Cardiomyopathy questions

[blaise]

Ah, maybe he said FIV?

Originally Posted by gothicangel69

I think that was it. Something about an autoimmune disease or something???

I would say, then, that he probably said FIV because, as Kai Bengals said, there is no test for FIP.

Still, with FIV, a test (and, such exists) at best, will only reveal if Mufasa has been exposed to the FIV virus...it cannot confirm if he has FIV. It is only an antibody test (to see if his immune system has been exposed and "recognizes" FIV). That recognition might come fom "simple" exposure to the virus, or from the cat having been vaccinated against FIV. Now, the FeLV test looks for antigens which are "pieces" of the actual virus - which would actually confirm the presence of FeLV in his system. These two tests are combined into one, called the SNAP test. It's relatively inexpensive - and, really should be done on our cats.

Now should a cat test positive with the SNAP test, a second and different follow-up test is required to confirm/deny that the cat is actually infected with FIV (this is the "Western blot" test).

(If you want to find out about FIV, this article is, IMO, quite descriptive. You couls also have a read here.

You're wondering about the Vet....just from what you've described, I'm impressed. I'm impressed because he spent the time with you that you needed to understand all of this. I'm impressed because you've come away from there being able to explain all of that to us - which, to me, says that he has done that part of his job exceptionally well. And, I'm impressed with his methological approach to diagnosis. Yes, I believe he knows what he's talking about. If it were me, I'd keep him!

If it were me (I). I'd opt for the Xray and the FeLV/FIV Snap test to begin with. (I am simply a strong believer that all of our cats should receive that, for a myriad of reasons - in your case it may temporarily relieve the need for the CBC panel.) The CBC - Complete Blood Count - could probably wait for now. (I've had a CBC done on all my cats while they're young and healthy, just so that I/we have a "baseline" on which to judge any possible future changes.) If you want to understand more about bloodwork, this link to WSU College of Veternary Medecine is a superb summary of the CBC testing/meaning.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by BLAISE

If you want to understand more about bloodwork, this link to WSU College of Veternary Medecine is a superb summary of the CBC testing/meaning.

I'd have more faith in a site if they were able to spell "Veterinary Medicine". I didn't even bother to click on the link because I wouldn't take advice from a supposed professional if they cannot even spell the name of their profession.

 

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I'd have more faith in a site if they were able to spell "Veterinary Medicine". I didn't even bother to click on the link because I wouldn't take advice from a supposed professional if they cannot even spell the name of their profession.

Oh, Yosmite! You've mistaken my typo for a mistake on Washington State University's official web site!

Hardly a reason to avoid the site...unless, of course, it's internet-phoebia at work

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by BLAISE

Oh, Yosmite! You've mistaken my typo for a mistake on Washington State University's official web site!

Hardly a reason to avoid the site...unless, of course, it's internet-phoebia at work

Then I must apologize - I didn't realize it was just a typo on your part. As I said, if I came across something like that and saw that sort of spelling error I would avoid the site not so much as a phobia but more of a waste of my time, i.e., the time for my slow computer to open the link, and my time reading something that I was suspicious of from the spelling error in the first place.

 

[mews2much]

As they all said there is no fip test that you can trust. They belive my Yoshi had fip but it was never proven because they can get false pos. I could have found out for sure after he died but didnt. There is a fiv test though. There is another thing that can cause anemia also. When my Stripe had Crf she was always anemia and needed procrit shots. I would do what this vet says.