Cat with corona and heartworms

On Dec 13, 6:06 am, Dakota wrote:
On Dec 12, 12:29 pm, "Sheelagh\"o\""
wrote:





On Dec 11, 7:03 pm, "Wendy" wrote:

big snip

I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear on this one. I meant to indicate
that the antibiotics would have knocked any bacterial infection ( the
OP mentioned that he had recently suffered a URI) on the head.

I just wanted to clarify that the antibiotics wouldn't help the FIP
infection at all. It's not uncommon for baterial infections to start when
the cat's immune system is busy fighting off a viral infection though.

It was also my understanding that in times of stress or illness, most
cats with corona virus succumb to infection easily, which is why
antibiotics are required to get rid of any infection caused as a
result of fresh breakout? Is this the case Wendy?

Are you saying that for instance a cat that is corona positive is more
likely to get an URI than the cat next door who is corona negative? If so
I've never heard that.

If you're saying that if the cat is suffering with FIP that makes it more
succeptable to opportunistic bacterial infections then I'd have to say
probably. The cats immune system is already fighting itself because of the
FIP.

"FIP develops when a usually harmless strain of FCoV mutates in the cat in a
way that gives the virus the ability to replicate itself in some of the
cat's white cells. When the immune system mounts a defense against the
invaded white cells, which are themselves infection-fighting cells, the
immune system ends up damaging its own protective cells and tissues," says
Dr. Richards. The result is an intense inflammatory reaction in the tissues
where the virus-infected cells reside, which causes damage to multiple
systems at once and ultimately leads to death.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/FIP.htm

I defer to your greater wisdom on this one, because I can only speak
from the experience of that 1 kitten, & I know that you have dealt
with more cases of corona virus than I've had hot dinners! I came to
you for advise on that one, & I do remember you saying that there was
a wet & dry version now that you mention it. Misdiagnosis is very
prevalent too, because it takes a number of factors to diagnose Corona
virus, doesn't it? It is interesting to note that once a cat has FIP
that it stops shedding. I wasn't aware of that!

Isn't killed by the use
of normal household cleaners. A 32:1 water/bleach solution will kill just
about anything but of course can't be used on all surfaces.

Just out of interest, I was given some of this to scrub all of the
runs, & also the rest of the places that the kitten came into contact
with. It is called Parvo Virucide. I have been reading up a little
about it, & I note that it's main function is to get rid of kennel
cough & several other nasty organisms & virus prevention. Have I been
sold a fancy idea, or is it the correct stuff to treat to treat the
pens with? Many thanks Wendy.....

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/prodinfo....mber=PARVOVIRU

I Learn something new everyday on Usenet. Thanks Wendy ) Can you
indicate the difference between wet & dry forms, if you know them
please?
Thank you for enlightening me too.

I am very sorry if I didn't make myself clear to the OP & Thank you
for putting me right Wendy ...
Sheelagh "o"

That cleaner sounds pretty heavy duty if it's effective against Panleuk. I'm
not the expert on clean up though. Phil might be better to advise about
that. I can bleach anything that my fosters come in contact with and that's
what I usually do when faced with one of these nasty organisms. Overkill
sometimes but makes me feel better about putting the next kitty in that
spot.

There is a FIP Yahoo group that is quite informative if someone wants more
information or clarification about FIP. There are vets who participate and
others that are involved with and up to date on the research that is going
on in this area. Although there is much discussion among those who's cats
are ill and support of those who have lost pets to this disease, there is
also much good discussion and information about getting an accurate
diagnosis and who has the accurate information and who's blowing smoke,
which labs can give you accurate test results and which tests promise more
than they can deliver.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FIP/

Wendy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Are you saying that for instance a cat that is corona positive is more
likely to get an URI than the cat next door who is corona negative? If so
I've never heard that.

No, I didn't mean to imply that, although I did think that stress was
a trigger that does make them slightly more susceptible to infection
than they would have normally ?

If you're saying that if the cat is suffering with FIP that makes it more
susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections then I'd have to say
probably. The cats immune system is already fighting itself because of the
FIP.

This is exactly what I meant to imply. It was my understanding that a
cat who is compromised with FIP is far more susceptible to infection,
especially in times of stress & ill health in general. (ie: a cat
with FIP who is feeling ill from the side effects of FIP, would be far
more likely to be susceptible a virus & get a bacterial infections,
than say a male cat in good health.)

That cleaner sounds pretty heavy duty if it's effective against Panleuk. I'm
not the expert on clean up though. Phil might be better to advise about
that. I can bleach anything that my fosters come in contact with and that's
what I usually do when faced with one of these nasty organisms. Overkill
sometimes but makes me feel better about putting the next kitty in that
spot.

