Sore, Red Nose from a Cold

turtlesmom

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My cat, Turtle has a cold. It's not near as bad as last year. She's seen the vet and he said no meds are needed unless it gets worse. It's not getting worse, but her poor little nose!! She's constantly licking her nose because it's runny, something she's done in the past whenever she's had a cold. Her nose is really red and sore looking. The vet said there was nothing you could put on it because she'd just lick it off, although I could try Vasaline. And she does lick it off and hates it, I can tell.

Do cats normally lick a runny nose? I'm just worried it'll get infected. But maybe it's just like us when we get a runny nose and wipe it all the time and our noses turn red and raw!

She's still sneezing a lot and one nostril is runny (clear). Her eyes are not runny that much anymore. She's eating better and drinking fine now. It'll be a week tomorrow from when she started sneezing. (How long do these things usually last?)

I know this is a minor, minor issue, but any suggestions would be welcome---from both of us!

Thanks!

Pam
 

bunnelina

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These upper-respiratory viruses can last a week or more, or drag on for a couple of months, depending on the severity of the virus, the condition of the cat, and whether you have multiple cats reinfecting each other. It sounds like she's over the worst of it.


Aside from following her around with a tissue, I don't think there's anything you can do for her poor nose except for those tiny dabs of plain petroleum jelly. If you are running a vaporizer, that might help relieve her nasal passages, too. This might help her if her other nostril is still blocked.

Don't try to dry up her nose with any sore of people decongestants, whatever you do. Just let her sneeze, it helps.

If she keeps getting similar "colds," she might have the herpes virus, especially if her eyes are runny.

In case it IS herpes, you might try giving her L-lysine supplements in her food, especially if she keeps getting sick. Ask your vet about this; there's at least one good study that shows L-lysine can reduce herpes symptoms. He or she can tell you the right dosage. You can get a gel (which my cats hate) or buy tablets you can crush, or as a powder (try Amazon.com). There are other threads here with details about L-lysine. It's safe to give long-term.

There are tests to determine if a cat has herpes, which some people here recommend. My vet prefers not to test because she doesn't think the results are reliable enough and the test is expensive.

Good luck! I hope Turtle has a quick recovery.
 
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turtlesmom

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Thank you, Bunnelina! I believe last year when Turtle had really bad nasal congestion it might have been partially my fault. I was trying to make her stop sneezing so much and try to dry up her runny nose so she would stop licking by giving her antihistamines (vet said it was okay). Now that I know the benefits of them sneezing...to get the stuff out of their noses...I realize using the antihistamines probably contributed to the congestion. I know better now!! She really doesn't seem that congested in her nose at all this year; at least I can't tell it by listening to her breathe like I could last year.

After talking with my vet and looking at her history...both this year and last she started with sneezing and then this cold thing exactly three days after getting her rabies and Fvrcpc shots, we're not getting those any longer. I suggested there might be a connection and he agreed 100%. She's an only-cat and stays indoors all the time and she's had the vaccination every year of her 10 years up to this point. We feel pretty safe with this decision.

A home vet I've been talking to (not her regular vet) also suggested the L-lysine. Haven't gotten it yet, but I am going to look into it.

Pam
 

stephanietx

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Lysine can take up to a month to show any real benefits, but it can work faster sometimes, too. You can get the tablets at Wal-Mart and crush them with a spoon. Mix in with canned food with a dash of water added and Turtle won't even know she's been given medicine!

Good for you and your vet looking at her history and determining, or at least considering, that the infection could be a result of the shot. Because my girl has herpes, I only give her the rabies shot, which is required here in my state. Like Turtle, my Hannah would come down with an URI about 4 or 5 days after her shots. I think it's a combination of the shots, the stress, and the herpes virus that is her undoing.

You can put just a dab of Vaseline on her nose to help it feel better, but she'll probably just lick it off. Hope your girl's feeling better soon!
 

bunnelina

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Originally Posted by stephanietx

Good for you and your vet looking at her history and determining, or at least considering, that the infection could be a result of the shot. Because my girl has herpes, I only give her the rabies shot, which is required here in my state. Like Turtle, my Hannah would come down with an URI about 4 or 5 days after her shots. I think it's a combination of the shots, the stress, and the herpes virus that is her undoing.
I am always picking up useful info around here. I'd have never connected a vaccine with a URI. When my cats have come down with URIs after vet visits, I just attributed them to stress or the microbes at the vet. Rabies is required in my state, too, but I need to learn more about my options concerning other vaccines and their potential dangers and side effects. This is on my list of knotty cat-health issues I need to tackle, along with finding the best foods for my four, tackling tooth-brushing, and finding good insurance. Thanks for the nudge and the info!

I hope Turtle is doing much, much better! Great name, by the way!
 
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