jla@inuxd.UUCP (Joyce Andrews) (02/14/85)
Some more information on Feline Leukemia, with a very interesting aside appeared in the Sunday Indianapolis Star with a Scrips-Howard byline. I repeat part of it, without permission, like they do in net.jokes. "The vaccine, called Leukocell, was discovered by Dr. Richard Olson, a researcher in the pathobiology department at Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine. "His work is considered a major breakthrough in cancer-related viruses and, according to a Norden spokesman, is the only known vaccine for any type of cancer that afflicts animals or humans. "'We first started on the project over a decade ago.' Olson said. 'We developed the vaccine in the late '70's and the Norden folks, themselves, have been getting ready for USDA approval and production for four years.' "Norden's testing showed the vaccine to be 80 percent effective in cats that had been vaccinated and then infected with the virus. 'That was a tough challenge test,' said Olson. 'I believe that probably, in a household situation, it will be 100 percent effective.' "Although feline leukemia virus, which is highly contagious, is not known to be transmittable to humans, Olson's work could lead to similar breakthroughs in human T-cell cancer research. 'I think this is one of the major interests of the National Cancer Institute,' Olson said. "'As far as I'm concerned, it's a miracle,' said Dr. Thomas Dickerson, a veterinarian, who has been involved in field-testing the vaccine. 'In my practice alone, I see three or four cases of feline leukemia a month. Cat owners should understand that Leukocell cannot cure feline leukemia, it can only prevent it. If the virus is already present, the vaccine is of no value.' "Feline leukemia virus weakens a cat's immune systems in somewhat the same way as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) does the human immune system, reducing its ability to fight infection." .... The rest of the article stated facts that have already been mentioned in this newsgroup. So--has the veterinary world achieved the first real breakthrough in cancer prevention?
larryg@teklds.UUCP (Larry Gardner) (02/15/85)
I have not been following this issue very closely because I thought it was still in the research stages. But yesterday I got a letter from my vet saying they have a limited amout of this vaccine available and so they are offering it to their preferred customers. (I should be one with two dogs and a cat; especially since my one dog had twelve puppies!) Anyway, is anyone else getting to have their cats vaccinated, and are there any cons to this? karen
tc@amd.UUCP (Tom Crawford) (04/17/85)
I took the cat that lives at my house in for his annual shots yesterday and the vet told me about a vaccine for feline leukemia. They take a blood sample (to test for leukemia first) and then it is a series of three shots spread out over about 3 months. Costs $85 for the series at my vets. The vet said that the vaccine works and so I signed up for it. Anybody had any experience with this? I have had experience with cats dying of feline leukimia and it wasn't a whole lot of fun for anyone involved. Tom Crawford' ...amdcad!amd!tc
bjc@drutx.UUCP (CampbellBJ) (08/27/85)
It sounds like your vet didn't explain that it is not at all unusual
for a cat to have one or more of the following side effects after
a FLV:
1. depressed appetite;
2. upchucking shortly after the shot;
3. soreness (because the shot is in the muscle), resulting in
somewhat reduced activities for up to a couple of days
afterwards, etc.
My two cats (2 yrs. and 9 yrs.) came thru with only slightly reduced
activities for about 24 hours after each shot. (not to mention the
pain caused by the car ride :-). One came home and immediately
headed for the food dish, so it wasn't too bad. I also have one
more round to go (yipee - i just love to hear them exercising their
lungs in the car - especially my siamese!)