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Ringworm

missy

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I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this @missy. I’ve just started reading your thread but don’t have much to contribute. Please don’t feel guilty, you’re doing everything you can and more. Those cats are lucky to have you and Greg.

I worked in a vet clinic in my early 20’s until I developed severe asthma. I absolutely loved it however sometimes it was very heartbreaking. I would cry along with the owners.

Please don’t forget to take care of yourself as well.

Thank you @Weecam, that is very kind of you. Life is heartbreaking for sure and with animals especially so because their life span is so much shorter than humans. Crying is something I do often these days. Much more often than ever before. But I do not get any sweet release with my tears because there is no end in sight. Thank you for your compassion. And I am sorry your asthma became so severe and prevented you from continuing your good work with the animals. Hope you are feeling well now.
 

missy

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HI:

This sucks big time. Poor furries and peoples.:( Me despises ringworms:evil:

healing vibes across the miles

Thank you dear Sharon and sending you big hugs. I despite ringworms too. More than I can adequately express. Let's just say I hate ringworm and I don't hate many things but yup ringworm is at the top of my list right now.
 

missy

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Kitty update:

All the cats are getting worse. As in chunks of hair loss spreading down their necks and legs and face. This is surreal. I called our local vet and she said it is a frustrating disease. I called my sister who said her boss lets ringworm run its course in these difficult cases which means 9 months to a year and most likely the cats (with the exception of Fred) will probably fight it off on their own. It could take a full year (and that is if we are lucky and our cats immune system works to fight it off on their own).

You can imagine how I am feeling at this point in time. 3 weeks of treatment and somehow our cats are all still getting worse. And we are doing everything we can short of bathing them. We cannot bathe them. Not these cats. They are already quite traumatized and that hurts their immune system too so we are at the point of diminishing returns. And not sure if we can survive 9 months to a year on a maybe at that. That is the update. It sucks.

And the cats are all incredibly upset with all the meds etc. I thought Tommy was going to be OK but his chunks of hair are beginning to fall at an alarming rate. He was our tough and strong kitty and now he is in it deep.

Greg gave Fred Sub Q fluids yesterday (Debbie said every other day is safe) and we are giving him Mirtizapine for his appetite. So far though he is really not eating.

Screen Shot 2019-08-13 at 5.53.38 AM.png

Wish I had better news and thanks again for your input and advice and your support.

Today is lime dip day for all 4 and while I am unsure we should be putting Fred through this as he isn't doing well I don't want to give up on him. He will not get better on his own so if he cannot survive at least the lime dip treatment we will have no choice in our next decision so praying he can tolerate the dips at least.

poor babies

Poor babies indeed.:cry2:
 
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Daisys and Diamonds

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i hope some part of your birthday day was lovelly
can you not just discontinue the treatment, feed and love them up and at least enjoy the cat human relationships again
it all seems terribly unfair on everyone not just poor darling Fred
it seems like the cure is worse than the disease now
can humans build up a tolerance of ringworm ?
 

missy

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i hope some part of your birthday day was lovelly
can you not just discontinue the treatment, feed and love them up and at least enjoy the cat human relationships again
it all seems terribly unfair on everyone not just poor darling Fred
it seems like the cure is worse than the disease now
can humans build up a tolerance of ringworm ?

Thank you Daisy.

Yes the cure does seem worse than the disease. If it wasn't so contagious and If I wasn't at high risk I would do just that. But Greg and I are at risk for more ringworm as one does not build up a resistance and because I have pre existing moderate to severe skin issues I am considered high risk for ringworm. If ringworm starts to affect my scalp and or nails I am in deep doo doo as if that happens I have to remove myself from exposure for treatment. But obviously Greg and I cannot be separated for a year and he cannot treat the cats himself anyway but even if he could I cannot be away from my husband for a year. So what will we do should that worst case scenario happen? I shudder at the options. No one will rescue my ringworm cats. It's up to us and if we cannot then what is their fate? But I am getting ahead of myself and have to stop thinking of worst case scenarios. I hope and pray we will not have to face that choice. :cry2:
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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Thank you Daisy.

