Feline Leukemia

[telepatella]

Our rescue cat has this virus and I'm asking for anybody's experience. Also, any experience with pain medications would be appreciated. There is a lot of information out there and I've read a lot but I would love it if you can tell how you deal with these things if you have - and I hope you haven't. Thanks, Paul

 

[Formerphobe]

Is it an adult cat or a kitten?

FeLV, and other Feline retro-viruses are similar to HIV in that with good nutrition, low stress, and immune support supplements, positive individuals frequently live normal lives for varying lengths of time before they become symptomatic, which can include specific organ failure, tumors, anemia, etc. If kitty is already sick from the disease, then days are numbered and humane euthanasia should be considered.
Kitty should be isolated from other cats and never allowed outside to potentially spread the disease. Being immune-suppressed, they are also at higher risk for contracting and having trouble recovering from other feline ailments such as upper respiratory viruses.

There are a slew of pain meds out there that address various painful situations. Some are approved for use in cats, some are off-label, some are controversial. One size does not fit all.

 

[bugmankeith]

Our rescue cat has this virus and I'm asking for anybody's experience. Also, any experience with pain medications would be appreciated. There is a lot of information out there and I've read a lot but I would love it if you can tell how you deal with these things if you have - and I hope you haven't. Thanks, Paul

This cat forum will help lots of people have leukemia positive and aids positive cats. http://www.thecatsite.com/f/4/cat-health

 

[The Snark]

We are jumping the gun here. Is the virus active or found by lab test and in remission? If it's active, it's a slow, debilitating, inevitable death unless it can be driven into remission. Others on these forums know much more about that than I.

But anyway, it is fiercely contagious so quarantine is in order from all other cats. Cats already exposed should get regular testing done.

 

[Louise E. Rothstein]

Since feline leukemia can impair cats' ability to synthesize vitamin C infected cats may do better if they get dietary vitamin C that cats do not normally need:
there have even been cases in which clearly sick cats got better after they were put on vitamin C...it would appear that they had become deficient.

If you decide to go this way,though,please bone up on how much is enough...and how much is too much.
Although a maintenance dose may become a lifesaver TOO much more is NOT better.

 

[The Snark]

Since feline leukemia can impair cats' ability to synthesize vitamin C infected cats may do better if they get dietary vitamin C that cats do not normally need:
there have even been cases in which clearly sick cats got better after they were put on vitamin C...it would appear that they had become deficient.

If you decide to go this way,though,please bone up on how much is enough...and how much is too much.
Although a maintenance dose may become a lifesaver TOO much more is NOT better.

I know about this much ->.<- about felines but it has been well established with humans that vitamin C 1. does not assimilate at all well without other nutrients and 2. it is almost impossible to overdose of the stuff as the body rejects excess and it zooms straight into the kidneys and on out. I'd love to read about any similar experimentation that has been done on other animals if someone could give references.

 

[Munch]

Feed feed food with low to no animal protein.