You know they say when it rains it pours..... I noticed that Max (the cat) has had really bad breath, which isn't normal for a cat. I also noticed he hasn't been eating very much so I knew he needed to see the vet. I took him in today to have him looked at and the vet noticed "sores" on the inside of his mouth. She couldn't get a really good look though b/c it's not easy to get a cat to open it's mouth! She told me she would need to do a mild sedation so she could see what was going on and to make sure there wasn't anything else still in the top of his mouth.
She called me about 30 minutes later to let me know it was not any bite or infection per say, he has Feline FIV. When he was there in March, he tested negative for this. Feline FIV is like Aids in humans. It's not contagious to humans, but the only way he got it would of been from a bite with another male, FIV positive cat. Since he wasn't positive when he was tested in March, it's probable that he go it from a cat around here. *sigh*. My guess would be the cats that just roam across the street b/c the neighbors allow them to breed and then just throw them outside.
Max had a temp of 104, he's lost 2.3 lbs and he was very dehydrated. They pumped him full of fluids, antibiotics and steriods. I also had them clip his nails while he was sedated (makes life a bit easier). She gave him a shot of long lasting antibiotics b/c there would be no way I would get anything into his mouth. The sores on the inside of his mouth are actually his lymphnodes. They are swollen and infected. It's very painful :(
She said some cats with FIV rarely have problems and live a full, long life. Some get flair ups from time to time and others just can't fight it off. We have to do our best to keep Max in the house since he can now infect other male cats. *sighs*. I bought him some can cat food hoping he might be able to eat something softer.
When I got him home, I let him out of the carrier in the bedroom, hoping it would provide him with some privacy and some time to get himself together. I didn't know how he would do since he had been mildly sedatated. He immediatly followed me out and laid on me. He was my shadow, literally! I was really surprised b/c I had taken him to have all those horrible things done to him. But I guess when you don't feel good, you'll take all the lovings you can get.
After a while, I put some of the can cat food into his bowl and brought it over to him. He literally attacked the bowl! I ended up moving him to his normal food area and allowing him to have his fill. He managed to lick most of the gravy and juices out of it. I don't think he ate a lot though. I mixed some more water into the gravy, hoping that it would help. It's a start though. I plan to get him some more can food and feed him some for the next couple of days until he can manage to eat the dry food again.
So 167 later, a FIV positive test, Max is home. If he isn't able to overcome this, I've decided I wont get another cat. I can't subject another cat to the issues that seem to happen around here. Even though I adopted a cat, took him to the vets to be checked out, get all his shots and make sure he's fixed, we still have to pay the high price. It just irks me. I also hate knowing that I have a cat that can potentially infect other male cats.
Ahh when it rains it pours. My poor Maximus Aurelius!
~danielle~
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