Yes the cure does seem worse than the disease. If it wasn't so contagious and If I wasn't at high risk I would do just that. But Greg and I are at risk for more ringworm as one does not build up a resistance and because I have pre existing moderate to severe skin issues I am considered high risk for ringworm. If ringworm starts to affect my scalp and or nails I am in deep doo doo as if that happens I have to remove myself from exposure for treatment. But obviously Greg and I cannot be separated for a year and he cannot treat the cats himself anyway but even if he could I cannot be away from my husband for a year. So what will we do should that worst case scenario happen? I shudder at the options. No one will rescue my ringworm cats. It's up to us and if we cannot then what is their fate? But I am getting ahead of myself and have to stop thinking of worst case scenarios. I hope and pray we will not have to face that choice. :cry2:
oh dear missy
this place between the rock and a hard place is dreadful
i agree you can not live apart
i spent almost 12 months traveling back and forth and boarding through the week after we brought our house but the work transfer i had been promised dissapaired when the manager got a transfer and 3 positions vanished in a puff of smoke 3 days before we went unconditional
it was a terrible time and i would never recomend it to anyone
for one thing it makes for a lonelly life
Gary only had Borris to keep him company

as i said before, with all honestly i would take Tommy and love him for you if i lived in NJ and i didn't already have Borris plus our stray Tibby
don't discount that there isnt someone out there who could help do something similar for real
 

ecf8503

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***(((HUGS)))***
 

cmd2014

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Missy I am so sorry things are not getting any better. There are no words.
 

missy

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Update: All 4 cats were were lime sulfur dipped yesterday and when we picked them up at the end of the day everyone was OK except for Fred. Who refused all food and still refuses all food today. This is day 2 of not eating. We applied the Mirtizapine to his ear when he got home last night and refused to eat but it did not help stimulate his appetite yet. Or at least he still refuses to eat. The other cats seem OK and their appetite is good kenahora.

Missy I am so sorry things are not getting any better. There are no words.

Thank you @cmd2014, you're right. There are no words. Just tears. Poor Fred isn't eating at all. He just stands there looking at me and then sort of shakes his head like something is wrong with his mouth. I wish I knew what I could do to make it better and I wish I knew the right action to take.

***(((HUGS)))***

Thanks @ecf8503, I appreciate all your advice and help. At least I got the local veterinarian office to agree to continue lime dipping them though I don't know for how much longer they will. Originally they told me only 4 lime dips per cat but that made no sense to me since they are all getting worse and I know people who did months of lime dipping. When I spoke to the veterinarian in charge on Monday she agreed to continue the lime dips as long as necessary. I hope she holds true to her word. Yesterday was Oliver's fourth lime dip and Bobby, Tommy and Fred's third lime dip. I am still hoping that the lime dip will help rid them of the fungus.

Thank you @Daisys and Diamonds. If only we didn't have 4 cats affected. There is no one who can help. We will continue doing everything we can do but I am hoping for a little miracle and hoping the cats start improving. If I could dream up a nightmare involving the cats I would never have been able to dream this up. This is crazy yet it is really happening.

My sweet baby Fred. He is such a good boy. How long do we continue to torture him? I don't want to give up on him but if there is no relief in sight for him how long is it fair to continue doing this to him? This is a curable skin disease so why can't I get him better? And if he refuses to eat much longer the decision will be made for us and I cannot let him starve to death. That is not a good way to go.

After his lime dip yesterday.

Screen Shot 2019-08-14 at 4.05.05 AM.png

Screen Shot 2019-08-14 at 4.04.51 AM.png

Tommy after his lime dip.

Screen Shot 2019-08-14 at 4.06.32 AM.png

Bobby

Screen Shot 2019-08-14 at 4.11.30 AM.png

I am relieved Tommy, Bobby and Oliver seem to be tolerating the lime dips OK so far. Now I just hope it starts helping them get rid of the fungus.
And please please please let Fred be OK.
Thanks for reading and for your continued support.
 

