Turtle the Cat has a cold again

turtlesmom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
62
Purraise
5
Location
Virginia
I'm trying to run down something in my cat, Turtle, that happens every year for the past three years. (Although it did happen once about six years ago without being connected to shot time.) Three days after getting her yearly checkup and shots she gets a cold (runny nose, sneezing, lethargy and sometimes runny eyes). We thought maybe it was the Fvrcpc vaccination so we didn't give it this year. (She's 12 years old, only cat in the house, never goes out, so the vet said that would be okay.) Well, Monday she got her rabies shot along with dexamethasone to help with the pain she gets from the rabies shot and today, three days later, she's back with it again. (She's only been getting the dexamethasone shot for three years.)

Some of symptoms seem similar to rhinotracheitis but it's part of the vaccine she got each year up until now. I thought I read somewhere that they can get it and then harbor the virus for the rest of their life, having it reappear at times of stress, etc. So could she have gotten it the first year of her life before we adopted her and now basically that part of the vaccine does no good? Just trying to figure this all out so I can stop doing what's making my poor baby get this every year.

Thank you!
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,772
Purraise
3,491
Location
Texas
Most likely, it's the stress of the visit to the vet and not the shots. My RB kitty, Callie, used to get sick about 7-10 days after every trip to the vet, like clock-work! I pretty much had a standing prescription in her chart for meds if she got sick after a visit. The vet said most likely, she had a very, very, very slight (as in dormant) case of herpes, but when stressed it would flare up.

At 12, I wouldn't give her any shots, esp that rabies shot if she has adverse reactions to it (pain). Unless you foster, travel, or she's outside, there's no need, at her age, for the shots. If need be, the vet can do a titer to check to be sure her antibody levels are within the acceptable range and write you a letter that should suffice if ever questioned by authorities.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
A bit of l-lysine powder in her water can really help boost her immune system. You can get a big bottle of NOW brand powder on Amazon for less than $20, and with only one cat it would probably last you forever! My kitties have been much healthier since I started giving them lysine (also, my rabbit has chronic snuffles, and she hasn't had a flare-up since I started putting it in the water (she shares the water dish with the cats). I don't know if it's recognized to help rabbits but it seems to work for her). It must not have a flavor because my cats don't seem to notice it.
 
Top