[Felvtalk] FW: Epogen and other RBC enhancing drugs....

[Amani Oakley]

It's not the same, Robert, and I am not sure it would work. The Epogen acts on the kidneys to secrete erythropoietin, which is a hormone that tells the bone marrow to produce more red cells.

The problem, in my opinion, is that the FeLV infiltrates the red cell progenitor cells in the bone marrow and either kills them or takes them over so that they make viruses, not red cells. My hypothesis is that when the red cell production stops, it is because all the progenitor cells have been destroyed or taken over the by virus. Thus, giving Epogen probably won't be helpful, because the cells which normally respond to erythropoietin by creating more red cells, can no longer do so because the progenitor cells are damaged or dead and can no longer produce red cells.

Winstrol is known to be good for osteoporosis. My hypothesis is that it strengthens the bone marrow by encouraging the growth of new cells in the bone marrow. That would explain how red cell production gets started back up again with the use of Winstrol.

With the Epogen, it is causing more erythropoietin to be produced to "tell" the progenitor cells to produce red cells, but the progenitor cells are either dead or damaged by the virus and can no longer respond appropriately to the detection of higher levels of erythropoietin. Epogen might work if you start it before the bone marrow is really devastated - ie - before you get the big drop in red cells and haematocrit.

Fair warning though: this is all my hypothesis, based on my own observations, research and experience.

Amani 

-----Original Message-----
From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-bounces at felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of ROBERT CHAPEL
Sent: September-18-16 5:22 AM
To: felvtalk at felineleukemia.org
Cc: felvtalk at felineleukemia.org
Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Epogen and other RBC enhancing drugs....

Wondering if anyone in the group has any experience with Epogen or Procrit ( and other such RBC enhancing drugs typically used with Kidney Failure patients)....   It's appears to be quite a bit cheaper when used for veterinary purposes than human....   As the go to drug for anemia in Kidney patients it would stand to reason that it " should" work for Feline anemia......    There will not be the same resistance to using this as we encounter attempting to procure Winstrol......