To euthanize or not to euthanize

Originally Posted by LDG

Of course, I believe pets are for life. I certainly wouldn't consider euthanizing a child - or putting her up for adoption - if she had difficult to manage health issues.

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You know I didn't get the impression that OP was worried about the chore of caring for her kitty. To me it sounds like she is concerned over what is best for kitty.

Again thank you for all the replies
I'll be walking down to the drugstore or health food store today to see if I can find some Lysine there!
Any suggestions on how to give it to her? I'll try mixing it into wet cat food or tuna, but she has never been a food-motivated cat so she eats when she darn well pleases, not when the food is put down and is she is rarely fooled by trying to mix stuff in her food! I also want it to get into her tummy rather than our other kitty!
Would mixing it with some warm water and syringe feeding her work perhaps if I can get it into her via food?

You are right Otto, if the inconvenience was the factor in this decision then she would have been gone a long time ago!
The reason I am so strongly considering possibly euthanizing her right now is that in the past 6-12 month her congestion issue has gone from bad to worse and I don't think she has had a single day in the past few months where she wasn't congested. She can barely breathe at all and is clearly uncomfortable...I've been trying steam and encouraging her to sneeze but it doesn't seem to help much. She used to play with our other kitty every single day and I havent seen them play in months because she is so lethargic

Your story of Bogart is so similiar to Aspen's story! I do admit that her health issues are a huge inconvenience for clean up. The paint on our walls near her favourite sitting spots is destroyed, she has destroyed our couches (covered in snot and vomit stains), every piece of furniture we own is covered in snot...I feel like I spend my life chasing her around trying to clean up her boogies! Thank goodness for scrub brushes and steam!

Her name is Aspen
Here she is partaking in on of her favourite pasttimes...shoe sniffing

First off, I want to welcome you to TCS and to acknowledge the agony you must be going through where your beloved cat is concerned. I, too, did not get the impression that you were tired of dealing with your cat's health issues and thus looking to euthanize for your benefit. I sense a lot of pain, uncertainty, and sadness in your post and I commend you for being willing to ask for help and suggestions -- it is obvious that you love your cat dearly.

I'm not a vet, but an avid reader and have read a couple of things in the past that could be of use to you. Many other causes for respiratory illness in cats are not often tested for. I remember a member here had cats that tested positive for Mycoplasma felis. Also, has your vet tested for Chlamydophila felis (or c. psittaci)? Other issues that could potentially cause chronic respiratory illness (sinusitis) could be Aspergillosis which is caused by mold spores. There are other possible causes as well including dental issues and oral and nasal tumors or polyps.

I'm also one that wouldn't rule out allergies. I would get with the vet and try an elimination diet. I know you've gone through various food changes, but working directly with the vet could benefit both you and your kitty. Also, get your cat on 500mg/daily of L-Lysine. It is an amino acid that helps boost the immune system. In my herpes kitties, it has been a Godsend. And, even if there is no direct reason to treat with L-Lysine, it can only benefit your cat -- there are no negatives to using it. Consider putting your cat on a monthly spot-on flea and tick preventative to ensure you never have to deal with fleas and that, too, should help with the skin issues you've mentioned.

As far as potential medications to try, keep asking your vet. I've read that there's been some success with medications such as Clindamycin and even Zithromax for complex or chronic upper respiratory issues. Keep on your vet to dig deep and look for what may not be the most simple answer. Where the renal disease is concerned, please get an update on where your kitty is at -- there may be other options out there for treatment. While we cannot say for sure whether it's your cat's time to let go (or be humanely euthanized), we can suggest that you move forward until a decision is made in order to ensure that all possibilities have been exhausted. I'm of the opinion that there is always hope until there isn't...and only your precious kitty can tell you when all hope has been lost.

Good luck and please continue posting. Do research on your own, get second (and third and fourth!) opinions, and do what you can now to minimize stress. Feliway and Rescue Remedy can both assist you and your cat during the move. I believe an answer may be out there for you yet. I hope you'll keep looking...

I have a cat with feline herpes though I think she actually has seasonal allergies. She gets all watery eyes right before my seasonal allergies kick in. She has never been as bad as your poor Aspen fortunately. We have her on lysine and it maintains her ok. When it gets bad, the vet will prescribe some Interferon for her. This is administered via drops in the eyes and it usually helps her. So you could talk to the vet about this.

