Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => For FIV & FELV babes => Topic started by: carole1b on August 29, 2007, 11:27:52 AM
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is there any place i can get help with care for my FIV cat he was diagnosed yesterday and i am worried sick. Has anyone had a cat have the injections that are for humans if so what are the side affects. He is 15 and apsrt from weigh loss and a little thinner he is fine. The vat will give antibiotics and has given me the choice of having thease injections at £250 i want to know if they work. Help
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Carole
:welcome: to Purrs. As you see, I have moved this here for you. The first thing is not to panic - there are many people on here with FIV+ cats leading happy and healthy lives. I am sure some of them will advise you here.
C
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The vat will give antibiotics and has given me the choice of having thease injections at £250 i want to know if they work. Help
What injections would they be? Having taken in FIV cats for years and homed many I have not heard of this.
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Hi Carole,
Right, with the thread in the right place, it would be useful to get some background on information on your cat as well, i.e. how come he was tested, any sympoms he had which caused him to be tested, that sort of thing! Piccies are also a must, we like piccies we do ;D
Defo do not worry, FIV is not an immediate death sentence as some books etc would lead you to believe! Cats with FIV can live happliy and healthily ;D
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Copied from Carole's post on the other thread:
"I have looked it up on the net ATZ or somethig its called liek I say it can be used in humans. Can anyone offer any advice on helping him live a good life and vitimins and nutrition info please. As he is 15 I relise he is old but thught i may have got a few more yeatd of love from him. Is this site Uk based the treatment may only be in the uK. The vet said its 5 injections one week then a further 5 the week later. If I want to go ahead hes not sure if it will work its to boost the cells will cost £250. In the mean time he is putting him on antibiotics. If i just keep him on those and give a good diet will this clear up the diorehha hes got or is this due to the FIV virus ? I relly need some help guys"
Carole
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Hi there he had the runns for a while this kept on coming and going I tried him on different feeds but in the end nothing worked. I took him to the Vets in June they gace him steroids via injection and pills again this did not work. So they did blood tests they came back with low white blood cells the blood was then tested again for FIV and Lukema. They told me the bad news yeaterday. IThis is Tabby my baby boy he used to be a big cat untill about 6 months ago this is when he started to loose weight it was gradual at first but has got worse over the last few months
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Hi Carole, yes, most of us on here live in the UK. I see that several of the people who have FIV+ cats are not online at the moment - may I suggest that you keep an eye on this thread for a day or two at least as I am sure they will come up with a lot of reassurance and information for you.
I'll keep an eye on it too and bump it up for you if necessary.
Is Tabby his name?
xC
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Hi Carole
Did the vets give any indication as to how long Tabby may have had FIV for?
I'll be honest I'm not sure how weight loss is linked directly with FIV, and I'm assuming that the vets tested for other things as well such as thyroid problems, as I know that they can cause weight loss. How's is Tabby's appetite generally, is he still eating and drinking as usual? He looks very handsome by the way :Luv:
What advice have the vets given you so far relating to his ongoing care, other than the injections of course?
Sorry about all the questions, its just useful to find out what you've been told already so we dont duplicate anything
The main supplements I give to my boy is Plaque Off, its a dried seaweed substance which is supposed to stop plaque forming on their teeth, as Max had a dental a few years ago with a few extractions. FIV cats are more prone to have problems with their teeth and gums.
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Yes hes called Tabby hes 15.5 years old i saw him born from my other cat so had him all his life. If anyone can help me that will be great. I have just got him some vitimins from the pet shop hope they help as well. His teth seem fine what few he has left. The vat said he could have had it for years he did used to fight a lot even tho hes has been spayed. He soft with humans and cats now though hes really a sofie. He eats and drinks very well indeed. The vat has not said naything about on going care he is a bit vauge and seems to either want him put down or thease exensive drugs. Untill I get the feacal sample results back the vet is putting him on anitbiotics.
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Hi Carole
Firstly I would like to say I'm sorry that your cat has been diagnosed with FIV and I know what a shock it is but don't panic! I have a FIV+ boy called Louis who's 8 and rehomed him knowing this after losing my tabby in February (he was also FIV+). Did the vets say how long they thought your tabby had FIV for or can you think when he might have contracted it (deep bite wounds from an infected cat are the main cause)?
I'm not sure what drug your vet is offering you but I would say it is an anti viral drug used for controlling HIV. I found a website but the information doesn't seem to be very up to date http://www.geocities.com/joelkehler/ Might be worth a read though.
I know I asked my vet when my tabby (Georgie) was diagnosed about these drugs but they said the results didn't show much improvement in the cats given the drugs. That was about 5 years ago so things may have moved on.
