Blocked nose and weepy eyes

vickybel

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
1
Purraise
0
Location
Cheshire
Hello

I wonder if anyone can help?

I have a three year old Ragdoll boy, who has a stuffed up nose and his eyes are runny sometimes. He sneezes most days, in rapid succession and has had this latest bout for about three weeks.

We are taking him to the vet tomorrow evening.

He used to live with a black cat, who caught what we thought was cat flu, at about ten months of age. However, it was not cat flu, but the vet didn't know what it was. It did clear up with antibiotics though. A few days later, the Ragdoll caught it, but has never really been rid of it, since. I don't know whether the black cat still has it, because he lives with my ex husband.

Mr Sparkles, my Raggie, has had antibiotic courses, but really, the vet doesn't know what it is. He suggested Chlamydia, but I don't think he really has any idea. This all started when he was about six months old. He was fully vaccinated at the correct times. He was quite poorly, when he had it as a kitten, as was the black cat.

He has no other symptoms and is lively, alert and eats well. My other ten year old Ragdoll girl doesn't have it and neither does my black moggie, who is five and they have never caught it and they have always been together with Mr Sparkles. It comes back to him, sporadically. We thought it recurred in times of stress; such as when we moved, or because of the central heating, but we are at a loss.

The only problem, apart from his heavy breathing, through blocked nose, is that we can't get any sleep, as he snores in our ears!!

Has anyone else had anything similar, in their cats?

Many thanks in advance and anticipation.
 

kailie

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
9,025
Purraise
25
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
Hmmm, sounds like an URI of some kind or rhinotracheitis (feline herpes). It includes symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, rhinitis (inflammation of the nose), and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelid). It also tends to flare during times of stress.

I'm not a vet however, and vets always know best. Good luck!
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,772
Purraise
3,491
Location
Texas
Okie dokie, this is what you might want to consider. We did this with Hannah after almost a year of sneezing/weepy eyes-antibiotics-clearing up starting all over again cycles.

1. Have your vet do the IDEXX Real PCR/URD feline panel to find out if your cat has feline herpes. With the stuffiness, weepy eyes, and sneezing, it's a definite possibility. The test will also test for chlamydia and a few other upper respiratory problems.

2. Have a culture and sensitivity test done on any nasal discharge or drainage or eye discharge if it's colored (yellow or green indicates an infection, clear is fine). The culture will tell your vet what you're dealing with (bacterial vs. viral) and what kind of organism. The sensitivity test will tell your vet which medication will best treat the problem. This way you're not just shooting in the dark, so to speak.

If your kitty is diagnosed with feline herpes, it's not a death sentence. It is a life-long condition that cannot be cured, but can be managed very well and your cat can live a very long, happy life. You might want to go ahead and start adding L-Lysine to your cat's diet to help break the cycle of the herpes virus.

If your kitty is diagnosed with herpes, you really want to switch to a grain-free diet if you're not already feeding grain-free.

ETA: If he's stuffy, be sure to steam him in the bathroom or run a vaporizer to help open the nasal passages.
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Originally Posted by stephanietx

Okie dokie, this is what you might want to consider. We did this with Hannah after almost a year of sneezing/weepy eyes-antibiotics-clearing up starting all over again cycles.

1. Have your vet do the IDEXX Real PCR/URD feline panel to find out if your cat has feline herpes. With the stuffiness, weepy eyes, and sneezing, it's a definite possibility. The test will also test for chlamydia and a few other upper respiratory problems.

2. Have a culture and sensitivity test done on any nasal discharge or drainage or eye discharge if it's colored (yellow or green indicates an infection, clear is fine). The culture will tell your vet what you're dealing with (bacterial vs. viral) and what kind of organism. The sensitivity test will tell your vet which medication will best treat the problem. This way you're not just shooting in the dark, so to speak.

If your kitty is diagnosed with feline herpes, it's not a death sentence. It is a life-long condition that cannot be cured, but can be managed very well and your cat can live a very long, happy life. You might want to go ahead and start adding L-Lysine to your cat's diet to help break the cycle of the herpes virus.

If your kitty is diagnosed with herpes, you really want to switch to a grain-free diet if you're not already feeding grain-free.

ETA: If he's stuffy, be sure to steam him in the bathroom or run a vaporizer to help open the nasal passages.
I agree with all but the highlighted , I have read the studies but having 4 herpes cats can tell you a Grain free can aggravate it worse in some... This is actually not uncommon as my vet has come across a few and the oriental vet owns one like my Zoey ... Allergies to something in the food are a big contributor Zoey was allergic to the Grain free
later I found out
 

bfish29

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 23, 2009
Messages
67
Purraise
1
Location
myrtle beach, sc
Your description is the same thing I went through with CJ for about a year. Everyone on here recommended that I try Lysine for him, and it has been a godsend! I get the gel, and he licks it off my finger. I gave him about 1/4 tsp twice a day for the first 2 months or so, and now, I give him 1/4 tsp once a day. It has cleared his nose up amazingly. And, by the way, I was so curious, I did taste it, it tastes just like Maple Syrup!!


If you search on line "buy l-lysine", various sites come up, and I usually get the tube for about $12 with free shipping.
Bobby
and the Gang
 
Top