LightBright

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Dear Missy, I’m so sorry this is happening. I wish I had anything to help you find a path through this. But all I can do is send my prayers for you all. Hugs.
 

bludiva

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So sorry to hear this, Missy. I don't have anything helpful to contribute but my best wishes are with you and Greg and the kitties.
 

stracci2000

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Oh @missy, I've been reading about all this and I just don't know what to say.
OMG, poor Fred. I could just cry right now. That picture is heartbreaking. I sure hope he pulls through ok.
(((Hugging Fred)))))
 

EC8

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Dear @missy,
My heart breaks reading this thread of all that your family is going through.
I’m not a current pet owner so I don’t have any real experience/suggestions to pass along but perhaps some thoughts/suggestions?
Is ringworm only passed along through direct physical contact? If so, could you divide your open space with mesh barriers that let the fur baby gang to see each other but not be in contact?
Maybe that would let each overcome this at their own pace?
If it is airborne, would an air purifier help in containing the spores?
Just some ideas...wish I had more to contribute....☹️
 

MaisOuiMadame

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Oh no about poor Fred. Sending him strength and appetite
 

distracts

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I'm so sorry to hear things are getting worse. fwiw, while I know Fred is stressed and has a URI, his ringworm doesn't look that bad to me - my cat certainly got that bad or maybe a little worse before he got better, and he was an only cat!

Are you sure you can't shave them? I can shave my wild one - I can't trim his claws or bathe him but he doesn't mind being shaved. He's a long-haired cat but at the end of spring I shave his fur down pretty short, and it's not stressful for him at all. Which is crazy because when I try to trim his claws, or trim the fur on his behind with scissors, he will bite and scratch like a demon!

I know you think you cannot lime sulfur dip Fred at home, but I would seriously think if that is really the case. If you are not physically disabled, I would give it a try, because if you can dip him yourself and sit with him while he dries, I think he would be much less stressed out about it.

No one will rescue my ringworm cats.

I would contact some shelters and rescues and see if any have fosters who are willing to deal with ringworm. There ARE those people out there, and maybe even if it never gets to the point where you have to separate yourself from the cats, they will have advice, or they may be able to come over for essentially respite care. Never hurts to ask.

Is there not another vet you can use? A mobile vet? This is another thing you could ask if you call any local shelters/rescues.
 

missy

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Dear Missy, I’m so sorry this is happening. I wish I had anything to help you find a path through this. But all I can do is send my prayers for you all. Hugs.

Thank you @LightBright, I appraise your prayers and good wishes. And hugs.

So sorry to hear this, Missy. I don't have anything helpful to contribute but my best wishes are with you and Greg and the kitties.

Thank you @bludiva, I appreciate that.

Oh @missy, I've been reading about all this and I just don't know what to say.
OMG, poor Fred. I could just cry right now. That picture is heartbreaking. I sure hope he pulls through ok.
(((Hugging Fred)))))

Thanks @stracci2000 me too. And I am doing enough crying for everyone I think. I am not just concerned about Fred. I am so worried about all of them. My sister wants me to bring all of them to a vet dermatologist but the next appt is in October. And the vet derm is over an hour away. I cannot imagine taking them for such a long trip back and forth. And what could the vet derm do that we are not already doing? I appreicate the hugs for Fred. And virtual hugs are not contagious so that is a plus.
 

missy

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Dear @missy,
My heart breaks reading this thread of all that your family is going through.
I’m not a current pet owner so I don’t have any real experience/suggestions to pass along but perhaps some thoughts/suggestions?
Is ringworm only passed along through direct physical contact? If so, could you divide your open space with mesh barriers that let the fur baby gang to see each other but not be in contact?
Maybe that would let each overcome this at their own pace?
If it is airborne, would an air purifier help in containing the spores?
Just some ideas...wish I had more to contribute....☹️

Thanks for brainstorming for us @EC8 and those are great suggestions. We have a barrier set up that is still in the box because we cannot figure out how to make a door to get back and forth. Clear panels that we would have to double up to make it so the cats cannot jump over. Yes the spores would get through but it would help contain them vs having 3500 sq feet to roam. But Greg cannot figure out right now how to make it work for the cats and us. So we continue daily cleaning of the entire house. We don't mind it too much because it gives the cats some semblance of normality in a very difficult situation. I am concerned for their emotional well being because they are subjected to multiple daily treatments and it is hard on them. Most cats do not take these things well. And because I cannot hug and hold them easily (without gloves etc) it makes it even more difficult on the cats.

