Before we dive right in, we want to make our new subscribers aware of the Part I we wrote about a few weeks ago which describes Dr. Richard Ford, DVM’s, lecture about FeLV and his ideas about how it spreads and how it impacts cats and kittens. His key takeaway- vaccination does not prevent the disease. If anything, the FeLV vaccine MAY lessen symptoms in a healthy cat who contracts it post-vaccination. but as we also cautioned, the vaccine itself can promote a host of symptoms, including sarcomas and even bring about FeLV itself. Please, please research ALL the facts before giving your cat this shot. It’s not all what it is cracked up to be.

In any case, back to treatments- and dare we say- cures! Feline Leukemiavirus (FeLV) was always considered 100% fatal, until recently. Because the current veterinary literature is dated, only very few conventional veterinary practices are educated on safe treatment options for FeLV, much less cures.

Most treatments discussed in feline medicine involve the use of human drugs for symptoms of FeLV, such as chronic kidney disease and anemia. However, these drugs do not address the root cause of the disease, nor do they stop it from replicating in the bone marrow/ RNA on their own. This means a cat with a progressive infection will never experience a disease-free life, even if their symptoms are alleviated for a period of time with conventional medicine.

But here’s the fantastic news- as we discussed in our previous article about Dr. Ford’s FeLV lecture, the SNAP FeLV test looks for p27 protein to detect FeLV. Below is the story of one dedicated cat guardian who completely cleared the p27 protein from her cat Jasper’s body in less than two months. He went from being severely anemic and on death’s door to being completely cleared of FeLV in six weeks. We hope you find comfort and strength in this story, and share this with your own cats’ care team if any of them suffer from this awful illness. We will also share with you what she used- and continues to use- to keep her Jasper healthy. Even if your cat does not suffer from FeLV, we hope this will serve as a guide for what you can give your cats who may need an extra boost in their overall health.

We have shared Roxanne and her cat Jasper’s story from near death to health directly from her at the bottom of this article so you can read it on your own. These are products she is using for Jasper today and why, as well as how you can use them to help your cats and kittens, FeLV or not. Feel free to share this protocol with your cat’s care team to see if this is will work for your FeLV cat or kitten specifically.

Jasper the Cat’s FeLV Healing Protocol- Imuquin, Darbepoetin, and FeLife

1. Imuquin

From the product description: Imuquin for Cats supports your cats immune system with its blend of beta-glucan, marine lipids, vitamins, and minerals. The easy-to-use supplement delivers powerful support and is an excellent addition to your cats' preventative health maintenance routine. Roxanne uses this daily in her healing protocol for Jasper. Here is where you can get it for your own cats and kittens. It is a daily support blend that can be used indefinitely.

2. Darbepoetin (Aranesp)

(Common, yet risky alternative you may know: Epoetin alfa)

This one is going to get a bit technical, but we feel it’s very important for anyone with cats or kittens with FeLV to know exactly how it works, and how this drug can really benefit your cat. This is what Roxanne’s vet recommended for Jasper, as he was in truly poor shape.

The kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin which stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells. This process is known as erythropoiesis. What makes this really important to FeLV is that anemia (lack of red blood cells) is a hallmark symptom of FeLV, even before any test is done. What’s more, in a progressive infection, anemia develops rapidly- meaning the kidneys are already in failure. This is often why an FeLV cat or kitten will have a sunken appearance and very dry, coarse coat. It’s a vicious cycle directly related to kidney function.

“As the kidneys fail in CKD, they cannot produce enough erythropoietin, so the bone marrow is not stimulated, blood cells are not produced, and a particular type of anaemia called non-regenerative anaemia results. As discussed on the Anaemia page, non-regenerative anaemia may have other causes, including other CKD-related problems such as uraemic toxins, but this is the most common reason for it in CKD cats.” -Tanya’s Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

A number of different treatments are available for cats with mild anaemia (regenerative or non-regenerative). However, cats with severe (PCV or HCT below 20%) non-regenerative anaemia caused by a lack of erythropoietin often need artificial erythropoietin in order to control their anaemia. The various forms of artificial erythropoietin are collectively known as erythropoiesis stimulating agents, or ESAs. The most commonly used ESA only requires an injection once a week, reducing to even less frequently after a few weeks.

Darbepoetin does require a veterinary prescription, (the human prescription doses are typically much higher). Once your vet writes a prescription, you can send that in to ThrivingPets to purchase the vials. You can administer at home or take the vials to the vet for administration. (There is an alternative found at the Petco pharmacy, but please be aware the brand they sell- Epoetin-alfa, may induce a negative reaction in about an average of 15-20% of cats. )

If your cat has a PCV level below 20% which has not developed suddenly, and/or if your cat has signs of severe anaemia, such as breathlessness, lethargy or severe loss of appetite, you should talk to your vet about starting an ESA.

Ideally your vet will have been able to check that your cat has non-regenerative anaemia via a reticulocyte test, but I would not wait the necessary five days to do this if your cat is very sick, especially if your cat's CKD is relatively advanced (creatinine over 5 mg/dl (US) or 450 µmol/L (international)). --Tanya’s Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

3. FeLife by Doc Clemens Remedies

(Common and risky alternative you may know: RETROMAD. It’s expensive and offers precious little benefit)

We know, we know. It seems like we talk about FeLife in almost every newsletter. But that’s because it is so darn useful, safe, and even life-saving! FeLife works by decreasing a cat’s viral load, a critical component to healing. The virus must stop replicating in the bone marrow in order for the cat or kitten to survive long term. FeLife, a thuja-based remedy, helps the body do just that. For thousands of years it has been used in medicine to treat a myriad of conditions in both human and animal. Doc Clemens has worked tirelessly to offer a proper dilution of thuja for cats and kittens. It is not contraindicated for any traditional medication. Testing for FeLV in house with the SNAP test for P27 protein and/or testing for provirus will both be negative. This takes up to 6 weeks on Felife, some longer. 

“After successful treatment with FeLife, the viral load is expected to decrease or become undetectable in a cat's body fluids, including saliva. As a result, the risk of transmitting the virus to other cats is significantly reduced. This is an essential aspect of the treatment's success in managing and controlling viral infections, which helps prevent further spread among feline populations.”

Doc Clemens is also available for consults, and he is happy to both collect and share bloodwork documentation, testimonials, and other helpful advice. FeLife is truly incredible.

Here is Roxanne and Jasper’s story of healing from FeLV, in her own words:

We can’t promise your FeLV cats and kittens will have the exact same outcome as Jasper. Jasper had an excellent care team, and Roxanne truly spared no expense to get answers. But we can say from personal experience that FeLife alone is truly amazing, and we have no reason to believe it can’t make a significant impact in an FeLV cat’s life for the better. The results are real, and we needed to make sure to share this with anyone and everyone with a sick loved one. FIV and FIP cats and kittens can also benefit greatly from FeLife. More to follow on that soon too!

We love hearing from you! Please let us know how you help support your cats and kittens when they are ill. And if you have a story you would like us to share in our forthcoming newsletters, hit reply and let us know. We want to celebrate our community.

Until next timeRichard , always be curious!