I agree!
I will be sure to ask him when I see him around. The reason I asked
the question about it is because I have a friend with a cat with FIP,
& the more I can find out, the better I can advise her. I had never
even heard of the problem before we had that little kitty who was so
poorly that the vet felt he couldn't help him. From what I can glean,
it is a very commonly misdiagnosed problem that can't be eliminated by
one test alone; rather lots of tests that do give an accurate
diagnosis. I know this bottle of stuff cost her in the region of $100,
so that was why I was asking if she was buying a great idea with no
effect. It seems that it is pretty strong stuff after all?!!

The links you have provided are invaluable. Thank you for that
contribution Wendy. It helps a lot & I have forwarded the links to her
to read too. Her cat has just been diagnosed after a couple of months
of tests. @ 15 years old, he has had a good life with her from 5 weeks
old, but now she has reached the point where he is becoming terribly
hard to feed, so she faces a very similar prognosis. I looked after
him during the day whilst she has been @ work for the last week, then
she takes over in the evening. I believe they have spoken with their
vet to arrange him coming to their house early next week, so that they
can say good bye to him @ home where he feels safe & comforted. I
really feel for her. It's a horrible disease!

I have one final question if you have the time to respond Wendy. Is
there anything that you can do, other than to keeping litter boxes
scrupulously clean, & new arrivals quarantined, to lessen the chances
of contracting Corona Virus?

Here's what my 2 vets said:

None of the traditional annual tests had ever shown him to be corona
positive, and corona can mutate, and it just depends on the cat's
immune system and which form of the virus he contracts. They said
different cattery owners and researchers have different experiences--
some say the shots can make at least some cats more susceptible.

My cat came from a shelter when he was estimated to be 2 years old (13
years ago), so they said he could have been infected earlier by a form
that didn't show up that recently mutated.

He had what appeared to be a URI at first, and he did mostly recover
from that (it's not clear if the antibiotics helped or not, from what
I could tell.)

Note: The tests are quite expensive, for anyone who is considering
following in my footsteps, and I'm still not clear if I've done the
best thing for my kitty. I know I did the best thing for my own peace
of mind.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thank you for coming back to us Dakota, I appreciate that very much
indeed. I can see that there is still plenty for me to learn about
this debilitating disease. I'm also grateful for the information that
you have provided here too. It is all knowledge that will help in the
future I'm sure.

I'm delighted to hear that you don't have any other cat's that stood a
chance of contracting it. That is a blessing in disguise I think. In
the instance of my friend, she had no idea what the problem was until
it was too late. She now has 4 cats with Corona virus, & 2 with
confirmed FIP. If your post helps one single person recognise what to
look for, then your story has helped others.

I'm ever so pleased to hear that he has a little cat-i-tude, & looks
like he has turned a corner. Enjoy his company for every moment you
can, because one day those moments will become treasured memories of
life with him in better days.

some say the shots can make at least some cats more susceptible.

I have never heard this one before now. I take it you mean their
annual shots? Also, what annual shots are you referring to? ( It may
seem a strange question, but my reason for asking is because I would
like to be aware of what shots vets think might make them more
susceptible? Also, I live in the UK, so some shots could be different
here?). Thank you for that information )

Note: The tests are quite expensive, for anyone who is considering
following in my footsteps, and I'm still not clear if I've done the
best thing for my kitty.

This I can vouch for too. It is a big expense, but one that you have
no idea about until it happens to you.

I know I did the best thing for my own peace.

To me, this is the most important thing. you know him ( better than me
or any other person in this group) You love him, so I know that you
will do what is needed when that time arrives. It is clear that you
have done all that you possibly could do to learn about this disease,
& also that you know in your heart that you might have to part with
him soon, & you have never withheld care for him. You would be shocked
@ how many come here rather than afford proper care @ a vet
surgery....

Please keep us up to date with his progress?
I hope he holds steady for a while so that you might enjoy, & love one
another a while longer. Support it always @ hand when required.
Good Luck, & Purrs of comfort
Sheelagh

On Dec 13, 3:07 pm, "Sheelagh\"o\"" wrote:
On Dec 13, 6:06 am, Dakota wrote:





On Dec 12, 12:29 pm, "Sheelagh\"o\""
wrote:

On Dec 11, 7:03 pm, "Wendy" wrote:

big snip

I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear on this one. I meant to indicate
that the antibiotics would have knocked any bacterial infection ( the
OP mentioned that he had recently suffered a URI) on the head.

I just wanted to clarify that the antibiotics wouldn't help the FIP
infection at all. It's not uncommon for baterial infections to start when
the cat's immune system is busy fighting off a viral infection though.