It's difficult to know what to do to help them keep in the best of health...as he's 15 you must have been doing all the right things already though! I did give Georgie oil of evening primrose to help with his coat. He suffered with eye ulcers and I couldn't find any supplements that would have helped with that. Also you've got to remember that as animals get older they lose muscle tone so that may be why he's losing weight (Georgie was a huge cat too)!
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for Tabby (if that's his name) to get well soon.
Kelly x
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I would imagine the sample will prove whether there's anything underlying with the tummy etc linked to weight loss.
You may even find that he's had FIV for years and years, and that the 2 'problems' are not even linked at all!
Is he still an outdoor cat now?
I know certainly that when an FIV cat is placed in a new home, owners are advised to keep them as indoor only, as this not only protects other cats from having the virus passed on (through biting primarily), but it also stops them being exposed to potential viruses/illnesses from other cats.
......but, and I say this hesitantly until other peeps may give further insight, as he's an oldie and not much of a fighter now, he may not pose much of a threat to any other animals :Dont know:
Presumably he's up to date with his vaccinations etc with no issues?
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He does go out but only in the garden we have another Cat as well who is 13 thay have lived together all this time she shows no signs of illness at all. He has never had a fight with her so think she will be safe. No other issues hes fit and well apart from the dicky tum and a bit skinny but a few have said this can be down to his age this is my other cat Dennis she is a nutter likes to play all the time yes Dennis is a girl the lady in the pet shop stitched me up ! had her since a kitten as well
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IThis is Tabby my baby boy he used to be a big cat untill about 6 months ago this is when he started to loose weight it was gradual at first but has got worse over the last few months
As others have said weight loss could be down to many things. To be honest most of our FIV cats have not really suffered from weight loss.
The vat has not said naything about on going care he is a bit vauge and seems to either want him put down or thease exensive drugs. Until I get the feacal sample results back the vet is putting him on anitbiotics.
If thyroid problems have been rules out I would suggest a full bloods apart from Thyroid, FIV and FeLV of course. Then dependending on the results I would perhaps seek a second opinion.
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dont know if hes been tested for thyroid problems i will ask the vet and like you say of nothing comes up on fecal samples i think i will get another Vet
thanks
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For his tummy you could try a probiotic supplement, called Lacto B or protexin pro soluble.
Tickles to Tabby
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Thought I'd posted a reply on here at work but it's gone awol!
Welcome to Purrs Carol, sorry to hear about Tabby but as you've guessed there's a community on here with FIV cats!
The three oldie FIV cats I've lost in the past 6 years have had weight loss alongside kidney problems, if your vet hasn't checked this it may be worth looking into. Two in particular also had the runs frequently as they got older.
My friend has a positive cat who has inteferon injections, apparently this is something given to humans (I also think I've seen references to it on here but not linked to FIV?). I haven't looked into it myself, partly due to cost and partly as I was a bit dubious - I think my friends words were that it may prolong the cats life, which of course is a good thing but I don't know how we know how long they have got and therefore how we would know if it had worked? If that makes sense.
Please keep us posted on how Tabby is doing, he looks lovely!
x
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thanks for all of your support the feacle samples show nothing so may try pro biotics can anyone tell me where I would buy this type of thing please. Also does anyone know the benifits of garlic tablets and oil of evening primrose ?
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Garlic and oil of evening primrose are both beneficial for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. Oil of evening primrose would be easier as you can just put a few drops on Tabby's food (unless he is one of the rare few who don't mind having tablets ;D).
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Thanks what about the pro biotics ? how much oil of evening primrose shall I give. I have garlic tablets for cats but they seem big i am scared he will choke hes good at taking pills noever bothers. But he will not have garlic he hates the smell hence the pills i dont know if to carry on with them they are for cats they are coated and blue but do seem big for a cat !
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I've never given either of my cats pro-biotics so I don't know much about them. I would give Tabby 4 drops of oil of evening primrose on his food. Have you tried crushing the pills up and putting them on his food (maybe oil of evening in the morning and garlic in the evening)?
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i will have a go thanks
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You can buy protexin pro soluble from vet uk and if you visit the site through a rescue link they earn a little commission ;D
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?action=links;cat=7 (http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?action=links;cat=7)
Ela and Desley have links on their sites too.