Thanks for your ideas. I really appreciate them.
 

missy

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I'm so sorry to hear things are getting worse. fwiw, while I know Fred is stressed and has a URI, his ringworm doesn't look that bad to me - my cat certainly got that bad or maybe a little worse before he got better, and he was an only cat!

Are you sure you can't shave them? I can shave my wild one - I can't trim his claws or bathe him but he doesn't mind being shaved. He's a long-haired cat but at the end of spring I shave his fur down pretty short, and it's not stressful for him at all. Which is crazy because when I try to trim his claws, or trim the fur on his behind with scissors, he will bite and scratch like a demon!

I know you think you cannot lime sulfur dip Fred at home, but I would seriously think if that is really the case. If you are not physically disabled, I would give it a try, because if you can dip him yourself and sit with him while he dries, I think he would be much less stressed out about it.



I would contact some shelters and rescues and see if any have fosters who are willing to deal with ringworm. There ARE those people out there, and maybe even if it never gets to the point where you have to separate yourself from the cats, they will have advice, or they may be able to come over for essentially respite care. Never hurts to ask.

Is there not another vet you can use? A mobile vet? This is another thing you could ask if you call any local shelters/rescues.

Thanks Distracts. I have called around to all the local vets (cannot drive an hour plus to bring the cats back and forth continuously) and there is no one even who does lime dips besides the one we are using. Greg and I have been discussing lime sulfur dipping at home just to increase the times per week Fred gets dipped due to the fact he cannot take the Itraconazole because it causes him to stop eating. But Fred has severe arthritis and he is in a lot of discomfort when manipulated. If it was just a matter of a healthy cat getting dipped it would be easier. I do not want to cause him undue suffering and everything we do distresses him.

If we had just one cat or even just 2 cats affected this situation would be so much more manageable. I don't know if anyone can truly understand what we are going through with all 4 cats and us affected. What our daily routine is like and how awful it is seeing them all continue losing more hair and getting covered with the fungus. My photos do not adequately pick it up but trust me when I say Fred is full of black fungus all over his face and legs and it's continuing to take over his body.

We cannot shave Fred. My sister suggested that too and she never suggests that as she doesn't like how it affects their homeostasis and regulation of body temp but she suggested it for Fred due to him getting worse and not being able to take Itraconazole. But we know Fred better than anyone. It would distress him and traumatize him to the point of no return. We have had Fred with us for over 16 years now and we know him. He is the most highly skittish stressed kitty I have ever had and shaving him might just kill him.

Thanks for your ideas and I will see if I can find any rescues who deal with ringworm but right now keeping them with us (unless I start becoming affected more severely and my doctor says I cannot be around them) is the best bet for the cats. They wouldn't do well in a strange/new environment and they wouldn't do well if confined to a small space. I know my cats and if you remember we did confine Fred to our study for 4 days and he stopped eating completely and cried almost non stop. He was miserable. He is an old man. I cannot put him through that. Worse comes to worse we will give him peace rather than torture him for months and months and months.

But if I get worse and if my doctor says OK you cannot be around the cats then my true nightmare will begin but if that happens I will do everything I can to find an organization who can maybe help. I will start calling around now just in case that time comes but omg I really hope it does not come to that. It's funny because I have found homes for hard to place cats over the decades and how ironic would it be if I couldn't find a home to save my cats should that become necessary? :( I cannot imagine and pray it does not come to me trying to find temporary care for our cats.

Your sweet kitty got better within a month right? I think with our multiple cat situation we might be in it for many months and not sure how long Fred can deal with this but we are doing the best we can and I am so hoping that they start improving soon. I just wish we could give Fred the Itraconazole. Without that I do not know if he will get better within a reasonable time frame or if at all.