It was also my understanding that in times of stress or illness, most
cats with corona virus succumb to infection easily, which is why
antibiotics are required to get rid of any infection caused as a
result of fresh breakout? Is this the case Wendy?

Are you saying that for instance a cat that is corona positive is more
likely to get an URI than the cat next door who is corona negative? If so
I've never heard that.

If you're saying that if the cat is suffering with FIP that makes it more
succeptable to opportunistic bacterial infections then I'd have to say
probably. The cats immune system is already fighting itself because of the
FIP.

"FIP develops when a usually harmless strain of FCoV mutates in the cat in a
way that gives the virus the ability to replicate itself in some of the
cat's white cells. When the immune system mounts a defense against the
invaded white cells, which are themselves infection-fighting cells, the
immune system ends up damaging its own protective cells and tissues," says
Dr. Richards. The result is an intense inflammatory reaction in the tissues
where the virus-infected cells reside, which causes damage to multiple
systems at once and ultimately leads to death.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/FIP.htm

I defer to your greater wisdom on this one, because I can only speak
from the experience of that 1 kitten, & I know that you have dealt
with more cases of corona virus than I've had hot dinners! I came to
you for advise on that one, & I do remember you saying that there was
a wet & dry version now that you mention it. Misdiagnosis is very
prevalent too, because it takes a number of factors to diagnose Corona
virus, doesn't it? It is interesting to note that once a cat has FIP
that it stops shedding. I wasn't aware of that!

Isn't killed by the use
of normal household cleaners. A 32:1 water/bleach solution will kill just
about anything but of course can't be used on all surfaces.

Just out of interest, I was given some of this to scrub all of the
runs, & also the rest of the places that the kitten came into contact
with. It is called Parvo Virucide. I have been reading up a little
about it, & I note that it's main function is to get rid of kennel
cough & several other nasty organisms & virus prevention. Have I been
sold a fancy idea, or is it the correct stuff to treat to treat the
pens with? Many thanks Wendy.....

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/prodinfo....mber=PARVOVIRU

I Learn something new everyday on Usenet. Thanks Wendy ) Can you
indicate the difference between wet & dry forms, if you know them
please?
Thank you for enlightening me too.

I am very sorry if I didn't make myself clear to the OP & Thank you
for putting me right Wendy ...
Sheelagh "o"

That cleaner sounds pretty heavy duty if it's effective against Panleuk. I'm
not the expert on clean up though. Phil might be better to advise about
that. I can bleach anything that my fosters come in contact with and that's
what I usually do when faced with one of these nasty organisms. Overkill
sometimes but makes me feel better about putting the next kitty in that
spot.

There is a FIP Yahoo group that is quite informative if someone wants more
information or clarification about FIP. There are vets who participate and
others that are involved with and up to date on the research that is going
on in this area. Although there is much discussion among those who's cats
are ill and support of those who have lost pets to this disease, there is
also much good discussion and information about getting an accurate
diagnosis and who has the accurate information and who's blowing smoke,
which labs can give you accurate test results and which tests promise more
than they can deliver.http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FIP/

Wendy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Are you saying that for instance a cat that is corona positive is more
likely to get an URI than the cat next door who is corona negative? If so
I've never heard that.

No, I didn't mean to imply that, although I did think that stress was
a trigger that does make them slightly more susceptible to infection
than they would have normally ?

If you're saying that if the cat is suffering with FIP that makes it more
susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections then I'd have to say
probably. The cats immune system is already fighting itself because of the
FIP.

This is exactly what I meant to imply. It was my understanding that a
cat who is compromised with FIP is far more susceptible to infection,
especially in times of stress & ill health in general. (ie: a cat
with FIP who is feeling ill from the side effects of FIP, would be far
more likely to be susceptible a virus & get a bacterial infections,
than say a male cat in good health.)

That cleaner sounds pretty heavy duty if it's effective against Panleuk. I'm
not the expert on clean up though. Phil might be better to advise about
that. I can bleach anything that my fosters come in contact with and that's
what I usually do when faced with one of these nasty organisms. Overkill
sometimes but makes me feel better about putting the next kitty in that
spot.

I agree!
I will be sure to ask him when I see him around. The reason I asked
the question about it is because I have a friend with a cat with FIP,
& the more I can find out, the better I can advise her. I had never
even heard of the problem before we had that little kitty who was so
poorly that the vet felt he couldn't help him. From what I can glean,
it is a very commonly misdiagnosed problem that can't be eliminated by
one test alone; rather lots of tests that do give an accurate
diagnosis. I know this bottle of stuff cost her in the region of $100,
so that was why I was asking if she was buying a great idea with no
effect. It seems that it is pretty strong stuff after all?!!

