Comments on: Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:39:56 +0000

Betty, I am so sorry. That’s an awful lot to deal with all at once.

Depending on how sick your cats are, they may need more support than just Clavamox. I understand that resources are an issue. If you click through on the link below, you’ll find a list of organizations that may be able to help with veterinary expenses. Talk to your vet as well – many vets are willing to work with clients in terms of setting up payment arrangements. See if your humane society can help out. There are always options, it’s just hard to see them when you’re in the thick of it the way you are.

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html

By: Betty

Betty — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:45:31 +0000

Ingrid, I hate myself at this point (almost severely depressed). Back in December 2011 our So MS Humane Society had a fire. I opted to help one of the sick cats with an URI. I told them I was worried about the five cats I had at home. They told me it would be just fine and I kept them Isolated from the others. This past weekend the sneezes began (still isolated). All of my cats are ill and the shelter cat seems just fine in its room in a kennel. I am sickened that my life one month ago was challenging enough and then this. I have them all on Clavomox now BUT with six cats the expense is outrageous. I have an extremely small home that was partially rebuilt after losing it to Katrina (no sympathy card here it happens just explaining). I have a 14 yr daughter who threatens if I put them down she will hate me. I have to work as a single parent from her birth, and it is taking an hour and a half to prep all six (the one in the kennel too) twice a day. I have to keep my job which I am always late now. I wish I would have never brought this cat into my home. I am sorry but true. I am sickened and cannot understand how this can happen. Do you have any suggestions in helping my others survive this trial. I am not sure how much more I can take as my child is very selfish and thinks I am overeacting and has never helped me in general so I am on my wits end and I am very serious and I am not joking. I am scared I fear that they need more help. I am trying though,but need help with this. Any advise besides going to a shrink?

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:13:57 +0000

Thanks, Mike. I’m sorry for your loss, too. I’m hoping for a good report from you after you get the biopsy results this week.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:26:54 +0000

Thanks- I was a little worried when I read your cat had the same symptoms- the coughing- yet clear X-rays. Guess we’ll see. I just lost her brother 6 months ago to kidney disease. As they were trying to fix that it turned out he had a bad heart to there wasn’t anything that could be done. So I understand your loss and am very sorry for it.

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:08:24 +0000

I’m sorry to hear your cat is having such a hard time. Since they found an actual mass on her larynx, I’m guessing it’s something else and not VS/FCV, especially if you’re not seeing any of the other symptoms generally associated with the virulent form of the virus. I know the waiting is hard, and it certainly couldn’t hurt to ask whether your vet thinks it could be calici. Best wishes to your cat for a quick recover, whatever it may be!

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:51:59 +0000

Wow, interesting to read this. I am going through similar symptoms with my cat. She started gagging every so often on Christmas night and making some murmuring noises and now even snoring. I took her to the vet her lung Xray was clear. She continued to gag another day so I took her back he recommended me to a specialist. They found a small mass on her larynx and then did a CT scan but found nothing else. Now waiting for the Biopsy results which are supposed to come in January 3rd,2012 meanwhile she is still gagging especially after she eats. The vet thinks it may just be a Trauma as he said he saw some blood in the tissue he biopsied. Should I call him and tell him that he should check for Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus? I hate this waiting game – and I just want to make her better and be sure that this waiting isn’t costing us time

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:49:00 +0000

I’m so sorry about your kittens, Doreen. You’re in a very tough position, and my heart goes out to you.

As I’m sure you know, it’s not unusual for kittens to have chronic URI’s, and just because they can’t clear the virus doesn’t necessarily mean that they have the virulent form of the calici virus. The following link provides one of the most thorough explanations of the virulent form of the virus: http://sheltermedicine.com/shelter-health-portal/information-sheets/feline-calicivirus-virulent-systemic-feline-calicivirus-vs-

I honestly don’t know what I would do if I were in your situation. I’m pretty sure that I couldn’t choose euthanasia, but at the same time, I’d worry about the older cat. I’d probably get another veterinary opinion to start with. Perhaps it’ll provide some additional information you don’t have yet that will help you make the next decision.

By: Doreen

Doreen — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:38:29 +0000

Please give me guidance…
I have a healthy 2nd old cat. Two months ago I adopted two kittens from a breeder. While I kept these kittens in quarantine I observed that they just weren’t clearing the URI they came with.
I had a blood test done, came back neg. for FIP/FIV. I also had a PCR done which came back positive for: Bordetella, Calici and Mycroplasma.
I have been advised by my vet to return them to the breeder, it now appears that this breeder will not answer my efforts to contact him. The other option is to “put them down”. My question to you
is: If these were your kittens, what would you do?
Thankyou, I am so in love with these two little guys I just can think straight!

By: Coping with unexpected loss: a personal journey | The Conscious Cat

Coping with unexpected loss: a personal journey | The Conscious Cat — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:41:51 +0000

[...] had to let Amber go after a brief, sudden illness last May, I wasn’t prepared for the depth of my grief. It hadn’t even been a year and [...]

By: Ron

Ron — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:41:48 +0000

Thank you for your kind words! We are putting together a photo book and our fun memories of Sunshine so we can go back from time to time and remember specifics. Thank you again.

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:34:54 +0000

I’m so sorry about Sunshine, Ron – my heart goes out to you and your wife. From your description of her disease progression, it’s certainly possible that it was VS-FCV. It’s almost a year after Amber died, and I’m still second-guessing myself over whether we did enough, whether I stopped care too soon, whether she would have survived if I had gotten her to the vet’s sooner. I know better – these kinds of questions are not helping anything, but I think they’re an inevitable part of the grieving process. In the end, I think I made the right decision by letting her go. It’s what she would have wanted.

For you, the loss is still so fresh and raw, it’ll take some time for you to come to terms with it. I hope that you, too, can eventually feel at peace with your decision. Be gentle with yourself, it’s such a difficult time.