| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name
 | Date | Lines | 
|---|
| 3781.1 | Condolences with memories of another FIP victim -Gaffe | CSC32::W_AMES | I don't KNOW where Tinkerbell is! | Tue Jul 10 1990 04:18 | 20 | 
|  |     I can truly empathize.  My first kitten, Gaffe, was about 3 or 4 months
    old when we decided to put him to sleep because of FIP.  The X-rays
    that were taken looked awful!!  
    
    My step-mother worked for a vet and that is where we got him.  He was
    taken in because the people who had him didn't want him.  He started
    out like he had a cold and the people didn't want a kitten with a cold.
    
    My oldest male cat (Dogger - my favorite) makes me wonder if The Gaffer
    would have looked like him (Dogger) when he was a year old. 
    Unfortunately, no one will ever know.  
    
    Even as I type this, the tears are starting to well up in my eyes and
    it's been almost 4 years.  I guess you never get over something like
    this.  
    
    My condolences and sympathies, I know what you are going thru.
    
    -Wendy, Dogger, Peppare, Pisces & Trouble-
      
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| 3781.2 |  | CSC32::W_AMES | I don't KNOW where Tinkerbell is! | Tue Jul 10 1990 04:22 | 5 | 
|  |     I'm usually a read-only but with something like this coming so close to
    my heart I just can't hold back.
    
    -Wendy-
    
 | 
| 3781.3 | So sorry | WILLEE::MERRITT |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 08:12 | 7 | 
|  |     My condolences to Tomba and family.  It is so hard to go through
    this with our little love ones...hopefully time will heal.
    
    My sympathy goes to all of you.
    
    Sandy (Tamba, Poco, and Barkley)
    
 | 
| 3781.4 | Some info on FIP testing | ESIS::FEASE | Andrea Midtmoen Fease | Tue Jul 10 1990 08:15 | 21 | 
|  |     John,
    
         My deepest sympathies.  My cats, Bigfoot and Loki, both test high
    positive for FIP (2000:1 to 4000:1), and we are very fearful that they
    will develop the virus.  It has been two years, though, since they
    started testing positive and we've been lucky that they haven't
    developed the symptoms yet.
    
         In fact when I took them to Tufts for their annuals last week, the
    vet said that she didn't want to test them for FIP.  Seems that the
    tests themselves are now very inconclusive; the tests that Tufts does
    almost always come out positve, while the tests that are sent out on
    exactly the same samples come out negative.  She has a cat with a high
    FIP titer too whom she used to test every month, but she has since
    stopped testing her kitty until a better test comes out.
    
         Again, I'm so sorry about Tom.  As time passes, the memories of
    the good times will become stronger.
    
    					- Andrea
                                        
 | 
| 3781.5 |  | FSHQA2::RKAGNO |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 08:51 | 10 | 
|  |     My condolensces too.  I also agree with Andrea about the titer tests. 
    They can be very inconclusive.
    
    I have watched 3 friends of mine lose their beloved cats to FIP, and it
    was just heartbreaking.  Tomba knows how much you loved him; take
    comfort in Zachary now.  He will help you through this painful time.
    
    Take care,
    Roberta
    
 | 
| 3781.6 | Big gentle hugs from New Hampshire | OFFPLS::SPINGLER |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 08:52 | 13 | 
|  |     
    John,
    
    Thank you for sharing your sad experience with us.  Our hearts go out
    to you in your loss.  Tomba was lucky to have you and your family to
    make his life happy and comfortable, no matter how short.
    
    It is so hard to lose the little ones.   :-(
    
    Feline Sad,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
                                 
 | 
| 3781.7 | I am so sorry | PROSE::GOGOLIN |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 09:02 | 6 | 
|  |     How very sad. I weep with you.
    
    Tomba was well loved and cared for. You gave him your best and I'm
    sure he knew it.
    
    Linda
 | 
| 3781.8 |  | SANDY::FRASER | Never try to outstubborn a cat. | Tue Jul 10 1990 09:23 | 8 | 
|  | 
	John - we're so sorry to hear about Tomba.  Our hearts and our
	sympathies go out to you.  Take comfort in the knowledge that
	you gave him love that he might not ever have experienced.
	Sandy
	Smudge, Tas, Jenny, C.C. and Beau
 | 
| 3781.9 |  | XNOGOV::LISA |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 09:32 | 4 | 
|  |     I am so sorry.
    
    Lisa plus Pookie and Rolf.
    
 | 
| 3781.10 |  | CIRCUS::KOLLING | Karen/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca. | Tue Jul 10 1990 13:01 | 4 | 
|  |     We are very sorry,
    
    Karen, Sweetie, Holly, and Little Bit
    
 | 
| 3781.11 |  | SAGE::MITCHELL_V |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 13:15 | 4 | 
|  |     
    John, sorry to hear about Tomba.  Remember the good times.  
    
