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Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: zoe (tiggy + pipins mum) on January 26, 2009, 18:03:52 PM

Title: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: zoe (tiggy + pipins mum) on January 26, 2009, 18:03:52 PM
Well some of u may remember when i took sooty in to be neutured they tested him for fiv/felv as he had poor gums and so does tiggy and pippin well his bloods came back negative the vet told me they would like to test tiggy and i just said id think about it and see in the new year well today is was time for her to go for a check up for her gingivitis and her weight. I didnt have the bloods done but the vet was still stressing at me about having them done,

Is it worth me having them done or not?
Other than having slight gingivitis (this was severe but has improved alot and is only now round her 2top fangs) and being slightly underweight at 3.3kg she is extremely healthy.
The vet is worried about if she has got it she will pass it on to the other 3 but surely even if i find out she has fiv/felv she will still be able too pass it on?

Thanks for any advice given x

Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: clarenmax on January 26, 2009, 19:23:44 PM
If it were me, I'd probably test just to know what we were dealing with, but it certainly would no affect that way I treated them, or their interaction with my other animals.

Then again, as most of us on here are pretty vigilant with health issues, you would probably get Tiggy checked out by the vet at the first sign of anything wrong, so would possible FIV make any difference to the ongoing care ........ probably not  :hug:

Can't really advise either way hun to be honest x
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on January 26, 2009, 19:27:26 PM
Personally I would not test unless there is some good reason and dont think that gingervitus is a good reason.
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Millys Mum on January 26, 2009, 19:51:25 PM
I dont believe in testing healthy cats, she sounds much improved over time, if you are concerned then do it to put your mind at rest but ultimately if she has got fiv then will you do anything about it ie rehome her? The chances of her passing it on are very very low.
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on January 27, 2009, 08:29:44 AM
I personally wouldnt bother.
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: sheryl on January 27, 2009, 10:02:46 AM
I definately wouldnt be testing a healthy cat and I think your vet is unfair to be pressuring you.
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Dawn F on January 27, 2009, 10:10:19 AM
star just had a bout of gingivitis and our vet wanted to test, she had already been tested by the rspca so I refused, I did think it was a money making thing in this instance
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on January 27, 2009, 12:51:57 PM
NOPE i wouldnt test either !!
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: zoe (tiggy + pipins mum) on January 31, 2009, 12:32:26 PM
I dont believe in testing healthy cats, she sounds much improved over time, if you are concerned then do it to put your mind at rest but ultimately if she has got fiv then will you do anything about it ie rehome her? The chances of her passing it on are very very low.

I would DEFINATLY not rehome any of them i couldnt ever do that i love all 4 of them 2 bits, she is eating really well now and is putting on weight i dont see how they can say just because she has gingivitis she may have fiv as i thought alot of cats suffered from gingivitis sometimes?

Im not going to test her for now but if i see any change in her or the gingivitis gets worse then i will if the vets carry on pressuring me i may consider moving to another practice because if they got there way they would get me 2 have all 4 tested. It makes me dreed going in there coz i know what itll be 'when are you going to get tiggy her bloods done'



Thanks for all the advice i thought maybe i was being a bit selfish not wanting her tested but she is a nervous little cat and its a fighting battle to get her to the vets as it is so unless she really needs to go i dont really want to take her coz when we get back she normally hides for a couple of days x
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: MrsR on January 31, 2009, 12:42:24 PM
I wouldn't test hunnie as if it came back positive and was one of my cats it wouldn't change anything and I wouldn't rehome her or anything so the test result would be irrelivant in that respect to me.   The stress it puts a cat under for blood tests isn't great and unless the cat is ill or there is very could cause to think the cat has a life threatening illness that would cause pain in the near future I wouldn't have tests done on my guys.   Its a personal choice as this is just my point of view if it was my guys x
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on January 31, 2009, 12:47:37 PM
You are not being selfish by not testing.

My number 11 came to me as a beaten up un-neutered stray .....He has now been neutered and the chances he has FIV are very high but why do i need to know ?
He doesnt fight with my cats, hardly ever goes out....and when he is playing with any of my cats i keep an eye that he doesnt bite them
Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: Christine (Blip) on January 31, 2009, 15:44:07 PM
I'm with with you and everyone else, Zoe  :hug:  Why stress Tiggy out when the results will make no difference to anything?

Title: Re: Really unsure what to do about blood tests for tiggy
Post by: zoe (tiggy + pipins mum) on February 02, 2009, 16:01:02 PM
You are not being selfish by not testing.

My number 11 came to me as a beaten up un-neutered stray .....He has now been neutered and the chances he has FIV are very high but why do i need to know ?
He doesnt fight with my cats, hardly ever goes out....and when he is playing with any of my cats i keep an eye that he doesnt bite them

None of them go out so if she has got fiv she wouldnt pass it on 2 any other cats she doesnt fight with my other 3 but she does play with pippin alot which is her sister so she would probably have it aswell but i wouldnt change anything about the way i treat them so i dont think i need to know eithier  :thanks: everyone for being so lovely i now know im not being selfish all along i was just thinking of tiggy getting stressed for no reason x