Anyway, part 2 of my story.
Well, Abbey hadn't been feeling well so David and I took her to the vet to get some medicine. (her problem was just a bathroom thing) Well, they did some pretty violating tests and took some blood to run some tests and we went on about our day. All we knew was she didn't have a parasite. Oh how I would later just WISH it were a parasite.
A few hours later we were out and the vet calls and says that they found something they didn't expect- she tested positive for FIV which is the kitty AIDS. We were in a store and I just had to run out crying. He also said it was highly contagious and we needed to bring Rigby in to test him. I am thinking I am going to lose both of my babies. And so soon after losing Juni.
Then I started really freaking out because I remembered that Abbey had been tested when I got her a year ago and in my mind the only place she could have gotten it was my sweet little baby kitten Rigby. Oh no! So I am balling. And David called the vet to see if we couldn't bring in Ribgy right away, but they were closing. These nice vet people let us come in while they were closing to test him. And he came back negative! So I had these horribly mixed feelings. Thank God the little guy was ok, but my sweet poor Abbey. We went ahead and got Rigby vaccinated so that he couldn't get FIV from Abbey.
This is where things turned around. The vet then said to get Rigby microchiped because if he ever got out and turned in to a shelter he would test positive for the virus now that he is vaccinated. Well on the way home all I could think of is where Abbey got it. I was positive she was tested, but maybe she was only tested for Feline leukemia. When we got home I checked my records and she was tested for both. But my eye caught something else on the page:
SHE WAS VACCINATED FOR FIV!!!!!!!
Abbey was never infected only vaccinated. And we just went from two healthy cats, to one sick cat, to one dying cat, to two dying cats, back to one dying cat, and full circle to two healthy cats. What a horribly emotional day. So 12 hours and $300 later we were finally able to fall asleep with both of our cats on the bed with us. It is funny though, the $300 hurts now, but at the time no amount of money was too big to save my babies.
That is my end of the world story!
If you have an outdoor kitty make sure he/she is tested for FIV/FeL. They are treatments available but if you catch it soon enough they have a much better chance. Here are some helpful links for more information about FIV/FeL
http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/fiv/
http://www.vetinfo.com/cfiv.html
http://www.bemikitties.com/felvring.html
P.S.- Abbey just has a bacterial infection and we have to give her antibiotics by mouth everyday. ugh it is not easy nor fun.
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