Conference misery::feline_v1

    I brought my kitty, Roo, to the vet on Monday for her second set of
    shots...she still has to have one more Dec. 11th.  She comes into
    contact with two other cats who haven't had their shots; this gets me
    mad but I can't be home all the time to make sure she's isolated. 
    Anyway,, the vet told me the shots are only 85% effective against FelV
    virus.
    
    And I agree, it is expensive!!
    
    Cheryl
    

    I have mixed feelings about feline leukemia shots, but my 5 indoor-only 
    cats get them anyway. I lost 2 cats to this terrible disease; the first 
    one, Nikki, had the disease when I took her in as a stray but showed no 
    signs of illness for 2 years. Fel. leuk. shots were not available at 
    that time anyway. The second cat, Fuzzy Wuzzy, tested negative when I 
    got him as a kitten.  Fel. leuk. shots *were* available then but I 
    figured since he and my other cat were indoor-only they should be safe. 
    Fuzzy developed fel. leuk. just before his third birthday. I asked the 
    vet how Fuzzy could have gotten the disease. He said Fuzzy probably had 
    FELV when I got him but that the virus was not in his blood but "hiding" 
    elsewhere in his body (organs?). I guess it's possible that one of other 
    cats could have been carriers of the disease, but it's been over 2 years 
    since Fuzzy's death and no one else has gotten it. It's very strange.

    Anyway, I had 3 other cats besides Fuzzy; only Cubby had had fel. leuk. 
    shots, at the request of the people I adopted him from. The vet 
    recommended that Cubby and Misty be tested then and again 3 months 
    later (Junie was elderly and diabetic; the vet said not to do him).
    Fortunately, they were both negative, and Misty then got the series of 
    shots. Now, any new cat I adopt is tested and gets vaccinated. 

>   However, each shot is $21.  And the series is 2 shots.  That's $84 of
>   "insurance".  I think that the cost seems quite high.  

    Not to mention that the shots are not 100% effective. That is, even 
    though your cats have the complete set of shots there is a chance they 
    could still get the disease. And if they don't get the shots they might 
    never get the disease. There are still a lot of unanswered questions 
    about FELV.  If cost is your main concern, all I can tell you is that 
    when Fuzzy was dying I would have paid ANYTHING to make him better. 
    Having him put to sleep was one of the saddest things I've done in my 
    life. 

    This is your decision, but I recommend getting Snuzzy and Double 
    vaccinated ASAP, especially since they're going to be in contact with 
    other cats. They could still develop the disease, but you would know 
    that you did everything possible to prevent it. 

    Linda, Misty, Cubby, Tobie, Tweetie, and Peanut

Don't forget that even after the initial series (be it 2 or 3 depending on the 
vaccine) you still need the booster every year.

      
     I had a kitten that tested Neg...we had her immunized, kept up the
    shots, and she died at the age of 3 from FeLV.... Vet said she also
    probably had the disease---most likely in the bone marrow where it
    wouldn't show up in the test.
    
      We currently have 5 cats...1 of them tests Positive every time we've
    had her tested---another was tested as Positive as a kitten. We have
    had ALL FIVE immunized. We don't even have them tested anymore...just
    giv'em the immunization. It won't HURT to have the shot if they test
    Positive, and recently I've read a few articles that indicated that in
    some cases the immunization actually triggers the cat's immune system
    and they begin to test negative. 
    
      I look at it this way: If the three that tested Negativ and have had
    the immunization are in the 85% that DO become immunized, then no
    problem. If not, they will likely get the damned disease anyway, or
    already have it. The two that tested Positive, if the immunization DOES
    help the immune system to get activated, GREAT... If not, they are also
    going to get the damned disease. 
    
      My oldest Positive is about 10---we've had her for 6 years, and the
    only thing she's ever had is a sniffle now and then. The little one--MY
    "Special" sweetie, "Cookie", is about 2 now, and she is also very
    healthy to date. We're hoping they both are simply "carriers" and the
    other three are very healthy currently, and have been since we got
    them.
    
      I realize that this disease is a "crap shoot" with the current level
    of prevention/cure, but we do what we can and hope... The shots cannot
    hurt...and MAY prevent the disease..
    
    John Mc

    I know quite a few cats that have died from this disease.  Many of them
    close friends or family.  My 2 cats are vacinated against this.  The
    shots also have to be updated yearly (just 1 shot though).  My vet also
    stresses that you should not wait more than 3 weeks before getting the
    2nd shot.
    
    My opinion - have it done!
    Sonia
    

     I have watched 3 of my most beloved die painful, long deaths from
    FELV.  Having them all put to sleep was the most painful thing you
    can imagine.  I still relive all three incidents in my mind all the
    time.  You never really get over it.  If I had had them all immunized
    back then,  at least I would feel I had done all I could to prevent it,
    even if the shots aren't 100% effective.  You live with the guilt,
    whether its really anything to be "guilty" about or not.
     I have 9 cats now, and they are ALL immunized.  Cost or not, at least
    I'm trying to prevent such devastation from happening again.  $21
    sounds like a bargain compared to losing your loved ones, and having to
    watch them suffer.   My cats are "indoors" too, but someone germs seem
    to be able to find their way around.  FELV is actually getting to be
    quite common I guess.
    
                                        Denise

    I'll take the 85% effectiveness over alternative anyday.  The
    $84 is a one time expense. After that is just $42 every year
    to get the boosters.  That's $3.50 per month.  That seems a small
    price for the protection.  Its certainly cheaper than the cost
    for medical bills should one or both of them contract the disease
    and as others point out, if they should still contract FELV you
    can feel that you did all you could to prevent it.  What's that
    worth?
    
    My opinion also is to get the shots.
      Nancy DC