Hi, this may sound like a strange question and I apologise if so but I know nothing about breeding!
The reason for my question is that 4 wks ago I bought a kitten from a registered BSH breeder. Since I got her however she has been ill and it has just come to light that she has Giardia and T Foetus poor thing. She is not responding to the first line of treatment (panacur) so the vet has suggested her immune system may have been lowered by something like Feline Aids or Leukemia.
So, my question is, if she does have either of these how would she have gotten them? Do breeders test their cats for these before breeding?

Thanks

She'd have got it from Mum IF she has it at all. Whether we test or not rather depends on circumstances. If you go out to stud, virtually all stud owners insist on tests for these, though the tests only actually tell you that there was a 90% probability that the cat didn't have it six weeks ago (I think it's six weeks, it's certainly only 90% reliable). Breeders using their own studs would probably not test their own queens.

Are you saying she has tested positive for both giardia and T. foetus??? T. foetus won't respond to Panacur.

Liz

Hi,
Yes unfortunately she has tested positive for both Giardia and T Foetus, but as well as that also Feline Corona (I'm not entirely sure what that is until I see the vet tonight). So she's not a well kitty.
The vet was hoping that she would have responded to Panacur at least slightly if it had cleared the Giardia but nothing has changed at all.
From what I have read on the internet it seem T Foetus is more aggressive and less well known, particularly in terms of treatments available. I am seeing the vet tonight to discuss treatment but also to have her bloods taken to test for Feline Aids and Leukemia just in case.

The breeder owned the queen but only realised she was pregnant after she bought her, so the original breeder would have owned both the queen and the stud so possibly unlikely to have been tested.

Sorry for all the questions, but do you know if there are any symptoms to Feline Aids or Leukemia? I know I will get the test results in a few days but I'm so worried now.
She's not showing any symptoms other than the diarrheoa - she's eating well, has tons of energy etc..just the constant and very regular diarrheoa..

Thank you
Emma

Oh gosh, how awful for you! I know this will be at the bottom of your list of priorities right now (your poorly kitty quite rightly being at the top!) but I think it's very important that you contact the breeder you got your kitty from and find out more details of where the queen came from.

It seems very odd that a registered and reputable breeder would sell a queen to someone not knowing she was pregnant (for starters a pregnant queen would be worth a great deal more!) and also if your kitty does have either of the above the orriginal breeder needs to know to stop her continuing to breed until the source is found.

I'm so sorry that what should be such a magical experience has turned so sour for you. Fingers and toes and arms and legs all crossed that kitty makes a swift and full recovery! But seriously, I think some disscussion is needed with the breeder! Put it this way, if I found out any of my kitties became seriously ill three weeks after leaving me I'd be offering to collect the kitty with a full refund, pay all vet bills, or offer a replacement kitten!

Good luck!

What an awful experience for you and your poor kitten
The feline coronavirus that you mention can often be caused by having a large number of cats living together and sharing litter trays. In most cases it is not a severe disease but (not wishing to worry you on this) very, very occasionally it can develop into something much more serious - FIP Feline Infectious Peritonitis.
I hope all goes well at the vets and your kitten is well again soon.
I am concerned that the breeder has sold you such a poorly kitten and was not aware of any problems before she was sold to you. You need to get in touch with the breeder as soon as possible. If your kitten has FoCV, Feline Aids or Leukemia they need to know.

__________________

How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Most breeders' cats will have a coronavirus titre, that isn't one you need to worry about - unless of course it develops into FIP but if it does there is nothing you can do and the chances of that happening are quite low. I agree you need to contact the breeder. I also agree with those in the other thread who said that if the breeder gave you kitten cover this should be covered. But both giardia and T. foetus are treatable.

Liz

Thanks everyone for your replies, I really appreciate it and I feel a lot more informed now but still very worried.
I have contacted the breeder already to let her know the outcome of the test results because I also thought it was important she knows, and if my kitten does (I pray not) turn out to have Aids or Leukemia then I will definitely be insisting on talking to her more. So far she has not responded to me, but I only contacted her yesterday when I got the results.
We did have the free kitten insurance from the breeder but this only covered us for the first 28 days and we are now beyond that with our ongoing insurance not convering it.
I'm just hoping that it will be a case of a few different treatments for the Giardia and the TTF and then she'll be sorted, nothing more serious.

Heres fingers crossed..
Thank you again for all your help
Emma

I'm afraid this speaks volumes to me. Do you have all the paperwork including a registration/transfer document?

I know it's nit picking but there isn't a virus on this earth which can be 'caused' by any number of cats living together. You can't create FCoV out of thin air. It exists and just like any virus with any species it would spread more easily and be more difficult to deal with in crowded situations.

Nit picking accepted - I apologise that I did not put that in quite the right terms.

__________________

How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com