nasal congestion/allergy

Help! My Cornish Rex started sneezing and making the most bizarre noises after we moved into our new home. He loves exploring the garden and I started to think it was an allergy and put this to ALL the vets we have seen. After spending over $3,000.00 in vet bills...he has had every test under the sun including an MRI, x-rays blah blah blah. I was finally told that he has an allergy to something and there isn't anything you can do. He is now blocked in both nasal passages, when he sneezes one side is very bloody snot and the other is regular snot. The poor boy is so down in the dumps. I don't see any point in going to another vet. Can anyone help. I have thought about trying antihistamines but am not sure. We are so saddened and frustrated that we have been unable to help him.

Have you had a culture of the discharge done as well as a sensitivity test?  This will tell you if there's an infection, what kind, and what med will most effectively treat it.  Is he on a daily antihistamine?  Have you been steaming him in the bathroom to help break up the congestion?
 

Hi, yes we have had a culture done...no nasties. He has been on a couple of courses of antibiotics. He isn't on any antihistamine and that is what I think he needs. Are they the same as the ones we buy over the counter for humans? I will try the steaming...thank you so much for that.

I give my girl 1/4 to 1/2 of a 10mg loratadine (Claritin) when she's exceptionally stuffy or sneezy.  I buy the generic Wal-Mart brand.  It dissolves easily in water, so I add some water to wet food (a few teaspoons/long iced tea spoons) crush and let it dissolved.  Mix it into wet food and down it goes!  You can also try plain saline nose drops like Little Noses to help with congestion.
 

Actually Zyrtec is used quite often for cats and supposed to work very well. I have no idea of the dosage though but I'm sure you could ask your vet about it. Also, L-lysine, all natural amino acid that works very well! I give it to mine.

Thankyou, thankyou, I can't tell you how long I have searched for this sort of information. I am going to try the claritin today and I will also get some nasal drops. Fingers crossed that this does the trick.

Cheers

Virginia (Sydney, Australia)

Thank you for that. I will get some L-lysine for him today and start him on the claritin. If that doesn't work I'll try the Zyrtec.

Cheers

Virginia (Sydney)

When that happened with Smokie, our vet had us give him 1/2 a benadryl tablet. Seemed to work great.

thankyou for that. I am so thrilled to have joined this site...all these wonderful people out there with lots of great advice and experience!

Cheers

Virginia (Sydney)

How's your boy doing today?

I think this has been what we have searched for over the past 18 months. He hasn't sneezed this morning and had a much better night than usual. He is fast asleep at the moment...poor boy is probably exhausted. I bought kids saline nasal drops as well so will administer those later today. Fingers crossed that the antihistamines have done the trick.

Thank you for your wonderful advice and concern, I am so grateful as is Nero!

Cheers

Virginia

You're so welcome!  I have a sneezy kitty who was sick for 8 months (off and on) and know how frustrating it is when you just want to find some relief for your kitty!  Have you posted pics of Nero yet?  If not, we'd love to see him!
 

Hi Neromia!  Got in on this thread a bit late but I would have to agree with all the advice you have gotten from other TCSers.  I have used Benedryl on both my cats and my dogs.  I've had wonderful results with it.  I'm glad your baby is doing better
 

thank you for your concern and interest. We are SO happy. Nero has gone two days without sneezing! His appetite has returned and he is standing up to his sister Mia who has been such an opportunist and pushed him around for the last year. I tried getting some saline drops down his nose yesterday ...more to sooth the nasal passages and shift any residual gunk, well he certainly didn't like that. He is a very tolerant boy, allowing me to pop pills in his mouth with relative ease but he reminded us of his strength when it came to dropping solution up his nose.

I am so grateful to everyone for the advice I have received. We have our boy back and who would have thought it was as simple as a quarter of a tablet I can buy over the counter! Wonderful!

I will get some photos up as soon as I've worked out how to do it!

Cheers from downunder.

Virginia (Sydney, Australia)