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Old July 7th, 2012, 03:28 PM
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RUSTYcat RUSTYcat is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Le rocher
Posts: 404
Hi Jarvis1 and welcome to the Forum!

I don't know a better word to describe you than hero! It is so very heartening to read of rescue stories like this...good on you!

Feedback on your post? I think you're covering most of the bases. I didn't "get" what you meant by the italicized part here
Quote:
I looked at some of the older related posts on this, though none seemed to have his location issue
..."location"???

One point: you posted "prednisone". With cats, it's prednisolone that should be used - if you need a reference, just ask.

The only other issue that resonates with me is the whole issue of dealing with FIV. My second cat had FeLV, and it was only after his passing that I learned of all the specialized online resources which I could have availed of - in particular, that there are specialized online support groups where guardians of cats with chronic diseases/conditions gather to share experience, information, developments and practical advice. If only I had known about them...I am convinced that my kitty would not have passed when he did, before his time. The collective experience of these groups far outstrips that of anyone's individual Vet. I can assure you that, if I had a FIV kitty today, I would be involved with such a group/s.

There are three separate groups I'm aware of that have FIV as their focus. From my own bookmarks, here they are:

First, the home page of the newest group http://www.fivtherapy.com/index.htm There, you'll find an intro and description of their online support group http://www.fivtherapy.com/fiv_healthforum.htm (active since 2006) and the group itself is here
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/fiv-healthscience/


The original online group founded in 2003: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/F...ec=group&slk=2

The third, active since 2005: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/F...ec=group&slk=3

I suspect that there are people who belong to all three.


About the EGC...

One of my guys had an episode of EGC....it came 'out of the blue', was treated, disappeared quickly and has not returned. Before, during and after the episode absolutely nothing in his environment had changed...that means that no food allergy, no plastic dishes, none of the known common allergens were involved. His was an episode of unknown origin and, to someone who has a good understanding of EGC, that is a very common occurrence. (My own advice would be that you not lose any sleep looking for/trying to identify an allergen....it may well have been something transient. And, remember, it may be associated with the FIV and, as well, transient.) There's an excellent coverage of all this on a well-respected site, MarVistaVet: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/eosi...granuloma.html


Here's a quote from Dr. Lee, our resident Veterinarian, that you might find helpful
Quote:
One note on the steroid. While I am not a steroid fan, with EGC the steroid injection can in some cases permanently resolve the situation. I am treating a cat with that right now. My protocol, besides allergy treatment and food change, is depo-medrol injections. We are going to use one to three injections only. If that doesn't work, then we will use other options. Depo-medrol is not my favorite drug, and does present risks for diabetes, kidney disease, etc... however when employing them on a single or limited basis, the benefits may outweight the risks.

The following an excerpt from Wendy Brooks D.V.M., D.A.B.V.P. from a EGC client handout, "In most cases the eosinophilic granuloma responds to cortisone derivatives though often an aggressive regimen must be used. Typically an injection of long acting corticosteroid (such as Depomedrol) is given every 2 weeks until the lesion is gone or for three injections whichever comes first.

Most eosinophilic granulomas resolve with one injection but some are refractory and will not resolve until antibiotics are used. Some are more refractory still and require more exotic treatments." http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42431
If I were to deal with EGC in a FIV+ kitty, I would be taking the issue to people in the support groups for sure.

(Just ask if you'd like the other FIV links I have bookmarked - they come with no guarantee and will need to be evaluated. They did appear to have some value at the time I collected them.)
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