Thanks again Distracts. Every single thing you recommend I so appreciate.
 

missy

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Kitty update:

So this is day 2 without the Itraconazole and Fred started eating a bit. That is a huge relief though without the Itraconazole he might not get rid of the fungus and that would keep everyone here sick. So it is a real rock and hard place catch 22 situation. Keep Fred alive but keep everyone sick. I won't go into each scenario as I feel I have gone on about this for too long already. I appreciate everyone's advice and input and it is the reason I started this thread. To try to do everything we can to help our cats. Thank you to everyone who contributes even if just to add hugs and support. It helps it really does. So a big thank you.

Oliver continues to be in relatively good spirits despite being isolated for most of the day. It makes me sad that he is alone and cries whenever we enter the bedroom and we try to spend time with him but the days are super busy and we have 3 other cats we need to pay attention to. Part of me wants to give Oliver back to the rescue organization we got him from but we think he is getting better care with us than he would with them and we love him already so parting with him would be hard. Plus Greg says Oliver is the bright spot in his day of dealing with this "borderline tragic" (Greg's words not mine) situation.

Bobby continues to lose hair as does Tommy. Tommy was the last to start showing signs of ringworm and he is the toughest of our cats. I was surprised he got it to be honest and was hoping he would be spared. But it is what it is. And we have to deal with the reality of this situation.

I wish I had some nice photos to share with you but the cats aren't in the mood to pose for photos these days. And frankly neither are we. All this cleaning has put me at my lowest weight ever since becoming an adult and I am not looking too well myself these days. Who realized how many calories daily cleaning burns? Great diet tip for anyone looking to lose a few. LOL

This is how Greg and I feel now

Screen Shot 2019-08-15 at 5.57.15 AM.png

But onward and forward and we will continue fighting for our cats physical and emotional well being.
Thanks everyone for your help.
 

MaisOuiMadame

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Missy, ever since I read about your situation I was thinking if it was an option to get an air vac system installed (portable window unit). that would make sure the air gets "sucked" out through one window and the circulation of spores is thus contained. We had looked into those systems at one point for a small powder room without windows. It wasn't expensive for basic versions (around 1k).
Have Fred w/o in a contained area where he can still see everyone and the vac system behind him?? Sucking out most airborne spores?
 
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yssie

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I’m SO VERY glad Fred is eating @missy :appl:

Seriously. So glad for some good cat news. Any good cat news!!

I don’t want to take over your thread but I don’t want to post anywhere else. I mentioned a few days ago that we’re worried about Alex. Our skittish sixteen pounder - just like yours missy - only our current problem is a lumpy leg, not fungus.

It took me an hour to get him into the carrier this morning. I was traumatized. He was traumatized. He seems to have forgiven me. Vet thinks it’s most likely cancer, and if it’s cancer he recommends amputation. Biopsy Tuesday to make sure. I was joking giving him Temptations just the other day - I told him that we’d take his leg, and Emily’s ears (which are always infected), and everyone would be healthy... I was joking. Vet consoled me by reminding me that I’m more attached to his leg than he is. But he’s the underdog in the house. Bottom of the pecking order despite being biggest and strongest. Eats last, gives up the best sleeping spots, most nervous, least sociable. He adores my other half... likes me well enough. Eight years. I know I never tried as hard as I should have with him but Mina always liked me best, Alex is just “not my” cat... I didn’t do right by him, and he of all our cats doesn’t deserve this. How the bloody hell did we miss this mass on his leg? Only noticed when he started limping. It isn’t small. I’m sitting in my car crying and he’s purring. Your “best” is a damn sight better than mine, your cats are lucky to have you and mine deserve better than me.
 

missy

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I’m SO VERY glad Fred is eating @missy :appl:

Seriously. So glad for some good cat news. Any good cat news!!

I don’t want to take over your thread but I don’t want to post anywhere else. I mentioned a few days ago that we’re worried about Alex. Our skittish sixteen pounder - just like yours missy - only our current problem is a lumpy leg, not fungus.

