Persistent Sneezing

We've had our foster now for a month. She is playful, eats well, and seems to drink quite a bit. However, she has been sneezing the whole time we've had her.

We took her to the vet within her first 24 hours with us, and her FIV/FeLV test was negative. The vet said that if her sneezing was due to a virus, it would resolve on its own but he did give us a cortisone cream for her conjunctivitis.

Two weeks later, she was still sneezing so we took her back and the vet gave us cefa (cefadroxil antibiotic), thinking that she had a secondary bacterial infection. She's completed the round of antibiotics, but is still sneezing. It seems to be mostly clear, but sometimes comes out a little bit green or blood-tinged.

Of course, another vet visit is in order and we will take her in for further evaluation, and/or to another vet for a second opinion. In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. I'm not sure what my vet will suggest as the next step, or what questions I should be asking.

Thanks for reading.

I could be allergies also or maybe herpes.
My Meeko always sneezes.
Sometimes it takes 3 rounds of antibiotics to get better also.

Originally Posted by mews2much

I could be allergies also or maybe herpes.
My Meeko always sneezes.
Sometimes it takes 3 rounds of antibiotics to get better also.

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Oh no! 3 rounds! The antibiotic gave her diarrhea.

Her eye is still bad too, in spite of the cream and the antibiotic (although it isn't as bad as it was before). I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say.

I want to be able to rehome her soon.

It's possible that she has something lodged in her nostril or nasal cavity. Has the vet tried to look up there with a light? Sometimes kitties who have been outdoors can get things stuck up there, like a blade of grass or a foxtail. Also, has the vet done a thorough examination of her teeth, especially the upper ones on that side? An infected tooth in that area could contribute to a nasal and/or an eye infection.

Cefa does do that.
It did it to my cats before.
We had to try different antibiotics.
I hope she feels better soon.

There was a really interesting thread on Chronic Sneezing you might want to read .

Originally Posted by Nes

There was a really interesting thread on Chronic Sneezing you might want to read

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Thanks for the heads up. I feel pretty silly now for not looking through the threads a bit more...

I will see what the vet wants to do and why. I'll ask him about the herpes test, xrays, and mucous analysis. If that doesn't resolve it, it's time for a second opinion.

Just a quick update. My SO took Luna (our foster) back to the vet. This time, the vet prescribed Temaril-P as well as Clavamox and a different eye ointment (an antibacterial one). I've read that the Temaril-P is a cortisone/antihistamine often given to treat the symptoms of herpes and asthma, and the Clavamox is a broad spectrum antibiotic.

I am still interested to know why she has a chronic sneeze. My SO did not ask the vet what he thought the cause of sneezing might be, but I will ask. (I probably would have annoyed the vet with a million and one questions had I been able to take her in today.) I hope she responds to these new medicines.

Hey there; my newest addition, a 12-week old (at the time) kitten developed the same thing, and 2 months later, only now am I seeing any real results. He had a nasal culture taken and analyzed by a nearby university a few weeks ago, and as luck would have it, the latest antibiotic he was on was in fact one of the right ones to combat his particular bacteria. So, he's now on a 2nd round, and now only has the occasional sneeze, with no drainage; yesterday in fact, I didn't notice any sneezes.

A nasal culture is a must, I would think. If it's a bacterial issue, a germ-specific drug would be her best defense.

Originally Posted by Keycube

Hey there; my newest addition, a 12-week old (at the time) kitten developed the same thing, and 2 months later, only now am I seeing any real results. He had a nasal culture taken and analyzed by a nearby university a few weeks ago, and as luck would have it, the latest antibiotic he was on was in fact one of the right ones to combat his particular bacteria. So, he's now on a 2nd round, and now only has the occasional sneeze, with no drainage; yesterday in fact, I didn't notice any sneezes.

A nasal culture is a must, I would think. If it's a bacterial issue, a germ-specific drug would be her best defense.

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I wish we had done the culture to begin with. Luna's now had two different types of antibiotics and is currently taking Lysine and something else (forgot the name). The last dose of antiobiotics really made a big difference, but the sneezing didn't completely go away. At her third visit, she was put in a box with medicines to inhale. Her next visit (she doesn't seem to be responding to the Lysine) will be an x-ray and a culture.

The vet said her lungs sound clear, but her nose is congested. I guess an x-ray will tell us if there's something in there. She's living in the spare room, separate from our three cats, but she's getting restless. Our other cats seem OK so far.

She's a lot more work than I thought she'd be! I'm trying hard to not get attached- I don't have enough time or money to take on a 4th cat permanently.

Having chronic sneezers myself, I will say, DEFINATELY get the feline URI panel testing done. It is expensive, but it tests for herpesvirus, calicivirus, and 3 or 4 other ones including the one that caused my kitties sneezing (mycoplasma felis). ( it requires a swab of the back of the throat, blood, and eye swab)

I really really wish I had done this MONTHS ago..... even though the test was expensive, I think it would have been cheaper to do the test and treat with the right antibiotics and be done with it in 4-6wks rather than on and off symptoms/vets visits/wrong antibiotics.

The main symptoms here were sneezing, sometimes clear nasal discharge, sometimes yellow or green. At times some clear watery eyes, and some "sleepies" in Kizzys eyes. Lysine had no effect on it either and lungs were clear.

People are quick to say herpes, but we must remember that there are many different viruses that cause URIs.

Please let us know if you do get the test. ( FYI, it cost me $160 for the test)

ETA: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=206151

Here's the thread about my kitties.

I have a chronic sneezer as well, but thankfully, it's not as often now.

Since she's been this way since you got her, I'm wondering if it's triggered by an allergy to something in your house. Was she sneezing before she came to you (that you know of)?