    Val & Rusty
 | 
| 3781.12 |  | WR2FOR::CORDESBRO_JO | set home/cat_max=infinity | Tue Jul 10 1990 13:15 | 34 | 
|  |     I am very sorry about your loss.  FIP is a horrible disease.  It
    is being studied though, and hopefully one day we will be blessed
    with a worthy test for it, and maybe a vaccine.  The Morris Animal
    Foundation is currently funding a study on FIP, and for now, that
    is where my donation dollars are going.  FIP kills thousands of
    cats each year.  It is probably the second biggest killer of cats,
    behind being hit by cars.
    
    I agree that the titer test is not the best test for FIP.  A cat
    can have a titer that is considered positive, but not develop the
    disease.  By the same token, a cat can have a titer that is considered
    negative, and still die of the disease.  Some vets are starting
    to try and treat FIP cats with steroids in an attempt to supress
    the cat's immune system a bit, since it is thought that FIP develops
    when the cat's immune system overreacts to the virus.  It is thought
    that the virus is present in the air, and that all cats are exposed
    to it.  The problem is finding out why some cats die and others
    do not.
    
    I have started doing full blood panels instead of running titer
    tests on my cats.  FIP cats will usually* have an elevated white
    count, and an elevated blood protein level.  They can also have
    abnormal kidney or liver function values.  To me, this information
    is more valuable than the titer test.    
    
    Losing a cat to FIP is so painful because you feel so helpless.
    With no good test, no vaccine, no treatment, and no cure, there
    is not much that you can do but hold your baby in your arms and
    comfort him.  Let's hope that that changes soon.
    
    *FIP can take many forms, and affect many different things, so you
    really shouldn't make generalizations like I made here.  :^)
    
    Jo
 | 
| 3781.13 |  | JJLIET::JUDY | No room for the innocent | Tue Jul 10 1990 16:03 | 9 | 
|  |     
    	re: John,
    
    	So sorry to hear about Tomba.
    
    	Take care.
    
    	JJ 
    
 | 
| 3781.14 | So sorry! | NATASH::ANDERSON |  | Tue Jul 10 1990 16:27 | 8 | 
|  |     How sad....you must miss Tomba so much.
    
    Please accept my deepest sympathies - my heart goes out to you!
    
    Marilyn, Otis, Tiffany & Sam
    
    
    
 | 
| 3781.15 |  | CRUISE::NDC | Putiput Scottish Folds - DTN: 297-2313 | Wed Jul 11 1990 08:14 | 7 | 
|  |     Our condolences also.
    
    I have added both Tomba and Gaffe to the Silver Lining Memorial
    List (see 2228 for details).  Since I haven't sent out the Q4
    gift yet I added them to that list.  If you would prefer I put
    them on the Q1 FY91 list just let me know via Email.
      Nancy DC
 | 
| 3781.16 |  | FRAGLE::PELUSO | PAINTS; color your corral | Wed Jul 11 1990 08:17 | 4 | 
|  |     
    
    	We're sorry to hear about Tomba too......Michele and Nippa
    
 | 
| 3781.17 | Sorry | MSBCS::HEATHER |  | Wed Jul 11 1990 10:27 | 6 | 
|  |     John,
      So very sorry to hear of your loss - Tomba will always hold a special
    place in your heart.  Take care.
    
    Heather + Muff,Oscar,Pandora + Cocoa
    
 | 
| 3781.18 |  | CSCOA5::MCFARLAND_D | bo knows windows 3.0...? | Mon Jul 16 1990 00:14 | 7 | 
|  |     john...
    
    we send our condolences, too.  at least you made tomba's life as good
    as you possibly could, in the short time he was allowed...
    
    diane, stella & stanley
    
 | 
| 3781.19 | Condolences.... | BOOVX2::MANDILE |  | Mon Jul 16 1990 13:22 | 4 | 
|  |     Re .18 - Ditto from
    
    
    Lynne, Casey, B.K., Rusty & Pepper
 | 
| 3781.20 | Sorry... | SA1794::DOWSEYK | Kirk Dowsey 243-2440 | Tue Jul 17 1990 15:40 | 7 | 
|  |     	So sorry to hear of your loss. I well know what you went through.
    Last December I lost Lucky to FIP. In Luckys case he started with
    FLV, then along came the FIP, from then on it was all downhill. It
    is such an ordeal, a few good days and you get your hopes up, then
    it gets worse, then the whole cycle starts over.
    
    	Kirk
 |