It took me an hour to get him into the carrier this morning. I was traumatized. He was traumatized. He seems to have forgiven me. Vet thinks it’s most likely cancer, and if it’s cancer he recommends amputation. Biopsy Tuesday to make sure. I was joking giving him Temptations just the other day - I told him that we’d take his leg, and Emily’s ears (which are always infected), and everyone would be healthy... I was joking. Vet consoled me by reminding me that I’m more attached to his leg than he is. But he’s the underdog in the house. Bottom of the pecking order despite being biggest and strongest. Eats last, gives up the best sleeping spots, most nervous, least sociable. He adores my other half... likes me well enough. Eight years. I know I never tried as hard as I should have with him but Mina always liked me best, Alex is just “not my” cat... I didn’t do right by him, and he of all our cats doesn’t deserve this. How the bloody hell did we miss this mass on his leg? Only noticed when he started limping. It isn’t small. I’m sitting in my car crying and he’s purring. Your “best” is a damn sight better than mine, your cats are lucky to have you and mine deserve better than me.

@yssie I'm so sorry you and your dh and Alex are going through this. I totally understand how you are feeling and how traumatizing it all is (getting them in the carriers, bringing them to the vet, getting tests etc) for both humans and animals.I hope it turns out to not be cancer but if it is that it is completely treatable with amputation and that Alex goes on to continue a happy long life. Your veterinarian is right. Animals don't view it the same way humans do. I know a couple of cats with amputated limbs and they are happy and healthy and doing well.

And not for one minute do I believe you aren't a good cat momma and you are doing your best by them. Don't blame yourself. You did notice and you did get him evaluated and you are doing everything you can for him.

Thank you for your kind words but if it wasn't for me our cats would not be dealing with a potentially life ending situation. Fred is wasting away and despite eating a bit this morning he is weak and doesn't seem to have much fight left in him. :( We just gave all the cats (except for Fred) the oral Itrafungol as I don't want to take a week off. I read all the studies and there is no one way to do it but it seems to me if we give Itrafungol every day the quicker it might do the job of stopping the fungus. Not sure but if the cats are tolerating it (besides not liking it) we are proceeding with every day Itrafungol.

I called another vet derm to try getting the cats in to see her but again it's a 2 month wait. All the vet specialists have a 2 plus month wait. When Francesca was diagnosed with LCL we couldn't get her in to see an oncologist before she died. And when Oliver's eye kept getting worse we couldn't get a vet ophthalmologist appt til it was too late so I brought Oliver there and begged the ophthalmologist to see him. And she did and she said one more day he would have lost his eye. Sadly though we cannot get every specialist to see us by just showing up.

However the vet dermatologist office said have my sister call her and she will talk about what we might be able to do to that maybe we aren't doing. Debbie did call but the dermatologist was in an emergency so I hope they touch base before tomorrow as the specialist works only Mon-Thurs. We are trying one last hurrah for Fred and while we don't think there is anything we can do better you never know and I don't want to say goodbye to our sweet boy Fred.:cry2: It is so freaking hard to see him struggle like this. So hard.:cry2:

@yssie I am sending bucketloads of good luck dust Alex's way and hugs to you. Please feel free to share anything in this thread. It is here for you and for anyone who wants to share. We love our furbabies and life is very challenging at times.
 

missy

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Missy, ever since I read about your situation I was thinking if it was an option to get an air vac system installed (portable window unit). that would make sure the air gets "sucked" out through one window and the circulation of spores is thus contained. We had looked into those systems at one point for a small powder room without windows. It wasn't expensive for basic versions (around 1k).
Have Fred w/o in a contained area where he can still see everyone and the vac system behind him?? Sucking out most airborne spores?

Thank you @kipari. That is a good suggestion however we have casement windows so those are not compatible with an air vac system. We do have high efficiency filters in our HVAC whole house system and Greg recently (last week) changed all the filters so we should be OK. Thanks again.I appreciate your brainstorming on our behalf. XO.
 

missy

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The black on Oliver's nose is spreading but his leg spot is getting a bit better. It just keeps spreading to new spots though. However Oliver is doing the best out of all the cats though it is still spreading on his body too despite 3 and a half weeks of treatment. So far he has had 4 lime sulfur dips at the vet and over 3 weeks of Itrafungol treatment at 10 mg/kg. We are giving Oliver the highest dose since he is the smallest we can manage it. For the older bigger cats we are doing what the vet recommended at 5 mg/kg.

