weak positive feline leukemia test

Hello eveyone. I realise that there are a lot of threads on feline leukemia out there but I couldn' t find one talking about a weak positive test results. Let me tell you about a wonderful young cat (3.5 years old, lets call him big head) that has come into my life. First I rescued a 7 month old and then followed up 3 weeks later with with Big Head. BH had tons of fleas, tape worms and a urinary tract infection when i got him. The woman who was able to trap him took him to a vet to have him checked out and at the time that is what they found out. I got him several days later and started caring for him and took him to a vet a month later for a follow up for all his ailments and to have him also get the rest of his shots. He has been, for the most part, been hiding in the diningroom built in hutch. The 2 cats have been for the most part in different parts of my apartment. I haven't really had them together because BH was so scared he just wanted to hide. The younger cat would hiss at the older cat so I was just waiting till BH came out of hiding. Even though they lived together before and the younger would follow BH around he now was not being nice to him therefore we have been calling him "The Brute". Well thats it for the general history lesson. A day later my vet calls me and lets me know that he tested a weak positive for feline leukemia and that we will test him in another 3 months.I have a friend that is a vet and he doesn't think it very likely that he will fight it off.

Is there anything I can do to help him fight this off? I' m going to give him bottle water and some vitamins a friend is sending over. Anything else to help him fight this off? Thank you for your help.

FeLV is fatal.  He may not have it ,however I would keep him separated from your other cat. 

Riley1 said:

 
FeLV is fatal.

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This reminded me of a favorite quote: Life is a fatal, sexually transmitted disease.  

It helps me put things into perspective when I look at it that way   

Thank you. Both cats came from the same household. I got one (Beezle AKA The Brute 8 months old) first from a co-worker and then got Weezer (AKA Wiz, Big Head 3.5 years old) about 3-4 weeks later. He is the one that the doctor said is weak positive. Must be the same as inconclusive,that's why we are testing him in 3 months. They were both inside/outside cats but I gather Big Head was outside more than in. I'll probably get Beezle checked again to be safe. I ran into a vet in a store and she overheard me taking about him and suggested probiotics. Not sure what they are. Haven't had a chance to look that up. Right now I'm trying to keep the cats apart and make sure he is happy. Any other suggestions are helpful. Thank you for the web sites. Some i haven't seen yet.

Best,
Richard

Like the quote. So very true.

Here is Big Head. All muscle, no fat!

What a dashing kitty!  I love that unique spot on his nose.  Just in case it wasn't clear, the IFA test will tell you immediately if he's positive.  It would save all that waiting and wondering.

If that is the case why does my vet want to wait? He said there is a chance he can fight this off. Not great perhaps but a chance. I guess it's at stage 1 right now and not in the bone which it seems there is no chance.

He is a rather handsom boy and very sold. He has been hiding and just started coming out for me. Well, he likes me to be there when he eats so I'm waiting and fall asleep on the sofa. I wake up and he is sleeping on my chest. A very gentle soul.

If that is the case why does my vet want to wait? He said there is a chance he can fight this off. Not great perhaps but a chance. I guess it's at stage 1 right now and not in the bone which it seems there is no chance.

He is a rather handsom boy and very sold. He has been hiding and just started coming out for me. Well, he likes me to be there when he eats so I'm waiting and fall asleep on the sofa. I wake up and he is sleeping on my chest.

lorimer71 said:

If that is the case why does my vet want to wait? He said there is a chance he can fight this off. Not great perhaps but a chance. I guess it's at stage 1 right now and not in the bone which it seems there is no chance.

He is a rather handsom boy and very sold. He has been hiding and just started coming out for me. Well, he likes me to be there when he eats so I'm waiting and fall asleep on the sofa. I wake up and he is sleeping on my chest.

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I'm no expert, but I think the prognosis is much better if the test is inconclusive.  I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Big Head bounced back from this and tested negative at a future date.  

The IFA test can't be performed in-house, it has to be sent to a third party lab, so maybe your vet thinks he might as well spare you additional expense?  I can't really answer that question; you'd have to ask him for his rationale.  Some people want that confirmation so they can start pursuing courses of treatment, but there's nothing wrong with waiting for a follow-up ELISA test.  It's a very personal choice.  

Thank you. I do trust my vet. He was wonderful with my first cat. Poor thing got lymphoma and died within the month at only 8 years old. I've never had to put an animal down before and I adored that cat (see photo near name). I'm hoping for the best for my new family member.

I have a sad story about these tests. My sister fell on hard times and had tto move to where they couldn't have pets and needed to give up a female 2 year old unspayed cat to the animal shelter. She paid $100 towards the adoption/medical expenses in hopes that would make the cat more adoptable. Zoe was a gorgeous part Siamese cat. Apparently though the animal shelter said she got a positive felv test result and tried to contact my sister (but could not because she had switched phones when she moved). So they euthanized the cat. When my sister found out (going to the shelter to check on the cat), she was devastated. She was told the animal shelter has to use a cheaper test that sometimes includes false positives. Had she known she would have paid for the more accurate test in a heartbeat. Her cat had recently had a litter of kittens 3 months before and my sister (who gave them to friends) was able to round up three to take to a vet to have tested for felv since it's considered highly contagious between mother and kitten. On the more accurate test, they ALL tested negative.

My point is maybe the vet isn't using the most accurate test. A faint positive is enough to want to find out one way or another before a while 3 months pass, especially since you have another cat and felv can be transmitted if they happen to find their way to each other and share water or whatnot. You really need to know . I'd make sure it was the most sensitive test and also have them retest asap.  Best wishes. I hope it was a false faint positive!!

O.K. here we go. My cat Big went to the vet 3 months ago and had weak positive on the SNAP test. Doctor suggested waiting 3 months to see if his system could fight it off. 3 months later I take him in for another SNAP test. This also came back weak positive. A lab tech did the test so I made sure they took enough blood so they could send it out for a IFA test. My vet didn't think it necessary to do this since the first 2 were positive, although faint. But i wanted to be sure. This test came back negative. Vet wants to wait 6 months to see what happens and then send out test again to 2 different labs. All a little confusing from what I have read. What does everybody think.

I would also like to thank everybody for their help. Sonnyvincent, your story is very sad. I wish there was a little more thought and kindness out there. Euthanizing a cat may be what is necessary in many cases but it seems to some it is the only direction to go. *Sigh*
Best,
Richard