Conference misery::feline_v1

    FYI... I used to work with Pam and can vouch for her love for cats. 
    I'm sure she is doing everything possible to ensure this kitty receives
    the proper supportive care.
    
    Hope someone can help her out!
    
    -Roberta
    

    If anyone has any help they can give Pam, please enter info here.  One
    of the things that this file is good for is putting out this
    information so that others can see it and learn from it.  By all means,
    contact Pam and let her know your suggestions, but then share them in
    this file so that others in a similar situation can find them when they
    need them.
    
    Jo

    I would suggest a complete blood panel on this kitten.  You have
    already ruled out FeLV, you didn't mention FIV though.  When you are
    dealing with a chronic elevated temp, diseases that attack the immune
    system are very suspect.  If you did a blood panel, you could check the
    kitten's white blood cell count, and total blood protein level.  If you
    found that both were high, then that would lead me to suspect FIP as
    the problem.  FIP can cause a chronic elevated temp that doesn't
    respond to antibiotics.  A complete blood panel usually costs me $43 at
    my vet.
    
    The blood panel could tell you other things too.  It could tell you if
    the kitten was anemic (low red blood cell count), if the kitten was
    suffering from kidney or liver problems, etc.  I think that would be my
    next step if this were my kitten.
    
    Also, even well vaccinated kittens can become sick.  The fact that he
    was vaccinated means that someone cared about his well-being, but by no
    means does it guarantee that he won't ever become ill.  Besides, the
    things that kittens get vaccinated for are all upper respiratory
    related (except and unless he was vaccinated for FeLV) and this sounds
    more like something that is attacking his immune system to me.
    
    Jo

    Was going through the keywords looking for something that might help
    and came up with a couple of suggestions.  Check the keywords for FIV,
    FIP, and Fever.  To get a listing of those notes, type "show key/full"
    and then the keyword you want a listing for.
    
    Jo

    Jo,
    
    I was going to suggest the exact same thing.  I had a kitty a few years
    ago that I ended up having have put down because of FIP.  My kitty had
    the exact same symptoms that this kitty has.  The only thing that
    wasn't mentioned was whether or not this kitty is jaundiced.  My kitty
    was very yellow around the gums and inside of the ears.  Check for
    jaundice, that's may be a helpful sign.
    
    Lori B.

    Jaundice is a liver disorder, and FIP can attack the liver.  The thing
    with FIP is that the symptoms can vary from cat to cat. There are no
    definitive symptoms, since it can take so many different forms.  But,
    from the sounds of the low grade, chronic fever that won't respond to
    medication, I would pull the blood panel and see what it says.  I
    wouldn't waste the time or money on the FIP titer test.  You will be
    able to learn so much more from the blood panel, as it will show you
    how the cat's organs are functioning too.
    
    Jo

         I agree with Jo on not doing an FIP titer test.  These just tell
    if the cat is exposed, but it may have been exposed to one of the other
    corona viruses related to FIP.  Two of my cats were routinely tested 
    for a year for this 1989-1990 and they showed high and rising FIP
    titers every month ... but they are still alive and doing very well
    (one had a pancreatic cyst and one has diet-controlled diabetes, but
    neither have FIP or, if they do, it's in remission).  Even the vet 
    said to discontinue the FIP titer tests as they weren't very useful and
    the rising titers were producing anxiety in their mom (me).
    
         Definitely do a blood panel, though.  My cats blood panels were
    excellent, and that's why I'm not too concerned about their high FIP
    titers any more.
    
    					- Andrea

    When I first got Holly from the shelter, she promptly became as sick as
    a dog for about three weeks with what seemed to be a respiratory virus.
    The vet and I were starting to consider euthanasia for her sake, since
    she was miserable and showed no signs of improving, just shortly before
    she did begin to improve.  (Three weeks is loong for this disease.)
    
    Apparently she has a slight immune system deficiency so it just took
    her a lot longer than usual to fight off the virus or whatever it was.
    Her tests came back negative on the severe diseases previously mentioned
    in this note.  She's been fine in the following years, except for a
    slight tendency for her eyes to water.  My other cats get resp. shots
    every six months instead of every year, to protect them since the vet
    says Holly is now a carrier -- but they've had no problems.  I do think it's
    important not to let your cat get dehydrated, which can happen fairly
    quickly (one day? two days?), so you should probably ask your vet about
    how to check for this.
    
    Please let us know how things are going with your puss.
    

    Oh, one suggestion about eating-- with a semi-respiratory problem,
    he may well not be eating because he can't smell his food.  The vet
    suggested I try really smelly foods, like Nine lives Super Supper,
    or special treats (tuna, shrimps.)  This might be a problem with the
    diarriha(sp?), so again I'd ask the vet.
    

    This kitten isn't showing any signs of upper respiratory.  It would
    almost be better if he were, because then she would know what she was
    dealing with.
    
    The vet is giving him fluids today because he is dehydrated.  
    
    Jo

    Could he have some internal problem, like swallowing something that's
    abcessed?  An x-ray perhaps....
    

    I spoke with Pam last night and at that time she had kitty home.  He
    was at the vet's most of yesterday with an IV.  When he came home last
    night he was a little spunkier and his temp. had dropped a couple of
    degrees.  She said he was also starting to eat but a little at a time.
    
    She has dropped him off at the vet's again this morning (per
    agreement with the doctor "Pam wanted him to stay home last night if at
    all possible") and they plan on putting him back on the IV and also
    plan to do a blood screening.  The doctor also wants to take the blood
    up to Tufts if he can't find anything.
    
    Pam also asked that I thank all of you for your concerns and
    suggestions.
    
    Will let you know when I hear more.
    
    Thanks to all of you!

    The only other thing I could suggest is perhaps trying to feed him
    PD to help him gain some weight.
    

    I would like to thank all of you who replied to me with advice and
    concern.  My little baby "Snooker" was on IV all of last week and
    finally on Saturday his temp came down to 101F and he seemed to be
    doing really well (the temp had fluctuated for almost 5-6 weeks.  He
    was eating limited amounts of food but was at least doing so on his
    own.  Last night he joined all of the other little kitties in Kitty
    heaven.  He slept most of the day yesterday and when I took him to bed
    last night he seemed comfortable then I noticed him tensing up of an
    on and he passed quickly.  My husband and I will miss him greatly (my
    other little Spooky I am sure will miss him in her own way - although
    she has food bowls and litter all to herself again).  At least he isnt
    being put through the pain and agony of needles and iv and medicines.
    
    He is now resting peacefully and will always be remebered in my heart!
    
    so again THANK YOU for all of your support and help!
    
    

    Pam,
    
    I am very sorry to hear about Snooker.  You made his passing peaceful
    and with much love, and that is what matters.
    
    Our thoughts are with you...
    
    -Roberta (Nikki, T.K., Kelsey, Taja, and Herbie)
    

    So sorry to hear about Snookers.   You both are in my thoughts
    and prayers.  
    
    Sandy (Poco,Barkley, Chloe, Angus, Dewey, Abby, Bogie)
    

    I'm very sorry about Snooker.
    
    Karen
    

Me, too.  Poor little baby...he's resting now and having fun chasing mice
all over kitten heaven.

Sorry....

Mary+7

    My condolences also.
    
    Jo

    So sorry about Snooker 
    
    Giudi +3

    I have added Snooker's name to the Silver LIning Memorial list for
    this quarter.  I am sorry to hear of his passing.  You certainly did
    your best for him.
      Nancy DC