Screen Shot 2019-08-15 at 2.45.00 PM.png

Screen Shot 2019-08-15 at 2.43.40 PM.png
 

distracts

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I’m SO VERY glad Fred is eating @missy :appl:

Seriously. So glad for some good cat news. Any good cat news!!

I don’t want to take over your thread but I don’t want to post anywhere else. I mentioned a few days ago that we’re worried about Alex. Our skittish sixteen pounder - just like yours missy - only our current problem is a lumpy leg, not fungus.

It took me an hour to get him into the carrier this morning. I was traumatized. He was traumatized. He seems to have forgiven me. Vet thinks it’s most likely cancer, and if it’s cancer he recommends amputation. Biopsy Tuesday to make sure. I was joking giving him Temptations just the other day - I told him that we’d take his leg, and Emily’s ears (which are always infected), and everyone would be healthy... I was joking. Vet consoled me by reminding me that I’m more attached to his leg than he is. But he’s the underdog in the house. Bottom of the pecking order despite being biggest and strongest. Eats last, gives up the best sleeping spots, most nervous, least sociable. He adores my other half... likes me well enough. Eight years. I know I never tried as hard as I should have with him but Mina always liked me best, Alex is just “not my” cat... I didn’t do right by him, and he of all our cats doesn’t deserve this. How the bloody hell did we miss this mass on his leg? Only noticed when he started limping. It isn’t small. I’m sitting in my car crying and he’s purring. Your “best” is a damn sight better than mine, your cats are lucky to have you and mine deserve better than me.

Big hugs! Remember cats also hide these things from us... he may not have wanted you to know, and while you were petting him he may have kept shifting around so you didn't pet that area at all.

And sometimes pets and people just don't click. T only has a grudging acceptance of my husband... I don't think there's any real reason for it. He likes my husband well enough when I go out of town, he just likes me more and is kind of a one-person cat. Likewise my dog adores my husband and is fine with me but not enthused - even though I'm the one who feeds her, plays with her, walks her, etc. They have preferences of their own, and sometimes there's nothing we can do about it.

I hope the biopsy turns out negative... but if it doesn't, I too have known multiple happy, healthy cats who have one less leg than is usual.

Your sweet kitty got better within a month right?

Yes, he was isolated for around a month. But he was on a totally different treatment course since he did fluconazole pills and miconazole shampoo - no itrafungol, no lime sulfur. So idk that it can really be a comparison because he was being treated entirely differently. Though fwiw he didn't eat much and lost around two pounds, I think. He's normally 12-13 lbs but for a lot of his early vet appointments he was 10-11 lbs. He has had so many health problems and is such a sweet guy and doesn't deserve them but unfortunately the universe doesn't hand out good health based on "deserves it."

Hang in there.... surely things will be turning a corner and getting better soon.
 

MamaBee

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I’m SO VERY glad Fred is eating @missy :appl:

Seriously. So glad for some good cat news. Any good cat news!!

I don’t want to take over your thread but I don’t want to post anywhere else. I mentioned a few days ago that we’re worried about Alex. Our skittish sixteen pounder - just like yours missy - only our current problem is a lumpy leg, not fungus.

It took me an hour to get him into the carrier this morning. I was traumatized. He was traumatized. He seems to have forgiven me. Vet thinks it’s most likely cancer, and if it’s cancer he recommends amputation. Biopsy Tuesday to make sure. I was joking giving him Temptations just the other day - I told him that we’d take his leg, and Emily’s ears (which are always infected), and everyone would be healthy... I was joking. Vet consoled me by reminding me that I’m more attached to his leg than he is. But he’s the underdog in the house. Bottom of the pecking order despite being biggest and strongest. Eats last, gives up the best sleeping spots, most nervous, least sociable. He adores my other half... likes me well enough. Eight years. I know I never tried as hard as I should have with him but Mina always liked me best, Alex is just “not my” cat... I didn’t do right by him, and he of all our cats doesn’t deserve this. How the bloody hell did we miss this mass on his leg? Only noticed when he started limping. It isn’t small. I’m sitting in my car crying and he’s purring. Your “best” is a damn sight better than mine, your cats are lucky to have you and mine deserve better than me.
I’m so sorry @yssie......She loves you...Her purring is telling you so...
 