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I have just ordered some thanks, your moggy looks well xx thanks for the help
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hi Tabby has been on antibiotics and Tree Barks powder for a few days and seems quite spritely in himslef. He even had a little play last night. His stools are now more like a cow pat then liquid so I hope this is going to be an ongoing thing. The problem i am having is feeding him. He is really fussy loves cat food unfortunately he keeps stealing my other cats normal wiskas seniour. I think this is to rich for him, I have been feedeing him Royal Cannin sensitive but hes really not to keen on it. Is there a wet foos out there that is bland but will give him the meat content and vitimins he needs apparently the more meat in food the better it is for him. Any reply would be helpful thanks. If he stops eating I am worried he will get worse.
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Is there a wet foos out there that is bland but will give him the meat content and vitimins he needs apparently the more meat in food the better it is for him.
There are several brands that members swear by - I like Almo Nature which has a very high meat content and there is a chicken and egg variety which might be just the ticket for Tabby.
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great where can I buy this in the UK
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Hi Carole
A few on here that have had trouble with runny poo's have had great success with a supplement called Lacto-B. I've linked to a few threads that discuss it, I know the reason for the loose stools is not the same but hopefully it will be of use.
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?topic=7110.0
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?topic=6767.0
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great where can I buy this in the UK
I get Blip's at our local pet shop. There is a stockists' list, by area, at http://www.almonatureuk.com/
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www.zooplus.co.uk (http://www.zooplus.co.uk) sell several brands, almo nature and cosma are both high meat and not rich. I would go for the poultry varietys.
Tesco sell their own version of almo nature for 59p i think.
Its nice to hear that Tabby is more spritely ;D
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whats the Tesco one called please. I have Tabby on Tree Barks can I conbine with Lacto B ?? I dont want to over load on stuff. I have decided not to go with the interferlon injestions for the time being. Hes on Anti biotics and the vet has said he will see how he is next week with no treatment and see how he goes on. He mentioned that maybe to run him on anitbiotics alsong with steroids any one had this type of treatment. They put him on steroids at first this did seem to make him a bit more weighty but hes lost that weight now it do not get rid of the trotts. I noticed last night his stools are a bit fimer now.
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Antibotics can cause a runny tum just to warn u ;D
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That's very true, as can anti-inflamatories (well they can in humans anyway!)
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:doh: :thanks: for that, i looked at Tesco foods the finest one with chicken in the little tins only have 12 % protien he seems to prefer his biccies in the last few days hes sooooooo fussy. I have ordered almo and coama for him to try and i will get his some puruna biccies at weekend the delicate ones see how he goes on with them. Hes eating but he just wanys treats all the time hes a fan of crisps !! its the crunch i dont try to give him many but he did dtel doritos off me last night bless. Thanks for all the dupport. Can anyone tell me if steroids are a good idea the vet said he may put him on them but i hear they do cause upset tummies also they have an affect in white blood cells with him FIV i dont want to lower his blood cell count further !
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They can lower the immune system and not so good for old organs but if they give him some good months then it would be worth a try. Best to discuss the pros/cons with your vet.
Good luck :luck:
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The steroids thing can become quite a difficult one - they often control things well for a time but there can be side effects with long term use, which is usually the case with FIV cats later in life, so either way it's a bit of a no win. Personally I've used them where needed as I think the time the cat has left should be as good as possible and if steroids are the answer but shorten their life, then at least what time they have is more comfortable than if not treated with them.
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:thanks: i think i will stay away from them at the moment he is eating well and seems ok in himself I will need to see what hes like when the antibiotics wear off. I dont want to give him a load of injections etc at the moment. If he gets ill then i will consider it. Many thanks to every one for advice. Can anyone tell me where to get purunia delicate ? pets at home done stock it ?
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Hi everyone hope your kitties are well. Tabby is eating a little but appitite not great. Hes got more of a cow pat than liquid stools. He is on high protine food 12% with chicken or fish. Can anyone offer more advice for weight gain he has not lost much more but i would love to build him up. He is also on probiotic and Tree Barks powder not sure if its working hes been on it 2-3 weeks. He is no longer on Anitbiotics and he seems no worse for not having them. Can anyone help me ? :'(
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Hi Carole & Tabby
It's good to hear there is some improvement with Tabby.
Thinking of you both :hug:
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I see that no-one has spotted your question about Purina Delicate or about weight gain foods. I will bump this up and contact a couple of people by PM who may be able to help.
Does anyone know where Carole can get Purina Delicate? And what sorts of foods might be good for Tabby's weight gain? Would that very tasty after-surgery food (can't think of the name :doh:) be suitable?
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:P hi thats great thanks. He has has Royal Cannin but he wont eat it hes rather a fussy boy. He is eating but if i put tree barks on it he is now leaving the food, this is suppposed to build him up. I will stop using this see if his stools get firmer or if they get worse I will try to tempt him with it again. The vet is due to call me today to discuss him in more detail.
