Sneezing

I'm concerned about my little funnel-chested boy as he is sneezing quite a bit. He's up to date on all his jabs, and there's no eye or nose discharge.  But I can see that at times he is labouring with his breath after vigorous exercise (due to his constricted chest).  I'm wondering whether this problem could create immunity issues, or make allergies more likely?  It's a structural abnormality but if it impacts on his heart and lungs it could easily create systemic issues. I've researched it and found respiratory problems are an issue (as well as cardiac obviously) but sneezing doesn't directly fit.

He is growing so big (he's 18 weeks old now) but is very long and thin and I really am concerned that his heart may not be able to work properly.  Actually I'm really worried about losing him.

I'm not sure anyone can even help, but if anyone has advice I'd love to hear from you.

Allergies are an immune system response. I don't know anything about the disease other than what you have posted on this site, but I would suspect that his flat chest can cause cardiac and respiratory issues, that his body would be more prone to other diseases. How well does your vet know about his condition and the ramifications from it?

You might want to start adding L-lysine to his diet.  That might help with the sneezing, esp if it's allergy related.  I would think you could do 250mg twice a day in wet food would help.

Momofmany said:

Allergies are an immune system response. I don't know anything about the disease other than what you have posted on this site, but I would suspect that his flat chest can cause cardiac and respiratory issues, that his body would be more prone to other diseases. How well does your vet know about his condition and the ramifications from it?

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My vet initially diagnosed it as FCK (Flat Chest).  I did the research and realised it was Pectus Excavatum, and told her.  It is really common for the two to be confused. 

The ramifications are either to risk the surgery, which isn't available here and needs to be done really early (before I took him), or wait to see whether he survives into adulthood, which I thought I could cope with, but I'm really fretting.  The vet thought he was doing really well, as did I. He was putting on weight and seemed really healthy.  But as he grows, his deformity is becoming more pronounced, and I can feel right into the hole where his ribs curl in and feel his little heart beating between the ribs, as though there is pressure there.  And when he has a big romp with my older girl he gets really breathless.

stephanietx said:

You might want to start adding L-lysine to his diet.  That might help with the sneezing, esp if it's allergy related.  I would think you could do 250mg twice a day in wet food would help.

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Thank you.. I'll research where to get it here. Dietery considerations are really appreciated as he needs the best possible resistance.

I'm going to take him to the vet tomorrow (it's very late at night here).  It's not as though he's ill or anything.. he's still being a kitten.  But I just have this horrible feeling he's not going to make it due to how his shape is developing and these little physical glitches. 

I'll see if I can take some photos that show his 'shape', but it's difficult to capture.

Oh boy.  Sorry you are going through this.  Other than the L-lysine which Mom has already suggested, I am at a loss here.  He obviously has a serious physical issue.  My Hoot had a herniated diaphram from being thrown from a car.  It's a long story but we rescued her as she lay drowning in a mud puddle.  Immediately took her to the vet and another long story but she was only about 6 weeks old.  We went ahead with surgery and she survived it.  Boy we were lucky.  I so hope this works out well.  Best of luck and sending good vibes

Thank you for the support.

The vet says she certainly wouldn't say he won't make it.  It's a waiting game, I'm afraid.

She said I should give L-lysine a miss just now as she doesn't see a condition that requires it and it can be toxic on the liver.  But she said to have some available in case he shows respiratory symptoms (as opposed to just sneezing). 

Poor little muffin. He's lucky to have been adopted by you though, you're really taking good care of him and giving him the best chance.

I can't believe it!! I've found a vet who knows heaps about this.. the only one, it seems in the state who does.  He's an hour away.  I'm taking Sundar there now.  Wish us luck!!

Am I pleased to have found this clinic!  These people know so much more than my vet, and the prognosis is great.

He'll never be a super-active cat, but he'll self-restrict (if he plays madly, he'll realise he doesn't have enough oomph and he'll just stop, which he does now).  There is definitely an issue with PE and some diaphragm problems but he'll survive.

One issue is that he has really severe kyphosis, which is a spinal deformity.  I think he was having some pain from that, but through my Animal Welfare League mates I've discovered a kitty chiropractor who apparantly works miracles.

And my vet wouldn't neuter him till he was 6 months old, whereas these vets say it is much better if done as early as possible with this condition.  So my little boy loses his cute little furry bits this Thursday.

I'm rapt... Looks like Sundar is going to be a long-lived little lad, and I've found vets that deal only with cats (and have a rehoming section, and spay ferals).

One thing that interested me.. I did some looking up of vets' research and there is some indication that severe kyphosis can be the result of a lack of Taurine in the diet of the mother.  My boy was the only one in the litter that survived - I'm wondering if that was the problem.  Such an easy thing to avoid.  

If anyone reads this, please send some to my little boy who is losing his boy bits tomorrow! 

He's going to a special vet who understands his breathing issues, and wants to do it asap but the closer I get, the more I fret

Awwwww he'll be fine, but we've all been there so we know how worrying it is.

Lots of healthy healing on their way

 (You'll ace it, big guy!  )

Well, you were right.. He breezed through it!  Even the vet was amazed.

When I collected him this afternoon he was sitting in his basket playing with his toy mouse.

I think I will now officially stop fretting about his little guy - he's obviously a survivor!

There you go!

So pleased he's home safe and sound

There's a whole other thing happening now.  My 2 year old female, who had accepted Sundar and only growled at him when he attacked her tail, is now growling and hissing at him a lot.  Is it because he smells of the vet, or there's something different about him after his op??

He's been away and he smells different.  It will probably sort itself out in a day or two.

Glad the op went so well! That reaction from your female is quite common after the other has been away at the vet.

Mani said:

There's a whole other thing happening now.  My 2 year old female, who had accepted Sundar and only growled at him when he attacked her tail, is now growling and hissing at him a lot.  Is it because he smells of the vet, or there's something different about him after his op??

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Take some talcum powder, rub it in your hands and then pet both cats. Make sure you get their butt/base of tail area and their heads, as those are the areas cats sniff on each other most often. This will make them smell the same and will resolve the vet smell issue. The same thing happens every time I take one of my boys to the vet. I always thought the idea of waiting days afterward for your cats to sort themselves out was ridiculous, so I do the talcum powder and my guys are back to playing and getting along within 5 minutes.

To help alleviate doubts, you should know I recommend this to everyone who has this problem, and from the responses I get on here, it has a 100% success rate with the people I've told.

Thank you.. excellent advice.

He's been at the vets several times before and it hasn't happened, but this is the first operation.

So good to have this resource.. so much information in one place!