FLEAS...

I have never had a problem with fleas...at least not in the last decade since frontline and top spot and all the others hit the market.

This year, I have a flea problem, and all the favorite go to products are not working very well...

it's concerning from many aspects. First off, frontline is a pesticide not a drug and comes under a different class of products then vectra or something like revolution...second off the bugs are getting immune to these products at an alarming rate, while other good insects are getting killed by them...

so tell me, what are you using for fleas this year?

some new topics

I don't hear from most of my readers anymore since I don't have a lot to discuss anymore on the topic of FIP.

It's not that there are not FIP topics to discuss, but the problem is, there just isn't much more we can do but rehash what we know...and in many cases, it is whole lot more then most vets.

So I was thinking about writing about more more cat issues...common or uncommon, chances are we've seen most of them...what do you think?

Feline Pine in the litterboxes

I know that Dr. Addy did a study on cat litters that killed/reduced/had no effect on the FIP virus in the litterbox. A big area where the thought is most of the transmission cat to cat occurs.

Over the years I have tried a variety of litters. Including those on the list that I could get here in the USA. Dr. Addy's results here

I have to say that time and time again, I come back to the feline pine. While she did not include feline pine in her study, she did post some results on wood pellet litter.

I found that the everclean was hard to get, I could only get it with the charcoal added, and it was not the exact type listed. I also tried the sophisticat, and the cat country.
while I do not dispute the findings, because I do not have the equipment to run a similar test, I find my cats are all together healthier with the pine litter. The clay litters...I really don't find them very sanitary litters, and the cats get more stuck on their pads.
The pine litter tracks....and it's best to dump as soon as it disintegrates because it can make a big mess, but the cats never are cleaning it off their feet, and perhaps that is where they are healthier.

So I continue with the use of the pine litter, and the cats continue to be as healthy as I think they are going to get.
Lily is still separated, as she still shows neurological signs periodically, wobbly, and while she is thin, she gained some weight a while ago and has kept it on. She's about 3.5 years old now.

Minga has lost a bunch of bottom teeth, and is thin, but has a nice coat and is otherwise healthy. She's been stable healthwise for over a year now and I think we will spay her finally. She is 3 years old.

Fo has severe mouth problems and has lost weight in the last year, but his weight has stablized. His weight loss is related to his eating issues and he is otherwise healthy. He has been neutered for 2 years. He is on the zyrtec and we hope that improves his mouth.

Dude and Hoggle both have severe mouth issues as well and are on the zyrtec trials. And it is a TRIAL to get a pill into Hoggle....

will keep updates.

a possible treatment for the severe gingivitis

There have been a few studies now that indicate that zyrtec helps the cats with the severe gingivitis that I have seen in the cats with FIP.

There are other diseases that cause mouth issues as well...the studies are not on specifically FIP cats.

I am going to try zyrtec on two of my cats that suffer from severe mouth issues. I will keep you updated.

Feline infectious peritonitis thoughts

I have been busy with taking care of my son. He has recurrent lymphoma and is having salvage chemotherapy prior to a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant. (read his story here...brian vs lymphoma)

and I was thinking about something that I was observing in him as a side effect, and I thought that Dr.s really rarely get to see everything about a disease and/or treatment.

so what does that mean...that means that as owners of our cats (or caregivers to others) we are so dedicated, so loving, that I believe we observe in many cases small, but significant things that veterinarians or researchers most likely never do. After all, we live with our pets. We watch them eat, groom, drink, pee, poop, play, sleep etc...

I have seen too many cats with FIP now. I know I have seen probably more then my vet has seen in his whole career...I also know there are many things that I have observed that correlate closely with those who have both died of FIP and those that I consider the off shoot group. Those who live with the side effects but have not died of the disease.

It is an interesting thought and one that deserves more credit from the average pet caregiver then it is given.

a few thoughts and updates

It's been a long while since I wrote here, and truthfully I don't have much to add. But I know I do get emails still from some of you who went through the worst of the outbreak with me, and I thought maybe we'd just do a quick update now.

I was very worried about the stress of the move on the suspect FIP cats. And all the others. I am happy to report that 10 months after the move, the one of the two FIP cats has passed as expected (from dry FIP) The other cat is still isolated by herself in a bedroom and while she does have some bad days, she is still a good weight and enjoying her life.

None of the others at this time show real obvious signs.

I still continue my own homeopathic treatments as well as pulses of clindamycin for the gingivitis that many of them suffer from chronically.

I had hoped to have things set up to do my own labs by now, but my son's cancer has returned and my focus for now is on him.

I still see chronic obvious things with the cats/kittens that either were in the original rescue group, or were related to those who died from the FIP. These are the "indicators" in my personal observances.

I think that like all retroviruses within my own cat population, we've now seen a mutation from the very virulent strain to one that I have little doubt will in time still take some of my cat's lives, but does it in a slower more insidious way.

I also believe that there are still answers to be had out there, but I just don't see any of the current research ever producing either a vaccine or an effective treatment. I hope that changes in time.

My heart broke when Zilla died and I will when time permits continue to work on this on my own in the future. In her memory. In the memory of so many of you who have also lost precious furbabies to this abomination of a disease.

Will post again in a few months with another update. Blessed to all the furkins and their families.

the straw that broke the camel?...heck no

sometimes I feel like I couldn't possibly handle ONE MORE THING...and yet somehow I do. Some (my family included) would tell you what else should I expect when I take on so many. But truthfully..if I don't who does...but one does need to draw a line someplace.

my daughter got a puppy a few weeks ago from a neighbor who no longer wanted it. A very cute little white Chihuahua. Did we need another dog..heck No...but we love him and he's a great dog.
The other day he and my dachshund Gingersnap were chasing each other from couch to couch...really seemed innocent enough...Chibi (the Chi) jumped off the couch and broke his leg. Not onto tile, or slate, but onto carpet...who would have ever guessed?....
much less a puppy....I really thought my head would pop off...but fortunately after the momentary panic passed, I treated him for shock (remember how in a previous post I mentioned how you should NEVER be without Ringer lactated sub cut fluids?? ) and pain...etc..
so now he has been treated and his leg is in a cast that I swear weights more then he does.
I know that while I will forever be scraping the bottom of my pocketbook for pennies to take to the coinstar, my life is fuller, better, happier because all these unwanted pets have come into my life.
IF some weeks I cut back my own food budget for cat litter, that is okay...I would never make a different choice.
My mother would say I was nuts for having tnr stray cats out of my own expense...and planning to get the neighbors cat done soon since she's had two litters this summer..but the truth is...it's only money...I could drive a nicer car...mine is 17 yrs old and has 255000 miles, but I love it...I could use a vacation, but the last time I took one, I hated it, couldn't sleep and worried about the animals the whole time I was gone. What I have traded in lifestyle, I have gotten back a million times in life.
Yes, my heart broke with each FIP death...and will never be the same after losing Zilla. And some people might use unsavory terms such as "collector"...yes, I collect what others throw away. They are well taken care of and well loved.
and I swear...this is the last one....really...truthfully....
well right after I get the three little kittens....who's momma needs to get spayed...