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Good that you're going to chat with your vet (or should I say, Tabby's vet!) about him. Meanwhile, I have PMd a couple of folks and drawn their attention to this thread.
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Christine are you thinking of the Hills food? They do a pate like stuff in tins, but there's that many initials that go with it and it's that long since I've used it I can't remember which it is. I know my Ted had Hills R/D later in his life but this was for kidney problems.
Carole did your vet test for kidney and liver function?
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The hills food that's good for weight gain/getting cats to eat is hills a/d. I've not used it myself (no trouble getting my greedy gannets to eat!) but it is, apparently, pretty irresistable to most cats, and is easy to syringe feed if necessary. I'd ask your vet for some or they don't have it you should be able to buy it online at somewhere like vetuk.
Wet foods with a high meat content include natures menu, hi life, bozita, cosma, animonda carny, applaws and almo nature. I buy the animonda, cosma and bozita from zooplus but get the others from local pet shops (it tends to be the small pet shops that sell the applaws and almo nature).
I hope Tabby gets his appetite back soon ;D
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That's the one Susanne! I don't remember having any problems getting mine to eat it in the past, definitely worth a try isn't it
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I haven't heard of Purina Delicate, and as the others say, Hill's a/d is the one for weight gain, but you must discuss it with your vet first, he might not want him to be on it with his tummy troubles, and you also aren't supposed to use it long term either. Good luck with him, and let us know what the vet says.
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hI tabby is still loosing weight. I have asked another vet who says he may have hypothidordium ! over active thyroid he is going to see the new vet Sat morning. ANyine any advice on this condition in cats. I have had this ailment myself and as a human it was not nice. Tabby is not eating to bad hes on the high meat content foods you have all sugested and his stools are a bit firmer now and hes also on pro biotic supplement. Has anyone any advice, I dont know why my own vet did not test for this in the first place
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I would have full bloods run on him whilst hes there so its just the one sample he needs to give.
If he were hyper-t then he would have a huge appetite which he doesnt seem to have from your other posts?
If he does have the condition it can be controlled with tablets or there is an operation if the vet thinks he strong enough. They can also have iodine injections which involves staying at a hospital for some weeks as he would be radioactive!
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Fingers crossed for him on Sat, and I agree with MM, I would have full bloods done, just in case there is something else (and sometimes hyperthyroid and kidney issues happen together). Let us know how you get on, but you generally have to wait for thyroid tests, not all vets have the machine to do those in house.
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:hug: for you and Tabby.
Hope this vet is more clued up than the other.
Let us know how you get on.
Thinking of you both.
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Good luck at the vets on sat. Let us know how it goes...I'm sending positive thoughts Tabby's way.
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many thanks i will let you know x
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What did the vet have to say this weekend Carol?
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hi well hes not hyper t they have given tablets for the trotts and to give him an appitite. They will ask my old vet for the blood test results so i will know more whe he gets the results back in a few days. So fingers crossed he may see somthng the old vet didnt. Thanks for asking xxx
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Fingers crossed, it certainly never hurts to have another pair of eyes cast across the results either.
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results are back the vet is no nearer to resolving this. He says the diorrehha may be due to a symptom of FIV as there is nothing else showing up in any of the tests that would make him loose weight. I am gutted hes wasting away in front of my eyes. The vet says see how he is after a week on the tablets thats all he can do at the moment. I wish i could halp Tabby get better i am at my wits end. If any one has any advice please let me know.
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Kocka was not FIV but she suddenly lost all her weight and my vet said she had a tumour on one of her thyroids and it was non-malignent and the thyroid was removed. However this did show up in blood tests. She had an appetite of a flea!
She sadly never put the weight on again but she was already an older cat at around 16yrs. She lived till age 20yrs.
Whats the opposite of hyper_T, one makes them hungry and the other doesnt.
I had a friend whose cat had symiliar symtoms to yours but again not FIV and he lost weight and never recovered but nobody knew what was wrong.
I wonder if because he is FIV, the vets are overlooking something obvious and blaming it on FIV.
Do you have the blood test results? If not get them and post them up and let the others see if they have any ideas, cos some know about blood test results.
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Did you have the full bloods run on him?
Are the tablets steroids? They are good at increasing apetite.
When my first cat Taffy got ill and lost weight we didnt get a diagnosis until he had x-rays. It showed lymphoma :(
Gill, the opposite of hyper t is hypo t but that makes you put on weight.
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Thanks Milly I knew they were opposites but couldnt remember what other was called and which was which ;D
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Fingers crossed you can get to the bottom of it.
