Lady & Missy

myste

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Well after 3 months of different medications and treatments, it looks like Lady and Missy will be put to sleep. They have a virus in their eyes, which make them run with an orange-reddish fluid almost constantly. I will try to talk my dad into letting them roam in the backyard at their house (they have 3 acres, but bounded by a busy highway in the back) At least there they will have a chance. If anyone else can think of something I'd be grateful. They're very sweet cats, but because of the infection they will be hard to clean up after. The best way to reach me is either ICQ#6526253, yahoo Messenger as Listra or AIM as MMyste. It will probably be this afternoon, the shelter contact is going to call the vet and find out. I feel so bad for the poor girls, it's not their fault and they could have happy lives. They don't seem to be in any pain or anything. I can't see them continuing to live in the bathroom, and my 3 cats refuse to have anything to do with them, and hiss at the door all the time. I'm also worried about my cats getting the infection. I feel so heartless letting these girls go like this! I've also posted in the SOS forum, but I'm hoping someone else might have a suggestion and it's pretty urgent.
 

hissy

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Myste instead of giving up on these and putting them down. Find a good health food store and buy some GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) buy the liquid (it will be thick) If you feed these two 3 times a day, put three drops of GSE in their wet food every time you feed them. You should see positive results within a week. Keep them on it for at least a month (sounds like it is a stubborn virus) If Lady and Missy are persians or persian mixes the virus could be a result of a sinus infection. I am sorry, but I don't keep up on the history of everyone's cats.
If I wasn't so full up right now, I would take them, but I have my hands full at the moment. Also I am moving this to health and nutrition and out of the lounge for you,and in keeping with the rule of no duplicate posts this will be the main post for you. There are many knowledgeable folks here that will also chime in and try and help these two cats.

Good luck!
 

angelzoo

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I'm not totally sure what they have, as I haven't been paying attention, nor can I remember every thread you've ever made. But if this is just a URI I don't feel it's something they should be put to sleep over, and I know you don't want that to happen as well.

Try the GSE, it's sold at some health stores, and someone said they saw it at Walmart, though I don't know if it's true.
My Tage has what is referred to as a reoccuring uri, and I would in no way ever put him to sleep for it, it is also apperently not contagious either, at least not this one.

Is it your vet telling you to put them to sleep? Perhaps you can find a local rescue that will take these cats and care for them with whatever you need if you for some reason eventually can not. Please call around, there must be some in your area! No kill shelters that is.
 

malynn

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I have a cat that is prone to the same thing you are describing, and he hasnt passed this to the others. Its kind of an on and off thing with him and I would never consider putting him to sleep over this. Maybe you could call around and find some animal rescue group or something instead of putting them to sleep. Its a shame to put them to sleep. I would definatly give the grapefuit seed extract a try!!
It may work on them. I finally found some at a health food store, it was 9.99 for a 4 ounce bottle and I have started putting it in my fresh flow fountain for my cats. I would do what Hissy suggests and give it a try, she seems to have alot of knowledge about cats! Hope things turn out well for them!!
 
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myste

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These two are shelter cats. I'll mention the GSE but I really can't take care of them any longer. And will the grapefruit seed stuff make it completely go away? the vet says that it's a Herpes-type virus, that settled into the eyes, not a URI. They've seen 2 vets, my regular one and a specialist. Both seem to think that this will never go away for long.
 

hissy

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Ok I am confused? Are they in a shelter, are you fostering them, or have you rescued them? If you are fostering them it is usually the responsibility of the shelter to provide the vet care for shelter cats.

You should try the GSE before you throw in the towel on these two. The stuff has amazing properties and will kill any harmful bacteria or fungus that might be lurking inside of these two. I have been using it for over 3 years now, I put it in the water and the food of the rescues that come here and I haven't had any problems with viruses or URI either. I also used it on my horse who had white line disease, and that stuff is near impossible to cure (or so I was told) But Trav is cured now.

I had a blind kitty that had constant drainage from his sockets (he had no eyes) and this stuff cleared if up for him as well.
 
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myste

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I am fostering them, the shelter has paid for all the vet bills, but not food/litter. I don't mind the extra cost, but we are somewhat short of cash, and the gal that I foster from is really busy and forgets to call me when she has food for me. And I feel bad for them, they get almost no time out of the bathroom because I'm afraid of getting my other cats sick, since it is contagious (not highly, but I'm paranoid) so they don't get much exercise. I'll tell Joann (my contact with the shelter) about the GSE and see if the other lady who fosters can give it, since it just goes into the food instead of on the eyes. Will it harm other cats? If she just puts several drops into the communal food dish? I free-feed dry to these two.
 

hissy

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Oh please don't put the GSE in the eyes- I know you said you won't but just making sure.

