Doxycycline does not kill the viruses. It is an antibiotic, and is
unable to kill viruses. However, it blocks the virus replication. It is my
theory that by doing this, it slows down the virus reproduction, allowing
the Winstrol to pump up the numbers of red cells, white cells, and
platelets, without having to outcompete the rampant virus reproduction. Once
the body gets back to a safe zone in terms of red cells, white cells and
platelets, it is able to withstand and/or fight the viruses more
effectively. My view, though, is that there are still viruses in the system,
and this battle will be waged pretty near indefinitely. With Zander, I kept
him on the Winstrol/Doxycycline/Prednisone combination for almost a year
before I was able to wean him down and not see a drop in red cells when I
did so. For the rest of his life, I watched him like a hawk and any time I
felt that his gums were looking a bit paler, or his ears or pads were, I
would put him back on for a period of time - maybe 6 weeks - until his
colour returned to normal or I tested his blood and was reassured he was
okay. Over the years, I found I didn't need to do this as often, so whether
the body finally is able to win the war on the viruses, or the viruses
ultimately begin to die off, I'm not sure. I think that the Doxycycline also
interferes with virus cell wall development, and without an intact viral
cell wall, the virus will die. Thus, I think that using Doxycycline over
time will (a) interfere with viral reproduction, keeping viral numbers at a
lower level and (b) the viruses that do reproduce will have cell wall
defects which will mean they will die. 

To complete the medication picture, as far as I understand it, the
Prednisone or Prednisolone works to protect the liver, but also dampens down
the immune response and the virus can cause problems in the areas it attacks
(like the intestines, for example). I think the Prednisone helps with that.

With respect to the gut, I also learned that the stomach and intestines are
attacked by the virus, and initially, even when  I could get Zander to eat,
he would often end up throwing it up. I learned that the intestines aren't
acting normally and the food doesn't move properly through the intestines,
and when it stagnates in one spot, it can cause inflammation in that area
and other problems with the intestinal walls. I therefore added
Metoclopromide to Zander's regime - just a tiny tiny 1/5 of a table. This
helps increase the peristaltic action of the stomach and intestines, moves
the food through more rapidly, thus making the cat feel better, preventing
vomiting and avoiding the danger of the stool stagnating in one spot and
causing or contributing to inflammation and other problems in the
intestines.

I think I was successful with Zander, pulling him through a several serious
life-threatening crises, because I used this combination. I didn't start
with this combination, but as I learned more about the disease and what
caused it, and how the cat body reacted to it, I would discuss my theories
with my vet, and she was good enough to agree to my attempts to address each
of these problems in turn.

Amani 

From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-bounces at felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of
Ardy Robertson
Sent: October-28-16 10:45 PM
To: felvtalk at felineleukemia.org <mailto:felvtalk at felineleukemia.org> 
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Interferon

I did use Interferon for my Tigger. I also gave it 7 days on, 7 days off,
for about 2 months. I did not notice any improvement from it at all. When I
finally started the Winstrol (other name is Stanizolol) along with
Prednisolone, we got a very marked improvement in his blood work. I have
found out that there is strong evidence that Doxycyclene added to this
treatment regimen can inhibit the duplication of the FeLV virus. Amani could
explain this much better than me.

Ardy

From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-bounces at felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of
Armstrong-Brown, Sheila DDS Timonium
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 6:35 AM
To: 'felvtalk at felineleukemia.org' <felvtalk at felineleukemia.org
<mailto:felvtalk at felineleukemia.org> >
Subject: [Felvtalk] Interferon

Has anyone used this Interferon before on an FELV cat?  I started Skylar on
that.  he is not sick but since the IFA test was also positive, I wanted to
give him a booster to his immune system so he will hopefully not get sick.
I heard it wasn't as effective after 3 months use.  It's 7 days on  and 7
days off.  We are in the 3rd series.  I am having blood work taken in 2
weeks.  His gums were very white so I hope he isn't anemic.  

HOOT

Sheila Armstrong-Brown 

Administrative Aide 

Psych Pool

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