Infection again?

Here we are again with Hobbes sneezing and having watery discharge from his right eye. Calvin has been sneezing too. Last time we met his doctor, he mentioned herpes and said Hobbes will have flare-ups. They are on 250 mg l-lysine and when they started sneeing I increased it to 500mg for both Calvin and Hobbes. I know verpes virus is contagious and so perhaps Calvin has picked it up from Hobbes. Is there anything we can do to keep these flare-ups to a minimum?

About 3 weeks ago, Hobbes was sneezing and sounded congested and his vet suspected another URI (his previous one was diagnosed the day after we got him in Feb) and both times he did well with Zithromax. However, since that does not really do anything for the virus, rather associated bacterial infection, am sure an antibiotic cannot be a frequent solution.

Also, Hobbes was given a short term anti-inflammatory to deal with a cough that he's been having (about 5-6 times a week) what made his vet suspect asthma. He has not coughed since (at least not one that we have heard) but then has this sneezing and eye discharge since Friday - a week after the inti-inflammatory shot. Any ideas what we are dealing with here.

I will call the vet tomorrow but am not sure if I will be able to take him over tomorrow, if they want me to take him

Oh no, so sorry Hobbes and Calvin are sneezing.... And poor Hobbes he sure has been through so much in his young life . I guess I would increase the L-Lysine too. Since I volunteer at a shelter, my cats are always kept on 250 m. Lysine too. Just last week Perkins started terrible bouts of sneezing as well and then Pipsqueak. I bumped them up to 500 mg. of Lysine and in two days they were totally over it. I always try to disinfect myself after the shelter and I do worry about them. Anyway, I know what you mean about not wanting to constantly put Hobbes on antibiotics and hopefully the increase in the dosage of Lysine will do it's job. I would call the vet too tomorrow. Sending healthy vibes to your boys tonight

Keep the l-lysine at 500 mg. daily

to Calvin and Hobbes

I'd bump the lysine up to 500mg twice a day. Five hundred mg a day is the maintenance dose for herpes and 1000mg a day is the flare up dose. Also, if he does indeed have herpes, steroids are a big no-no, except as a last resort, as they weaken the immune system. Also, limiting grains in the diet will help, too. There is a test by IDEXX that you can have that will accurately diagnose FHV. It's the IDEXX Real PCR-URD test and it tests samples of nasal or eye dishcharge and/or nasal drainage. http://www.idexx.com/view/xhtml/en_u...-pcr.jsf#Tests There is a document you can print off and take with you to your vet as well. http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresources...-urd-panel.pdf

Since this is a possible reoccurrance, you may also be dealing with a secondary infection. You can have a culture and sensitivity test done of the discharge. This will help determine what type (if any) of infection you're dealing with and the sensitivity test will tell the vet which antibiotic(s) will most effectively treat the infection.

However, I think starting with the simple thing, upping the Lysine, might be a good starting point. Is your weather changing or have you had high winds and/or weather systems move through? Are the allergens bad in your area? You could "just" be dealing with airborne allergies.

Hannah, our herpes girl, has sneezes daily, especially if the weather is changing or something like that. We give her an antihistamine daily as well as evening primrose oil. The EPO has really help clear up the lingering sneezes.

Actually 500 mg daily is the therapeutic dose for herpes.

Check with vet before increasing to 1000 mg.

Thanks, everyone. I will ask the vet about the tests and l-lysine. Right now they are each on 500 mg daily.

Hobbes has so far reacted very well on Zithromax but it is not cheap (approx 50$ for 10 days worth). Plus I always worry about too much exposure to antibiotics. But since he has reacted well, I will not be averse to it but I doubt if the vet will put him on any meds at this point.

I am hoping it is airborne allergies. Calvin and Hobbes go out to the breezeway which is not as "air-tight" as the house. They love to play there - and love the fact that they can look out. We have had fluctuating weather here - high winds, cold, warmer temps, rain - you name it. Not sure how much allergens are there in Cleveland air- but since if I am not having hives (the way I have in the southern states), it probably is not too bad.

In the early years of Tolly's herpes illness he always had flare-ups in spring and late fall. Even now after all these years I will notice a little speck shedding from his eye at this time of year and in November, but after 10 years on the l-lysine, he never has full blown flare-ups any more.

Tolly is on a maintenance dose of 500 mg every other day, but I increase that to 500 mg daily at times of stress, or if I do see that tell tale speck in the corner of his eye.

How is little Hobbes today?

Originally Posted by stephanietx

How is little Hobbes today?

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Hobbes is doing ok - did not see any eye discharge today. He is sneezing a little and so is Calvin. They are on 500mg l-lysine and I spoke to their vet today. He suggested that I keep them on l-lysine 250 mg maintainence. He did not say anything about the flare up dose but I will keep it at 500mg. He feels that since the anti-inflammatory shot that he got about 11 days back was an immuno-suppresant, that may have caused a flare-up and then he possibly passed on the virus to Calvin. At least now we know that Hobbes has a low threshold for flare-ups. The vet asked me if I wanted to put Hobbes on zithromax again and I was kind of unsure. I mentioned that he was having these flareups pretty often and the doctor suggested we wait and see if the lysine does the trick. So for the next few days we wait and see.