You can put it in their food everytime you feed. You want to feed them separately so you can be sure they get their dose, but healthy cats are not affected by it one way or the other. Put it in wet food as it is really bitter tasting and mix it up well.
 

lorie d.

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Myste, it is about 6 p.m. my time, which is CST. I really hope these two cats have not been put to sleep. If they are happy, are not in any pain, and their quality of life is good, other options should be tried. There have been some good options suggested in this thread. Someone else may be willing to continue treating these cats for their condition. I feel putting an animal to sleep is something that should be done only to relieve suffering when there are no longer any good options left.
 

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Herpes is NEVER a reason to put a cat to sleep. If you are a foster home for these 2, then they shouldn't be staying with you for very long anyway. Herpes is going to stay with them for life, but it wont always be active. I would bet that the reason it's not clearing up is stress. Stress plays a big roll in how they heal.
One of the recomendations for herpes in cats, is to put L-Lysine Powder in thier food every day. You also need to make sure they are getting proper eye medication from the vet. It may need to be administered for up to a month.
If you can't care for them, can they go back to the rescue?
 

malynn

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my cat has this, as I said before, and the vet gave me some terramycin salve for me to use on him, it comes and goes, but it doesnt seem to effect him too much.
 
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myste

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Joann is doing all she can, but she's not the head of the shelter. Mike has vetoed keeping them unless I can let them out of the bathroom, which I can't do if it's contagious at all, and my cats won't accept them. He'd rather see them put to sleep than spend another month in there. After 3 months, Boo still hisses at the door they're behind. They've gone through the terramycin, as well as a neosporin type ointment, and NeoPolyDex. I told Joann about the GSE and she'll see if she can find someone to do it. I'm doing everything I can. Joann's still waiting to hear from the vet to find out if this virus causes any pain, and if it's contagious.
 

hissy

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If you are fostering, then perhaps you should just return them to the shelter and let the shelter find a more suitable foster family for them. Your place was only temporary for them.


If this is your mindset,that this herpes virus is to much trouble, and that fostering should only mean getting healthy cats, then perhaps you should also not volunteer to be a safe haven for these animals in the future?

It takes a lot more than just opening a home to a shelter animal when it comes to caring and providing for them. Fostering is not for everyone. Right now those cats need more than you can provide for them according to your posts anyway.
 

jeanie g.

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I think the word "herpes" frightens most of us, but in human beings, cold sores, chicken pox, and shingles are a result of the herpes virus. I'm hoping that there is a positive outcome for these cats! Of course, you should use the vet as your primary source of information.
 
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myste

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I don't feel that they're too much trouble. I'm not planning on fostering right away again until we have the money to do so. I've been perfectly happy to nurse them, give them medicine and love. I feel bad about having to keep them confined. I don't mind having cats that need medicine, so long as it's not contagious to my other cats or I can keep them confined. Yes, I was upset when Missy had the UTI and peed on my stuff, but I didn't know that it was an infection. Growing up, our cats peed on our laundry all the time, and I came to dread the scent of cat urine on clothes.

I spoke with joann this morning, and the virus isn't particularily contagious. Apparently most cats are carriers, just don't show symptoms. The reddish brown color is just pigment from the eyes, according to the specialist.

The cats will NOT be put to sleep. I haven't worked very much on integrating the fosters, for fear of getting my other cats sick. And since I know for sure now that it's not contagious, if they do come back here, I can work more with trying to socialize them with the others. Boo is very territorial as I discovered when I took all 3 back to my parents house on a visit. She was upset and hissing at the other two, at the scent of them in HER territory.
 

hissy

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I am glad to hear they will not be put to sleep.
 

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Hi Please try the GSE, I am the one who got it at walmart(in quebec) (pharmacy department) it is the original GSE nutribitics liquid!
It clears up the eyes really well! When my cats all had uri's the eyes improving was the first sign it was working!

the last time my kitten showed symtoms in her eye, (discharge/squint/swollen/red) I gave her the GSE right away and in two days symtoms were gone (no antibiotics), and it wasn't just the clear stuff, the colored (greenish/yellow) dissapeared also. In the past eye oitments only made her worse (some cats react this way).

I am not kidding, from my expirience the GSE would be a good treatment for herpes in cats. I have recommended it to several people and they also expirienced the eyes clearing up before anything else (sneezing).

I have done a lot of research on the cat flu, because my babies were sick, and believe GSE can really help, the trick is not to stop, especially for chronic cases. Also these cats should be vaccinated regularily for the viruses from what I have read.

also please spread the word that GSE can help cats with herpes, because so many are probbably living uncomfortably when they can get GSE which is a cheap safe treatment! And the eyes are so precious, I always panic when something is wrong them!

GSE also is known to clear many other bacterias and fungus that they could have (ie cause indigestion) so they are many reasons to give it to your pet!
 
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