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FIV vs. euthanasia in senior cat

Recently my 14 year old cat tested positive for FIV, during a routine blood test before oral surgery.

The vet thinks it is worth it to do the surgery, but at over $1000.00 it will be a real drain on my finances.  They don't know how much of his recent decline is due to dental problems, and how much is due to FIV.  

My fear is that after the dental is done, he will not feel better and continue to get progressively sicker, and the cost will continue, and eventually he will die having suffered the surgery, and tests, and treatments.  Alternately I'm afraid that if I euthanize him I will be cutting his life short, and will never forgive myself.

I am currently giving him oral anti-biotics by syringe, which we both absolutely hate.  He spends most of his time hiding under the bed afraid that I am coming to get him and wrestle that horrible stuff into his mouth, and twice a day I do.  He doesn't come to sit on my lap, or sleep in my bed with me... he looks at me with fear when I feed him.

Any comments/help would be most appreciated.  I really need support making this decision.

11 Responses
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88793 tn?1290227177
I think I'll feed my old cat with Spirulina.  I hope it has some miracles turned up......
Helpful - 0
88793 tn?1290227177
I feel so sorry the hard hard decision that you have to make.  Although my cats didn't suffer from FIV but my 12 years old has suffered from renal disease.  My husband has already screamed with me (nearly a fight) every time when I took my cat back to the vet for review/follow up.  If the cat need an injection then I was charged over hundred dollars.  If no injection, I still get charged around AUD$70 dollars every 3 months + monthly medications.  I don't want to give up although I was warned it can't be cure.  I hope he can enjoy (not so suffer) at the rest of his life.  

Last month, my cat gain one and half large package of potatoes chip's weight = 300g within 3 months.  No need to have injection, his health slightly improved.  I felt very tired but I think it worth.

I know I'll face the same course one day with my pets (2 cats, 1 dog).  My heart will feel pain and breaking into pieces.  Tears will never be end.............
Helpful - 0
874521 tn?1424116797
I am so sorry for you're loss, I can hear the pain in you're words....we give them our hearts and ultimately they will break them...our babies are so precious to us and saying goodbye is so hard to do.
My best buddy Opus didn't die from FIV he died from a heart condition and I too watched him fade away slowly, and I too have his ashes on my dresser.
that was 5 yrs ago and I still think of him and talk to him daily.
Yes hug those babies everyday their lives are short and precious.
my condolences to you my friend.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I recently had a cat die of FIV or Feline Leukemia.  He was my favorite cat.  He had FIV for 9 years.  I had two other cats that alwys tested negative by vets. All drank from the same water bowls.  My cats are all strays abandoned.  The other 2 are FIV negative.
My older cat which is 10 years old has HIVor aids.   My cats are happy cats;.
Cats live by their imune system.  If the imune system falls to far down the ladder they die.  I know one thing I put advantage flea killer on my cats for years.  Soon as I backed off not putting it on every month on the FIV cat he got sicker and died.  Cats that are FIV are on borrowed time.  They can last for years with FIV like mine and then one day just take a turn for the worse and die over night.  This cat of mine was my favorite of the 3 cats that I had at the time.  Because of FIV he was slower than my other cats, and I looked out for him when he was outdoors.   If you want to torment your cat with all those antibiotics it is your call..  If you want to spend thousands to try and save him that is your call 2.  My vet wanted to clean his teeth at a cost of 400 dollars .    I declined that.  Cats with FIV tend to get a lot of plak buildup on there teeth.  You can brush your own cats teeth which they hate with a passion, or you can have the VET do it.  I was always afraid my cat would die under the antehesia.  I have that word spelled wrong.  That is why I declined to have it done.   This is my opinion:  Stop all the medications that are orally given.  There is not much a Vet can do for a FIV cat.  I gave my cat Lyseine tablets to boost his imune system.  Lyseine comes in powder or tablets.  Many cats will not eat wet cat food if Lyseine is in it.  So I had to give Lyseine to my cat once a day every day orally. The side effect of  Lyseine is Dihareha.  If it starts, you have to stop the Lyseine for a week and then start again.   My cat was even on Orbax for awhile.    I can not remember what are the good cells the white or the red.  Before my cat died, I took him to the vet and the vet said he did not have many white blood cells left.  That was through a blood test.  The vet said he only had a few days to live.  In 2 days he was dead.  I cried when I found him dead on the rug. The vet was wright on the money.  That was the hardest death for me.  I cride then and at the pet funeral home.  I had my cat Kitty Kat 1 cremated.  I have him on my desk in a wooden urn.   I will always remember him.    Give your cat lots of love and make him comfortable.   Each day he is alive, it is a joy for you.  When he is gone it will be heart ache.    I do hope I was of help for your cat with FIV....
Helpful - 0
215234 tn?1305142961
Hi, Opus88

I feel for you in this having not so long ago had to have my 20yr old euthenased, but the deciscion was pretty much made for me by the Vet, & they reassurred me afterwards it was the right thing to do for her as she was to old  & already had other health problems, so they felt surgery to find out what was now going on, wasn't i her best interests, so having recently been through the same dilema, I really do feel for you.

