I would appreciate some health advice for my FelV positive cat

[Lillyenn]

So my chunky girl was diagnosed with FelV recently. She's perfectly fine right now except for some dental issues that need work. She's also the only one, my other cats tested negative to everything and we are getting all of them their shots. But I was wondering if someone has some helpful advice for the future. Or maybe if someone could link older threads with some useful stuff. Also my other girl has some dental issues too. The boys are fine, so I'm guessing it's because the girls grew up entirely outside without human care before they found us. So I was also wondering about ways to keep their teeth as healthy as possible.

 

[di and bob]

It's not an automatic death sentence, especially in a cat that is no longer a kitten. My little one, Yammy, was diagnosed last Oct. and was so sick we dug his grave. Especially after the vet told us it would be very soon. I remember crying as I paid the bill, the news was devastating. Since my other two cats were family and they were always together, in fights with other cats too, I assume my other cats are positive too. My Dutch has been very ill a few times too, mainly with lung issues. He has scarred lungs. They were all neighbor cats at one time, no vaccinations or nice places to live, and they all barely survived a nasty round of distemper that killed many of the ferals and strays, including the rest of their siblings. I took them in when it was obvious they were going to be killed and no one cared.
Yammy is still with us! He survived on a couple licks a day of Hartz Lickable treats in the stew. I give all their medicines in this too, since I have never had a cat refuse it. I keep it around for that and in case one gets sick and refuses to eat. When they get sick, their symptoms are all related to respiratory problems, sneezing, horrible mucous, lethargy, and refusing to eat. They hide under the bed. It lasts for about two weeks. They lose a horrible amount of weight. I can say that since I have made them all strictly inside cats, they have not been sick. The immune system is very compromised in FeLV cats. I wash my hands after every contact with another animal. I don't take them to the vet anymore, I'm too afraid of illnesses they might contract. I try to keep the stress levels down too, stress really compromises the immune system.
Every morning I give them 1/2ml of DMG(for immune support) 1 drop for every two pounds of weight of LifeGold (for cancers and immune support) and about 1/2 tsp of Dinovite for cats (I can't use the full amount, they didn't like it) and mix it in a small amount of lickable treat. I get it all on Amazon. They gobble it right up. I have been doing this for about a year now, Yammy has made it 11 months since being diagnosed. (He had the same symptoms and same illnesses twice before in the years before.) Molly (the mother) is 7 1/2, Yammy is 7, and Dutch is 6 1/2. Poor Molly had her first litter at 6 months and another 6 months after that. That is when I had her spayed and started caring for them all. Some cats can fight off the virus, especially once they are over a year old, It is almost always fatal in kittens. Yammy's white blood cell count was so low it didn't even register, the vet said it was a miracle he wasn't dead. If the marrow isn't compromised, they build up more white blood cells every 30 days, so keeping them alive that long gives them a chance.
We just all live day by day, so far so good. I really think keeping them strictly inside saved their lives, and hope it continues to do so. They are happy and fat and sassy, I keep them a little on the chunky side to combat the horrible wasting they go through, and have the 'zoomies' almost daily. I worried about stress when we moved, but they took to the new house right away and love the extra room.
I'll keep your little girl in my prayers along with my own little ones, and pray for a long happy life for them all......

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

For their teeth, the very best thing possible is to brush them daily, or at least a few days per week. When you take them in for their dentals, have your Vet show you how to do it, or even look at some youtube videos on it. You can start out slowly by simply swiping inside their mouths with your finger for a couple of days, then put some cat toothpaste on your finger and swipe that on their teeth so they get a feel for the taste of it., then progress to putting the cat toothpaste on a cat toothbrush and have at it. Even just wiping the toothpaste on their teeth will help. I've also heard some folks sale that adding Plaque Off to the food helps.

 

[cataholic07]

It's also important to get her at a healthy weight as well. Did you get the IFA test? Or was it just a snap test?

 

[di and bob]

I also have given all my cats water supplements such as Oratene and Oxyfresgh for years to help with plaque buildup. Since I have started I have not had one cat needing dental care. Dutch was an outside cat and had horribly yellow teeth. Since he is now inside and only drinks the supplement, his teeth are nice and white.

 

[Lillyenn]

It's also important to get her at a healthy weight as well. Did you get the IFA test? Or was it just a snap test?

Sorry I can't remember all I know is that it was called ELISA test and that she's FIV negative but FELV positive. She's 3,80 Kg so thankfully she is not that overweight. She has actually lost weight, (but her skin stayed stretched out, so I guess she looks bigger than she actually is) she was extra chunky in the winter because back then she was an outside stray cat, and it was really cold, so she had to keep herself warm. I'm working on helping her losing the additional weight right now, before winter really hits us. Is there any way to calculate her optional food intake?

 

[Lillyenn]

I also have given all my cats water supplements such as Oratene and Oxyfresgh for years to help with plaque buildup. Since I have started I have not had one cat needing dental care. Dutch was an outside cat and had horribly yellow teeth. Since he is now inside and only drinks the supplement, his teeth are nice and white.

Thanks for your comments and advice. I look into it, I don't know what's available in my country yet. Also thankfully my girl is fine right now, from what I understand after the doctors are done with her teeth, I just have to keep her warm in the winter and she will not get sick.

 

[Lillyenn]

For their teeth, the very best thing possible is to brush them daily, or at least a few days per week. When you take them in for their dentals, have your Vet show you how to do it, or even look at some youtube videos on it. You can start out slowly by simply swiping inside their mouths with your finger for a couple of days, then put some cat toothpaste on your finger and swipe that on their teeth so they get a feel for the taste of it., then progress to putting the cat toothpaste on a cat toothbrush and have at it. Even just wiping the toothpaste on their teeth will help. I've also heard some folks sale that adding Plaque Off to the food helps.

Honestly I don't know how well that will go. She is the hardest to give any kind of medicine too, since she is mostly interested in dry food (with some additional wet ones) but she doesn't care about any paste and unlike the other 3 she doesn't like to take food from my hand. This might change because she's only with us since March, but until then I guess it's water supplements, and I have to figure out if Plaque off (or something similar is available in my country or not).