Sparta 'Mean Kitty' Diagnosticeret Med FeLV (og Et Indlæg Om At Leve Godt Med Feline Leukæmi)

2024 Forfatter: Daisy Haig | [email protected]. Sidst ændret: 2023-12-17 03:07

Har du mødt Sparta? Han er Sparta-kat af "Mean Kitty" berømmelse. Og uanset hvad du måtte tænke på det aggressive spil, ejer-kat-forhold bag denne internet-sensation, er det tydeligt, at Sparta er elsket …

… og nu er han også blevet diagnosticeret FeLV-positiv.

Dette indlæg er dedikeret til Sparta og hans ejere, der uden tvivl oplever hvirvel af følelser, som denne diagnose giver.

Nyhederne har også været hårde på hans fans. Når alt kommer til alt, har de fleste katteelskere forudfattede forestillinger om emnet med felint leukæmivirus:

Vi tester vores killinger, når de ankommer og venter med ventet ånde, da vores dyrlæge kører den rutinemæssige interne test for FeLV og FIV. Vi sukker lettelse, når dommen afsiges. Og vi sørger, når diagnosen er leveret.

Alligevel har de af os i sidstnævnte, misundelsesværdige position, der har valgt livsstien til vores elskede katte, ofte haft lejlighed til at gå ind for temaet om at leve godt med katte leukæmi.

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.