| Tina,
I know it sounds fishy to you, but the chances that FeLV was caught at
the vet is highly unlikely. Often times the FeLV virus lies dormant in
the bone marrow, and a stress on the immune system will cause it to
surface. Going under for the spay as well as the surgery itself, could
very well have triggered the disease active.
FeLV is contagious with *consistent, prolonged* exposure. A healthy
cat is unlikely to contract it by sniffing a sick cat's nose or using
the same litter pan (or food bowl) once or twice. These are some of
the findings of previous studies conducted on the disease. I would
follow your vet's advice and wait before adding another cat, or you
could be setting yourself up for more heartbreak.
Also, the chances that the vaccine could have prevented this is also
unlikely, so please don't let your sister kick herself for not having
it done. My guess is that since the disease was discovered so young in
life, it was harboring right along.
Please send your sister my regards.
-Roberta
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| Cheryl, I have heard that if the cat has FeLV lying dormant in their
bone marrow then the vaccine might activate the disease, but there is
no supporting evidence to my knowledge to justify it.
Some cats have reactions to the vaccine which could be fatal if not
aggressively treated directly after symptoms occur. This is why many vets will
have both you and the cat wait at least 15 minutes to a half hour in
the office before sending you on your way.
-Roberta
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| Let's just say they get out one day and get in a tussle with a FeLV positive
cat... In fact, my situation was close. I had an indoor cat that I finally
started letting out after several years. She was bitten in a fight and
contracted FeLV. Turns out the FeLV vaccine had been overlooked in my requests
over the years to "Vaccinate her for everything" visits to the vet. 80% of FeLV
positive cats die within 2 years. TJ lasted about 15 months. She was fine up
until the last month when she experienced rapid weight loss and had difficulty
breathing. It often becomes a quality-of-life kind of decision. It's hard to let
go, but just as hard to see them suffer. The day I went home early to take her
in to be put to sleep, she'd already passed away.
Where I work, all known FeLV cats staying in the hospital are placed in
isolation and areas they come in contact with (eg their cages, exam tables, etc.
are bleached and then disinfected with Roccal). We also wear smocks when
handling them and scrub up with a dinsinfectant that kills FeLV after contacting
them. Exam rooms that have had FeLV cats in them get bleached and we don't use
them for other cats for the rest of the day. The Dr's are also pretty good about
washing up between clients as a matter of course. There's always a chance
things can get transmitted at the vet's, but a solid effort is made to minimize
the risk.
Trace
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| There is no bottom line when discussing this disease and no
matter what vet you talk to...they all have so many differences
of opinions. I have dealt with many Feluk positive cats at our
shelter, read many articles and talked to multiple vets regarding
this subject...and have come to my own conclusions. These are just
my opinions:
I personally do not feel the virus is "caught" that easy...and I know
multiple positive cats that are well over 10 years old. The key
is for them to lead a non-stressful life, feed them good food, and
if they do get a cold make sure they are on antibiotics right away.
I do feel young cats that are diagnosed were born with it...so I
wouldn't blame the vet.
I feel you can take multiple precautions by washing your hands after
touching a positive cat, washing their food bowls with bleach/water
solution, keeping them confined or around other positive cats, feeding
them good food and keep their live with as little stress as possible.
I do not feel the virus can "live" outside the body for more then a
few minutes....so I wouldn't worry too much about visiting her. Just
take precautions and wash your hands and if you feel a need...just
change your cloths before you pat your cats.
Good luck...and again these are just my opinions.
Sandy
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| After reading through the various replies, I pretty much agree with
most of what's been said, except that I am a LOT surprised at vets who
say that indoor cats don't need FeLV vaccinations!
I've had three FeLV+ cats in the past 15 years. All three have since
died...2 within 3.5 years of their birth, and one lived almost 14
years. All eventually did die of the effects of the disease. While the
one who lived for 14 years probably had a lot of 'old age' factors that
caused her demise, she did develop the symptoms near the end.
The first kitten that we lost to FeLV was a newborn that was found
abandoned. She was tested, and tested negative and was immunized.
However, without any warning she began to show the symptoms...hiding,
refusing to eat, wanting to be left quietly alone...and the rapid
weight loss and unsteady gait. When she was tested (blood test) she was
found to be in the advanced stages of the disease.
The second one--my little "Cookie", was tested positive and we did
know this when we took her in. She lived happily and disease free for
almost 3.5 years, and she also developed the symptoms wihout warning.
We did everything we could in all three cases, but when it gets to this
stage there really isn't much hope.... The average that our three has
lasted is a few weeks after the symptoms became obvious...
When we lost the one who had tested negative, I was very upset, and I
called Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, and was courteously
connected with the Chief Vet. He spent about 3/4 of an hour with me,
going over the various aspects of the disease, and where the Vet
community is and is trying to go in deffeating the problem. What it
really boils down to is pretty simple....and I believe that this is the
most probable reason why so many Vets actually give so many different
messages: THEY DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE! The Vet said that
they believe that it is similar to human AIDS, and there is another
disease that is called Feline Aids that is in the same area, but
totally different in it's origin and course.
He went on to explain that a cat MAY harbor the disease in it's bone
marrow and never test positive...yet the virus IS there and can develop
into full-blown FeL at any time. This carrier method for the disease
has been passed from the mother cat to the kitten. We are fairly
certain that our cat had this form of it...
He also confirmed what another reply stated: If a cat has tested
POSITIVE, a trauma of almost any sort CAN trigger the virus to
attack...such as spaying, neutering, an injury, etc. While it is not
certain that this will happen, it is not recommended that a cat tested
FeLV+ be spayed or neutered.
Immunizations can and do provide immunity to the disease....in around
80% of cats taht receive the vaccine. Around 20% of cats are NOT
immunized when they get the vaccine...they reject the vaccine and
remain susceptible to contracting it. However, there is no way to
really KNOW whether the vaccine has become effective and the cat is
actually immunized. The traumatic and negative way that you find out
which cats are NOT actually immunized only can be found by the cat
actually contracting the disease and exhibiting the symptoms...not a
test that anyone would want! Tufts went on to state that if the
immunization DOES take effect, the immune cat can live without any real
danger in close proximity with FeLV+ felines without any worry.. I am
pretty sure we have 2 that are immunized, because they both lived
side-by-side with all 3 of the ones we lost to the disease.
The Tufts vet went on to explain that there is much studying
currently underway, but the answers are not there at the present time.
Some really strange things have been found...such as cats who have
contracted the disease who are not knowingly exposed to it---which is
why I am concerned aobut Vets telling anyone not to have their indoor
only animals vaccinated! How do you know if one of your cats HAS the
latent form of the disease in it's body?? He also told me--as did my
own Vet--that even cats that test positive should get the immunization.
It has been discovered that in some cases if a cat that tested positive
receives the immunization, it seems to trigger the cat's own immune
sytem and they actually have fought the virus and won...and later
tested negative! Giving the vaccine will NOT hurt a cat, and it MAY
just do what is required to help it in a few cases.
We give all three of our current FeLV- tested cats the vaccine. So
far, none of the current 3 have had any adverse problems...
John Mc
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