Originally Posted by melissaw

Again thank you for all the replies
I'll be walking down to the drugstore or health food store today to see if I can find some Lysine there!
Any suggestions on how to give it to her? I'll try mixing it into wet cat food or tuna, but she has never been a food-motivated cat so she eats when she darn well pleases, not when the food is put down and is she is rarely fooled by trying to mix stuff in her food! I also want it to get into her tummy rather than our other kitty!
Would mixing it with some warm water and syringe feeding her work perhaps if I can get it into her via food?

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Melissa, Get the one from Amazon... Put it on the water, or mix it with the food... The reason why I recommend that one so much is that it is 100% pure, and so it has no taste... I have tried a few from the health store, and mixing it up on the food, and my cats never ate the food, because it had a taste to it.
It is ok to put it on the water and have all the kitties drink - not a problem... It will be good for them too. You can then you complement her dosage on her food....
As others said it will take a good month for you to see an effect. During this month, since she is so bad, I would probably give her a full gram. then lower to 500mg for life. This is what I go with my Bugsy.
He gets 500mg for life, and 1g during flare ups.
I have found the same in local health stores, but for the triple of the price, so of course I would not recommend it...
Good Luck!

Originally Posted by Carolina

Melissa, Get the one from Amazon... Put it on the water, or mix it with the food... The reason why I recommend that one so much is that it is 100% pure, and so it has no taste... I have tried a few from the health store, and mixing it up on the food, and my cats never ate the food, because it had a taste to it.
It is ok to put it on the water and have all the kitties drink - not a problem... It will be good for them too. You can then you complement her dosage on her food....
As others said it will take a good month for you to see an effect. During this month, since she is so bad, I would probably give her a full gram. then lower to 500mg for life. This is what I go with my Bugsy.
He gets 500mg for life, and 1g during flare ups.
I have found the same in local health stores, but for the triple of the price, so of course I would not recommend it...
Good Luck!

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I tasted mine in the pure power form slight salt taste but not a medicine taste

Sorry if you mentioned this as I did not see it-- have you tried using a nebulizer? I would ask your vet about this, and if they have no info see if you can find another vet who is familiar with nebulizing treatments (maybe a different holistic vet.)

I had a pet rat with chronic pneumonia. It is very difficult to medicate rats especially when they have congestion issues (they basically have to choose between either breathing or swallowing.)
My vet suggested buying a nebulizer (one made for kids as they make smaller particles), and using medications that can be placed in the nebulizer as well. The nebulizer helps with congestion the same way that a steam bath does but it is more focused and inhaled more directly, and nebulizing medications allows them to be delivered directly to the respiratory system. The medications my rat was given with the nebulizer were Albuterol, Amikacin and Dexamethasone (for pneumonia). You can also use a nebulizer for antibiotics and I have read that sometimes antibiotics they work much better when given that way.
The nebulizer also eliminates the issue of trying to get a sick pet to swallow meds, because all they have to do is breathe (you put them in an enclosed space so they will breathe it in.)

Originally Posted by sharky

I tasted mine in the pure power form slight salt taste but not a medicine taste

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yeah - that is right... salty (just tasted mine too).... the ones I bought from the health store, that were not pure, had a medicine taste... The kitties did NOT drink the water nor ate the food. This one they don't notice at all...

Originally Posted by Carolina

Melissa, Get the one from Amazon... Put it on the water, or mix it with the food... The reason why I recommend that one so much is that it is 100% pure, and so it has no taste... I have tried a few from the health store, and mixing it up on the food, and my cats never ate the food, because it had a taste to it.
It is ok to put it on the water and have all the kitties drink - not a problem... It will be good for them too. You can then you complement her dosage on her food....
As others said it will take a good month for you to see an effect. During this month, since she is so bad, I would probably give her a full gram. then lower to 500mg for life. This is what I go with my Bugsy.
He gets 500mg for life, and 1g during flare ups.
I have found the same in local health stores, but for the triple of the price, so of course I would not recommend it...
Good Luck!

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How do you figure out how much of the pure powder equals 500 mg?

Originally Posted by otto

How do you figure out how much of the pure powder equals 500 mg?

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The bottle should say how many mgs per teaspoon, etc.