missy

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GM girls. Kitty update:

I spoke to a very well respected vet derm last night who is very kind and very knowledgeable. She called me despite the fact I am not a patient there. Though I did try getting an appt with her but she is solidly booked for many months and incredibly short staffed as well. What happened was my sister recommended her (does not know her personally) and the staff said when I couldn't get an appt have my sister call her to at least get some tips to help us. She spoke to my sister Thursday night and said for me to call her if I wanted to talk to her directly. So I did and she called me back and the bottom line is she felt we were doing everything we could and we have a virulent strain on our hands.

Fred cannot tolerate the Itrafungol and if he gets better re appetite we could try Terbinafine (an oral pill) but it also has the side effect of anorexia (decreased appetite) and it is supposed to be taken every day for at least a month. All the oral antifungals (there are 4 I believe) have side effects re liver and bone marrow and can be harsh on older cats and even some younger cats so all of them must be monitored carefully with blood tests every 2 weeks.

She went on to say that this could potentially last for years. She has had cat patients who have had ringworm for 2 plus years. But to keep doing what we are doing and that yes if Fred doesn't get better he could keep everyone sick. It just depends. She also said that because he is an asthmatic lime dips could exacerbate his asthma and then we would be left with no treatment. And poor Fred continues to be unhappy and hardly moving he is so weak. Yes he ate this AM but only after I brought food to his cat bed. And he ate about a teaspoon. Which was more than he has had in days.

We are in a very difficult position and it isn't looking good for Fred. And the others keep getting worse. She said that it takes time but how much time is unknown and that yes it could be a very long time or it could start improving in 2 months. We won't know until we know.

She also recommended we get a Woods Lamp so I ordered that and hope it arrives by next week but it didn't state how long shipping takes. To examine the cats ourselves and also the house to see where we might be missing cleaning the fungus. It is so easy to reinfect and though we are doing everything correctly it is almost impossible to do it perfectly. She did say we couldn't isolate them since they stop eating when we do and she totally understands what we are going through. She was very helpful and nice and I wish we could have gotten an appt with her despite her being over an hour away but she also feels we are doing it right and just have to wait and hope for the best.

Little Oliver this AM. Jolly Ollie.

Screen Shot 2019-08-17 at 5.16.09 AM.png

@yssie how is Alex doing? Keeping him in my thoughts and hoping you are both doing OK.
 

missy

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Yes, he was isolated for around a month. But he was on a totally different treatment course since he did fluconazole pills and miconazole shampoo - no itrafungol, no lime sulfur. So idk that it can really be a comparison because he was being treated entirely differently. Though fwiw he didn't eat much and lost around two pounds, I think. He's normally 12-13 lbs but for a lot of his early vet appointments he was 10-11 lbs. He has had so many health problems and is such a sweet guy and doesn't deserve them but unfortunately the universe doesn't hand out good health based on "deserves it."

Hang in there.... surely things will be turning a corner and getting better soon.

Thanks Distracts. Appreciate your encouragement. Update above. I hope T continues to be well and yes I totally agree. It is unfortunate the universe doesn't hand out good health to all those who deserve it. Hugs.
 

missy

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I want to add one more thing. Dr P agreed with not pulse dosing the Itrafungol and rather giving it every single day to Bobby, Tommy and Oliver. That is what I have been doing with the exception of a few challenging days but Oliver has been getting it now for over 21 days straight and Bobby and Tommy have been getting it almost every day.

The reason being is that on the pulse dosing the cats are more likely to relapse and also not get rid of the fungus as easily. Fortunately with all the articles and research and pub med articles I have been reading (thanks in part to @ecf8503 thank you!) I already figured that out and so have been daily dosing the Itrafungol (with the exception of Fred who isn't getting that med anymore).

Just adding this in case anyone reading is dealing with ringworm or will at a later date. Daily Itrafungol dosing is best if it is tolerated by the cat.
 
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