UPDATE- ugh - so our newly adopted cat might have leukemia

KathrynMD

jesus. ... took him to the vet today - he has fleas and gum disease - which seem par for the course w/ a shelter cat, and he's had all his shots, etc. I would have thought feline leukemia would be a pretty standard screening test. The vet is testing the cat and will have the results Monday or Tuesday. . ..

update - leukemia came back negative, but he has some major gum disease that is mysterious and will need surgery probably - so I'm sure that won't be fun, but yeah for a not terminally ill cat!

 

jcsntms06

Okay just read up and infected cats can transfer to one another. 

Poor thing. I hope the results are negative.

KathrynMD

life expectancy is like 3 years. ..

SarahKate31

I thought leukemia WAS one of the standard tests. I feel like it's one of the standard vaccines...Can you check the adoption paperwork/vaccine record?

KathrynMD

SarahKate31:

I thought leukemia WAS one of the standard tests. I feel like it's one of the standard vaccines...Can you check the adoption paperwork/vaccine record?

we have the medical records from the rescue - the vet is going to call the rescue and talk to the vet there. He was adopted as a kitten last spring and then returned, supposedly b/c the owners developed bad allergies. Now I'm thinking it might be b/c of the leukemia. In which case, that is super shitty that they didn't tell the rescue that. . .

mrs. remy

WTF....I always thought that was disclosed as part of an adoption....in any event, your poor kitty! He is super cute and I hope everything is ok with him.

Cooper81

Was the cat in a shelter?  I've heard that they test them initially, but of course while in the shelter with a lot of other cats they can pick up all kinds of stuff and they can't afford to periodically re-test all the animals.

KathrynMD

Cooper81:

Was the cat in a shelter?  I've heard that they test them initially, but of course while in the shelter with a lot of other cats they can pick up all kinds of stuff and they can't afford to periodically re-test all the animals.

i think that's what happened here - they tested him at 6 days old. I just thought they wold have vaccinated him when they tested him.

meghann1046

I agree with pp, that he may have tested negative but contracted it from another kitty in the shelter. I definitely would have thought that the leukemia vaccine would have been standard in shelter cats. That really surprises me.  

I'm sorry  

gracie2762

Aw, I'm sorry. Hope he's okay!

Megcheer2

Yay on the update! I think. Right?

jcsntms06

Sounds like that's a good update other than the surgery.

linzee

yeah for no leukemia, boo for gum disease and vet bills.

KathrynMD

Megcheer2:

Yay on the update! I think. Right?

yes - its a yea!

madladybride

That sucks. I'm sorry. Our rescue dog has cost us a lot, too, though, fortunately it has not affected his lifespan.

At any rate, 6 days old may have been too early to vaccinate...