The links you have provided are invaluable. Thank you for that
contribution Wendy. It helps a lot & I have forwarded the links to her
to read too. Her cat has just been diagnosed after a couple of months
of tests. @ 15 years old, he has had a good life with her from 5 weeks
old, but now she has reached the point where he is becoming terribly
hard to feed, so she faces a very similar prognosis. I looked after
him during the day whilst she has been @ work for the last week, then
she takes over in the evening. I believe they have spoken with their
vet to arrange him coming to their house early next week, so that they
can say good bye to him @ home where he feels safe & comforted. I
really feel for her. It's a horrible disease!

I have one final question if you have the time to respond Wendy. Is
there anything that you can do, other than to keeping litter boxes
scrupulously clean, & new arrivals quarantined, to lessen the chances
of contracting Corona Virus?

Here's what my 2 vets said:

None of the traditional annual tests had ever shown him to be corona
positive, and corona can mutate, and it just depends on the cat's
immune system and which form of the virus he contracts. They said
different cattery owners and researchers have different experiences--
some say the shots can make at least some cats more susceptible.

My cat came from a shelter when he was estimated to be 2 years old (13
years ago), so they said he could have been infected earlier by a form
that didn't show up that recently mutated.

He had what appeared to be a URI at first, and he did mostly recover
from that (it's not clear if the antibiotics helped or not, from what
I could tell.)

Note: The tests are quite expensive, for anyone who is considering
following in my footsteps, and I'm still not clear if I've done the
best thing for my kitty. I know I did the best thing for my own peace
of mind.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thank you for coming back to us Dakota, I appreciate that very much
indeed. I can see that there is still plenty for me to learn about
this debilitating disease. I'm also grateful for the information that
you have provided here too. It is all knowledge that will help in the
future I'm sure.

I'm delighted to hear that you don't have any other cat's that stood a
chance of contracting it. That is a blessing in disguise I think. In
the instance of my friend, she had no idea what the problem was until
it was too late. She now has 4 cats with Corona virus, & 2 with
confirmed FIP. If your post helps one single person recognise what to
look for, then your story has helped others.

My husband reminded me we did have him outside with us occasionally in
the early fall, and our house backs on a wooded park and our neighbors
feed all sorts of feral cats, so that may be how this all happened.
But still, he'd been on meds, so unless his system was already
compromised, the vet said he most likely wouldn't have picked it up.
So maybe age is working against him.

He's eating some of his Science Diet again, but he's looking rangier
again today. I also gave him the other foods he's been eating, and I
will love him as long as he seems stable, but if his health starts to
deteriorate, I'll say goodbye.

On Dec 13, 3:07 pm, "Sheelagh\"o\"" wrote:

I'm delighted to hear that you don't have any other cat's that stood a
chance of contracting it. That is a blessing in disguise I think. In
the instance of my friend, she had no idea what the problem was until
it was too late. She now has 4 cats with Corona virus, & 2 with
confirmed FIP. If your post helps one single person recognise what to
look for, then your story has helped others.

My husband reminded me we did have him outside with us occasionally
in
the early fall, and our house backs on a wooded park and our
neighbors
feed all sorts of feral cats, so that may be how this all happened.
But still, he'd been on meds, so unless his system was already
compromised, the vet said he most likely wouldn't have picked it up.
So maybe age is working against him.

He's eating some of his Science Diet again, but he's looking rangier
again today. I also gave him the other foods he's been eating, and I
will love him as long as he seems stable, but if his health starts to
deteriorate, I'll say goodbye.

On Dec 15, 4:04 am, Dakota wrote:
On Dec 13, 3:07 pm, "Sheelagh\"o\"" wrote:

I'm delighted to hear that you don't have any other cat's that stood a
chance of contracting it. That is a blessing in disguise I think. In
the instance of my friend, she had no idea what the problem was until
it was too late. She now has 4 cats with Corona virus, & 2 with
confirmed FIP. If your post helps one single person recognise what to
look for, then your story has helped others.

My husband reminded me we did have him outside with us occasionally
in
the early fall, and our house backs on a wooded park and our
neighbors
feed all sorts of feral cats, so that may be how this all happened.
But still, he'd been on meds, so unless his system was already
compromised, the vet said he most likely wouldn't have picked it up.
So maybe age is working against him.

He's eating some of his Science Diet again, but he's looking rangier
again today. I also gave him the other foods he's been eating, and I
will love him as long as he seems stable, but if his health starts to
deteriorate, I'll say goodbye.

Thank you for letting us know how you are faring, I appreciate that
very much.

Don't forget that we are always here if you have something that you
would like to talk over with some of us. It's going to be a bumpy
ride, but now that you know what you are dealing with, it won't be so
hard to care for him when things get harder.
Warm Regards,
Sheelagh
PS: Lots of head scritches for kitty