Sparta 'Mean Kitty' Diagnostisert Med FeLV (og Et Innlegg Om å Leve Godt Med Feline Leukemi)

2024 Forfatter: Daisy Haig | [email protected]. Sist endret: 2023-12-17 03:12

Har du møtt Sparta? Han er Sparta-katten av "Mean Kitty" berømmelse. Og uansett hva du måtte tenke deg om det aggressive spillet, eier-katt-forholdet bak denne Internett-sensasjonen, er det klart Sparta er godt elsket …

… og nå har han også fått diagnosen FeLV-positiv.

Dette innlegget er viet Sparta og hans eiere, som uten tvil opplever virvel av følelser denne diagnosen gir.

Nyhetene har også vært tøffe for fansen hans. Tross alt har de fleste katteelskere forutinntatte forestillinger om emnet med felint leukemivirus:

Vi tester kattungene våre når de ankommer, og venter med ventet åndedrag mens veterinæren kjører den rutinemessige interne testen for FeLV og FIV. Vi puster lettet ut når dommen blir avsagt. Og vi sørger når diagnosen leveres.

Likevel har de av oss i sistnevnte, misunnelsesverdige stilling som har valgt livsstien for våre elskede katter, ofte hatt anledning til å gå inn for temaet om å leve godt med katteleukemi.

feline leukemia can be devastating…but it’s not always. many of my patients live normal feline lifespans despite the clutches of felv. and many more may live undiagnosed, feral lives…without symptoms of this virus’s immunological tyranny.

indeed, the feline leukemia virus is by no means a death sentence for all. sure, if your kitty’s sick and tests positive, too, we might express serious reservations about your cat’s long-term comfort. but if a routine screen screams in hues of blue, an increasing percentage of veterinarians will now urge you to consider the possibility of a full and happy life.

here’s the american association of feline practitioners (aafp) emphatic statement on this:

“retrovirus-positive cats may live many years without related illness. a decision about euthanasia should not be made based on a positive test alone.”

truth is, the more we know about feline leukemia the less it seems we know. but we do know one thing: felv is survivable in many cases. an unpredictable blip in its interaction with the feline immune system can mean a lifetime of freedom from symptoms…while another means chronic illness…and yet another leads to cancers.

and, further, it appears that nothing a veterinarian can do will affect this outcome--not in the long-run, anyway. it’s all up to the vagaries of their mysterious feline immunology.

so here’s a shout-out to sparta, whose legions of admirers have rushed to his virtual bedside to chat him up and check on his progress. we hope your family makes the choice that’s best for you and for everyone in your household. we know it’s a tough road, but we also know they’ll consider all your options for a happy, healthy life with felv.