Thankful Thursday: The Story of an HIV Kitty Named Andy Who Is So Loved By His New Family
July 14, 2011
As you can see in the above photo Andy's new mom loves him very much!
Daddy loves Andy too:
Andy likes to help his daddy at his desk:
and in the garage:
Sweet dreams Andy!
Andy is a one and a half year old cat who is sweet as can be. He was diagnosed with FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) when he came to our shelter several months ago. At the time, he was having some trouble getting around because the muscles in his back legs are weak. The vet was very worried that Andy's health couldn't be improved. Worse of all there was some concern that he might be suffering. Despite this, the wonderful couple in the above photos decided to take Andy into their home and provide him with that TLC that we all know can make such a difference! The vet has been extremely impressed with Andy's progress and he is continuing to thrive with a wonderful quality of life :)
Andy takes two pills called triamcinolone .5 mg every other day.
Here are eight important facts about FIV that I wanted to share. This information was taken from the following web site:
http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats_fiv.cfm
1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.
2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.
3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.
4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.
5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)
6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.
7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.
8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise.
One more photo of precious Andy:
Awww...Just goes to show how a little love can make such a difference. THANK YOU Nancy and Barry for making a difference!!!
Thank you too for stopping by and reading. I hope eveyone is having a wonderful week. Until next time.
Michelle