Yeah the bottle says it ... like my powder now is 1.36 grams per 1/2 teaspoon and since I give it to three cats in one room on one plate( they love to share) I sprinkle on just over a 1/2 teaspoon on the food evenly.. my caps are easy 500 mg per cap

I have not heard of a nebulizer and will check into that as well

I found Life brand L-Lysine for $9 for a 90-caplet (500mg per caplet) bottle while I was out and mixed it into her a food and she actually ate it! Success on both the wet food and mixing stuff in her food front!

I just gave her 500mg, but will start giving her a full mg to see if we can get the congestion under control

I'll try to find a supplier of that brand you suggested that allows me to order, as I'm in Canada and Amazon.ca only carries books/dvds/computer programs not any of the fun stuff that Amazon.com carries!

Originally Posted by otto

How do you figure out how much of the pure powder equals 500 mg?

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1/4 tsp = 500mg on the one I have... That tub has 822doses of 500mg...

Originally Posted by melissaw

I have not heard of a nebulizer and will check into that as well

I found Life brand L-Lysine for $9 for a 90-caplet (500mg per caplet) bottle while I was out and mixed it into her a food and she actually ate it! Success on both the wet food and mixing stuff in her food front!

I just gave her 500mg, but will start giving her a full mg to see if we can get the congestion under control

I'll try to find a supplier of that brand you suggested that allows me to order, as I'm in Canada and Amazon.ca only carries books/dvds/computer programs not any of the fun stuff that Amazon.com carries!

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Awesome Melissa! Yes, DO give her a full Gram, 500mg in the morning, and 500 at night... After she gets better, or after a month or so, you can give her 500mg a day... If she has Herpes, you will see a HUGE, HUGE improvement. Be patient, Lysine will take a month or so to make full effect, but you will see it.

Here is another site to get it:
iherb (Use this coupon code, and you will save $5.00: [font=&quot] VES097 to save $5.00[/font])

their terms to canada: International AirMail A Flat $4.00 or Free for Orders Over $60.00! -- For orders valued up to $80.00, and weighing up to 3 pounds (1361 grams).
Orders shipped out using this method take 1-2 weeks for delivery to Canada and Europe, and 2-3 weeks to Asia and Pacific

That tub has 822 doses of 500mg..., so it's a a big value... Now that you have this one in hands you can buy the tub for when you run out, and save some $$$. You do have time now...

Originally Posted by Carolina

1/4 tsp = 500mg on the one I have... That tub has 822doses of 500mg...

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This is the one I use and I just drop the powder into one of the water bowls. There are cats that never drank out of that bowl that started to use it since I've been putting the powder in there.

Originally Posted by Momofmany

This is the one I use and I just drop the powder into one of the water bowls. There are cats that never drank out of that bowl that started to use it since I've been putting the powder in there.

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Here in my house I just put it in the water fountain too... Before, in the beginning, whe Bugsy had a flare up, I gave him extra on his wet food... It's been a looooong time though

Any updates on this kitty?

Well its been a week and a half since we started the L-Lysine
She's been getting a gram a day mixed into her wet food. I'm pleasantly surprised that she seems to have gotten over her aversion to wet food as that makes giving her the Lysine so much easier!

Our other kitty is jealous that Aspen gets the wet food but when I try to give her some to make her feel included she just licks out the gravy and then barfs it all over my floor so no more for her!

No improvement as of yet unfortunately. She's even more congested and sneezy/snotty than a week and a half ago when we started, but I know it takes about a month to work so we're hanging in there!
If I don't see an improvement in a month then we'll be going back to the vet for a consult...I know I should probably take her now but money is pretty tight right now and I honestly cannot afford a few hundred dollars to take her in and run another bunch of tests, so I'm hoping this will be a solution.

I'm also intending to pick up some Feliway diffusers as soon as I can get out to the pet store (its 20 mins out of town and I share a car with my spouse)

So stay tuned!

Call and talk to your vet . Your cat Needs to Be seen sooner not a month from now... Many vets will work with you on payments or reduceing fees to enable you to afford.

Where do you live? We might be able to find some low cost vet clinics that could help you so she can be seen sooner, generally when cats show any symptoms of illness (they are great at hiding they are sick) they really do need help so waiting a few weeks could cause more issues.