I'm sorry I've no experience of FIV, but I can give you more info on Coliodial Silver, as its something I use myself & its brilant stuff, basically it is silver particals suspened in a very minute form in water, it was used pre antibiotics been invented to treat infections, the only down side in humans being that in the large doses often needed  it causes the skin to go blue, though what you buy these days is a much milder form,............

you may also be interested in looking into Spirulina, its herbal superfood, packed full of goodness & has been researched in Russia & shown positive effects for HIV patients & radiation victims (used on the Chenobil Kids) it has been used in farming to boost the immunity of animals for years, & tests have proven it works, so its safe for animals too.

you can buy it in powdered & pill form, I gave it to my Daughter when they thought she wassuffering with Juvenile ME (CFS) after pneumonia, & had to go onto only part time School as she was too ill to cope with more....... it cured her within a week, I've also in the past given it to my old Cats when they were youngsters & caught Cat flu at the Vets, the Vet was amazed at their recovery ,

I'm a firm believer in Alternative therapies, & often find they help where medicine can't, so why not with our Pets too

Good Luck
Helpful - 0
740516 tn?1360942486
opus88
From what I know about - not much, its true,colloidal silver is something people used to apply in the new born eyes,in the past, to prevent infections as the ones caused by venereal diseases pre- existents..Its a liquid product and is probabilbly sold in manipulated products drugstore or chemical products store.

Bigk16,I'm really happy for your and your cat success!!! Hope more cat owners can have this happy end!
Helpful - 0
874521 tn?1424116797
good for you!! amazing what some treatments will do for our babies, I'm so glad you found something that worked for her.
can I asked you where you obtained the collodial silver? and what exactly is it?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My cat 15 yrs ago was diagnosed with FIV leukemia. I nursed her back to health with colustrum and vitamins which the vet said he didnt think she would make it thru the night. I gave her  colustrum and collodial silver 3-6 times a day in a  eye dropper and made sure that she drank at least 2 bowls of water a day. I read up on it and talked to some people in town and in one week she was better than expected. When I took my cat back to the vet, he was so amazed that he couldnt believe it was the same cat. When she went in to the hospital she was 6 pounds but when she came out she looked like a small kitten. Yes it took me a whole 1/2 year to get her back on her feet again but I didnt use any of the medicines that the vet gave me to get her better. It was the motherly love she got from me. She is   now 16 1/2 yr old now just had her birthday in March of this year.
Helpful - 0
1278937 tn?1271257811
Sorry to hear this - it's a very tough spot to be in and at one time or another - we're all going to have to face it with our pets.  One thing about antibiotics - there is a shot form available if it gets to be a big struggle.  Every kitty's different when it comes to meds.  It's approx $20+ or so more than the oral form but very helpful and effective if it's difficult to get the liquid in everyday.  I have to elect the shot with one of mine - the other one's easier.  (He was very sick and perhaps that's why.)  Perhaps with less stress (with the shot form) you'll have time to discuss options with your vet, do some research on life span and FIV, and watch your kitty's progress.  

Good luck and again - sorry this is happening!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well one of mine diagnosied with Feline Leukemia and I did everything I could. Including pulling its teeth and spayed. It will prolong your time with her but I find when the vets see a potivie result liek that they tend to lead u to give up. My cats is like my aunt IM SAVE HER! GLad moeny wasnt my thing only charged me 80 $ to pull the teeth. The rest of the bills costly but I felt I wasnt ready so I did wht I could till I felt to much is enuff.
Helpful - 0
874521 tn?1424116797
well this is a decision only you can make I'm sorry to say....it depends all on how attached to kitty you are, what you can afford and what the prognosis is for kitty. what is the life expectancy of a cat if cared for with all the requirements of this disease? are you prepared to do all that is required...and that may mean more medications(?)
Have you been shown how to properly give a medication to a cat? It shouldn't have to be a stressful procedure for you or him, of course if its due to bad taste than kitty will not appreciate it whether you are skilled or not.
Its a hard call and one none of us cat lovers ever want to have to make, most of us here will go to all ends to keep our kitties as long as possible, but there is the cat to consider too, and with their best interest at heart sometimes it just becomes kinder to let go.
best to you both in your decision, please let us know what you decide and also if we can be of any help.
Helpful - 0
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