A story of love and loss ? remembering Dusty

My husband, Bob, and his family were never pet lovers. When Bob was young, he had an encounter with a large neighborhood dog resulting in a permanent fear of large dogs. His father also had tremendous disdain for stray dogs and cats and would actually shoot them when they wandered near the house.As you can imagine, Bob was extremely nervous that day he brought a veterinary student home to meet the parents. Wisely, he never told me about his father’s behavior before our meeting, and I found them to be very loving, giving people.Smokey, my 7-year-old tuxedo cat, was the “smoking” gun in winning over Bob’s parents. They fell in love with his regal appearance and cuddly nature, and soon became intrigued with the idea of a housecat. It wasn’t long before they were searching for a kitten of their own. A friend soon found them a male Siamese kitten with beautiful blue eyes that they named “Dusty.” Over the next two years, Dusty was your typical cat — mischievous, playful, handsome and pampered. He was a healthy, feisty feline.One weekend while visiting Bob’s parents, I noticed Dusty was not himself and he was limping significantly on a rear leg. I recommended that they take Dusty to their veterinarian as soon as possible.Later that week, Bob’s parents phoned to inform us that Dusty had been euthanized. Sadly, Dusty had cancer in his back leg as well as his abdomen caused by the feline leukemia virus (FeLV). They were devastated to have lost their cat so unexpectedly. FeLV is a blood retrovirus that afflicts only cats. The virus is shed in high numbers in saliva and nasal secretions, as well as urine and feces from infected cats. Virus transfer can occur through biting, grooming and possibly through sharing of water and food dishes. It may also be passed to kittens from an infected mother. Dusty was a strictly indoor cat, so he most likely contracted the FeLV as a kitten from his mother.Veterinarians are able to test for the FeLV. Results may be obtained in about 10 minutes. It is recommended that all cats be tested for FeLV. Regrettably, Dusty never was when he was a kitten.Signs that your cat may be infected with the feline leukemia virus include a poor appetite, weight loss, chronic infections (such as upper respiratory infections), oral disease, vomiting and diarrhea. However, in many cases cats will exhibit no symptoms at all, like Dusty, until it is too late. There are two stages of disease associated with FeLV. In the first, the cat mounts an effective immune response and clears the virus from the blood. This is why your veterinarian may recommend retesting every three months. In the second stage, the virus spreads to the bone marrow and other vital organs. These cats will be infected for the remainder of their lives.After contracting the leukemia virus, the average survival time for a cat is only two to three years. The virus causes suppression of the immune system, leaving cats susceptible to secondary infections and intestinal and blood parasites. The best chance of survival for a FeLV positive cat is to keep it indoors to reduce exposure to diseases, feed a good-quality food, and visit a veterinarian regularly. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cats infected with FeLV.An even greater concern is the risk of transmission of the virus to other cats. Infected cats should be kept strictly indoors, preferentially in a single-cat household, and kept separate from any uninfected cats living in the house with them. Sharing of food/water dishes and litter pans should be avoided. A vaccine is available for uninfected cats, but no vaccine is 100 percent protective. Therefore, the best protection you can offer your cat is prevention of exposure. People cannot contract FeLV but are at risk for the secondary parasites infected cats may carry. The greatest concern is for very young, older or immune-compromised individuals.As for Bob’s parents, they learned a great deal about the love and loss of a beloved pet. Thankfully, they didn’t allow the situation to deter them from finding companionship in another feline friend. I found them a tuxedo cat who they named “Sylvester.” He is every bit the cuddly, lovable cat they had always hoped for.Dr. April Shattuck is the first associate veterinarian to join Drs. John and Bonnie Jones at Delphos Animal Hospital. She is a 2004 graduate from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine practicing in small and large animal medicine. Dr. April is the proud owner of two cats, Smokey and Bandit and a fuzzy Pomeranian named Corky. You may direct any questions, comments or stories to her at dr.april@gmail.com.