What are you feeding him? Is he on a special diet?

Also, you might want to try the Evening Primrose Oil.

Does his condition warrant special food? Calvin and Hobbes are on mainly canned food and get about 1/8 cup dry each. They are on good quality food but not grain free. Since they staged a revolt a few weeks back when they refused to have any pate styled food (I seriously, they are being stubborn and I am giving in since I need them to have their lysine and if they do not eat their food, I cannot ensure that). Most grain free seem to be pate - Merrcik is an exception. But they do not get wheat, corn or soy or any by-products. The only grain they get is rice. Their dry is California Natural Chicken and Rice. They have their ceramic bowls of water and I also have a fountain running - to ensure that they drink enough.

I did not know of EPO as good for herpes (know of it for PMS). WHat does it do?

I appreciate all the help and the suggestions.

I think their diet sounds just fine. We're the same over here though so I'm biased - they do get rice in some of their food. Chum is allergic to a lot of things - we don't know the list. But he's doing fine on the food they get now.

I think it's also just the season. Billly is sneezing up a storm, and Ming Loy's eyes are a little runny - and these coincide with my having a runny nose and eyes, so I know it's just the "Spring" thing.

Flowerbelle has herpes but seems to have grown out of the flare-ups. It really hasn't been an issue since she was around 2.

!!!!

Originally Posted by otto

Actually 500 mg daily is the therapeutic dose for herpes.

Check with vet before increasing to 1000 mg.

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I second the above. 1000 mg. can bring on digestive upset and with Hobbes past diahrea probs. I wouldn't go that much on the Lysine. Perkins and Pipsqueak both seem to have herpes flare-ups from time to time and it has gotten more so with Spring in the air. Hopefully that is all you are dealing with too.

I was asking about what he was eating because I couldn't remember if he had to eat special food because of all the stuff he's been through recently. I think what he's eating is fine.

Thanks, Staphanietx, for explaining. For a while I was thinking there is a special diet to prevent herpes flare-ups or there was something for asthma that I was missing.

I am hoping that it is spring and the "outside" experience that they've been getting recently, may have made matters worse. We have a breezeway connecting the house to the garage, which they love. So when it's not too cold, I let them play there. They love the sun and can see the backyard with the birds. However, they are probably exposed to way more allergens there than inside the house. Although, it's completely enclosed it;s not as "airtight" as the house since it does not have heating or cooling there. The last couple of days I did not let them go out and (touchwood), they are doing better. They are definitely not happy with me but I do not know if that's the reason or the additional lysine that they've been getting. Keeping my fingers crossed that this resolves fast.

Glad to hear they are doing better!

Hobbes and Calvin

Wow poor babies I am happy they are feeling better - I sure it is stressful for you too!

So the sneezing has decreased. Have not heard Calvin sneeze and Hobbes is about once or so a day. Hobbes' eye are not discharging anymore.
Thanks so much for the vibes

How long should I keep up the increased dose of lysine?
Also, should I continue to keep them from going out to the breezeway. It's not exactly going out, but with no heat or air there, there are closer to nature there than they are inside the house. Calvin is begging to go there and it really breaks my heart but their health comes first.

Another question: When I had first got Calvin, another vet (a junior associate) had mentioned Revolution to us. Their regular vet has never brought it up. The front desk women are really helpful and they said when I asked once, if I needed to get Revolution were kind of ambivalent about it and said maybe I should think about it in Spring. So do I put them on Revolution? Hobbes did receive an application of Revolution the day we got him (Feb 6). Also should I talk to their vet because of Hobbes's other health issues?

I have the impression that vets in northern areas of the US are starting to change their views of whether to administer Revolution monthly throughout the year.

As I understand it, up until a few years ago, heartworm wasn't considered a major issue in cats unless you lived down south and/or your cats lived outside, so lots of vets would say use Revolution from, oh, April through the first frost. After further research into the incidence of heartworm in nothern climates, more vets are starting to recommend administering it monthly throughout the year.

I notice either younger vets, or vets who really keep current with protocols, seem to lean toward using it year round. Now, Revolution isn't the cheapest thing around - so some clients might be hesitant to use it for their indoor cats just from the budget side of things. My vet never 'pushed' winter applications, but when I mentioned a Cornell study, she was very aware of it and seemed awfully pleased that I'd be open to doing Revolution during the winter.

My cats are inside cats but I've started doing Revolution monthly. A friend's young cat has tested positive for heartworm, even though she's an indoor cat. Those darn mosquitos can get in. I'd definitely bring it up to the vet and get their take on the pro's and con's.

BTW, check the Revolution site and ask the vet if there's a discount if you buy in volume, if you go forward. For mine, it's buy twelve doses, get two free (you pay for 10).

Glad the babies are feeling better.