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Well it was touch and go last week all of a a sudden on Tuesday Tabby went off his hind legs i rushed him to the vet and thought he would never come back. However the vet gave him a steroid injection and told me to come back on the Friday and if he was no better to put him to sleep. I stayed with him and over the next few days he was up and about again shaky at first but now hes like a kitten legging it alll over the place. He wont stop eating and the ver is very happy and said he could not want for a better result that new vet is a miricale worker. Tabbys stools have also gone much firmer with the tablets he is on and the ver said he will be on those long term. We will have to see how he goes on now but the vet said if there is any wobbles to bring him back for another shot. He has put weight on as well he is looking fine now. I am so glad i changed vets.
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Crikey, what caused the wobbles in the first place, did the vet know?
I truly hope this is an end to Tabby's problems now, and that the tablets etc keep him stabil for a very long time to come :Luv:
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its the FIV his nervous system was affected. He could not stand and only could walk 2 or 3 steps then fell over, it was scary
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Oh, poor baby :(
So pleased the steroid injection made a difference :)
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me to i will keep you informed
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So pleased that Tabby is feeling better ;D
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That's excellent news. I'm really pleased that Tabby is feeling better...long may it continue.
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Fingers crossed the steroid injections work.
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Oh Carole, I am sorry that you had to go through that but so pleased the steroid jab pulled Tabby round.
Is the vet certain that it was his nervous system? I only ask as our Fizz started stumbling, before we knew he had FIV, wobbling round like he was drunk. That came on suddenly and very distressing to see. We took him to our vet who took blood and found the poor mite suffering from Chronic Anaemia - RBC should be 30-45 and was dangerously low at 9. He was put on steroids to boost his appetite which pulled him through. Has his RBC been checked? If not, it's gotta be worthwhile.
Fingers, toes and paws crossed for you. :hug:
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Hello yes the vet was convinced it was his nervous system, however he now seems fine the injection has now worn off but the vet says if he wobbles again he will give him more steroids. He is eating well and gained some weight but still sleeps a lot and he looks a bit raggy but other than that he seems ok. His stools have formed up a bit as well so that will help in building him up. I relaise he is old and that I may not get the winter out of him but fingers crossed.
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Hi Carole,
Glad Tabby is doing ok. Did he have an antibiotic injection before he went wobbly? I only ask as my first elderly FIV had a very strange wobbly reaction to antibiotic injections (for her gums).
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No hes is just on tablets to help with his trotts. He seems ok today but yesterday and the day before he was sick. I will keep an eye on him and if sick again I will take him back to the vet. I am giving smaller portions of food more regular now
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If you do have to take him back, please ask for them to check for anaemia.
Know steroids aren't good but, with Fizz, managed with antibiotics at the first sign of being off colour, has brought him round fabulously. However, each patient is different.
Fingers crossed for you both. :hug:
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well he seems fine the last day or so still running about and eating well without the steroids so fingers crossed it was just a little blip.
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Carole, I noticed that no-one had replied to your question about the funny coloured poos so I have split it off into a new topic called FIV+ cat with oddly coloured faeces - advice needed please as I think it was lost in this thread. I trust you will get more response that way :hug:
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thanks vrey much. Also I have posted another topic on steroids I woud like to know if any others have had cats on them long term please. xxx
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Also I have posted another topic on steroids I woud like to know if any others have had cats on them long term please
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My Jessica is constantly on steroids, while we know they can cause internal organ problems they are along with tablets that are licenced for dogs are the only thing thats stops her bum being like a cows backside. We are in a catch 22 really. She is 17ish now and a happy little soul so we will keep her going as long as she continues to be happy.
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Well Tabby was back at the vets last night hes back on steroid tablets for this week a full dose to get him eating again (he was eating this morning very well) then i have to cust the dose to one every other day. Hes still on tablets to contol his poo,s he will be on thease long term they are antibiotics. So fingers crossed he will start to feel better very soon.
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Fingers crossed for Tabby, hope he feels better soon :Luv:
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What benifit does oil of evening primrose have for FIV cats will it not make his stools even more sloppy. His poo is still not right dispite being on meds for it think they are anitibiotics. I was thinking of giving it to him to see if it improves his condition how much shall i give him and whats the best way for him to take it please ?? thanks all
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It helps their immune system, I think it is 1/10 (one tenth) of a teaspoon a day on food. We give it to all our FIV cats
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I have just rang the vet who has said try Pro-Fibre for Dogs and Cats for a week its like a powder you mix with his food however he is on a tea spoon of Protenix already each day and its made no difference. Is it worth me trying this product as well is there an alternative you know of.