URI/when and how to say no to steroids and antibiotics/vaccinations

One of my senior cats has a history of respiratory issues(upper/lower, allergies) and unfortunately now has a nasal/eye component to what was once mostly "just" coughing and chest congestion. He's had numerous diagnostics and so on. Back in December he first experienced nasal and eye discharge a couple weeks after we adopted a kitten(no one else became ill but yes, I should have kept him isolated longer). I brought him to the vet, he had a fever, and the vet gave him an injection of an antibiotic/steroid. Earlier this week he started to show signs of a URI again: chest congestion, coughing, discharge from one nostril/slightly watery eyes, poor appetite at the onset(then he ate fine/I added water to his food), and he was lethargic. It was a tough decision to drag him out into the cold for a vet visit for a viral infection that possibly just needed to run it's course but, with the weekend approaching, I worried about him developing a bacterial infection or worsening. I had been "nursing" him with his heated vaporizer/eucalyptus diffuser, warm water/saline/colloidal silver to wipe his eyes and nose, transfer factor/probiotics/lysine/dmg, and tasty/smelly foods. He actually appeared to be on the mend Friday(no more discharge/much more active/eating enthusiastically) but I brought him in..

The vet we usually see(whom I haven't been too impressed with) was off for the day so I was happy to see a new vet. I requested bloodwork, had her check his teeth, and so on. Good news: his kidney values were completely normal and everything else looked great aside from one very slightly elevated liver enzyme which I attributed to his poor appetite a couple days ago. No fever either.  Bad news: she injected him with an antibiotic/steroid combo. When she mentioned the steroid I quickly said I had flovent at home and asked if I could just use that. I honestly forget her reasoning for giving the injection instead but.. she did it. He's doing well today but he's been drinking water(he never drinks water as he eats only canned/rehydrated raw) and urinating more. I attribute this to the steroid injection..

So I'm feeling guilty for putting him through that vet visit and allowing the vet to inject him with antibiotics and steroids. I don't like using prophylactic drugs but maybe the antibiotic was necessary. I don't know. Should I bring him to the vet every time he has a URI like this? And, if so, should he be injected every time? My goal now is to, of course, prevent it from happening again. It's possible that he had this flareup because he hasn't had lysine in awhile. The vet suggested that it could be human(there are a lot of colds and whatnot going around here) in origin. I'm doubtful of that. I would find a different vet(believe me, I've tried) but I currently live in-the-middle-of-nowhere and there aren't a lot of options.

I apologize for the long post but I'm feeling guilty/worried today and could use some advice. I have a hard time "standing up" to vets, obviously, and I tend to do things "differently"(my cats' diets, avoidance of vaccinations, holistic medicine, and so on) than the majority of people here. One reason I've stuck to this particular vet clinic is because the clinic 10 minutes from here refuses to see cats who have not received a recent rabies vaccination(not state law, never had objections when I lived elsewhere). I've explained to them that my cats are indoor-only(yes, there's always a chance an infected bat/mouse could slip in but I think it's unlikely in our house) and the ones(my seniors) without recent vaccinations have been vaccinated, just not within the last three years. Also, my URI kitty has had an extremely adverse reaction to a rabies vaccination in the past(about 5 years ago). It's been a tough decision whether to vaccinate them for rabies or not due to the slight chance of exposure but I lean towards not doing it. Am I wrong? I've also read that the vaccinations last far longer than 3 years, possibly a lifetime.

Any advice for talking to vets and saying no to things like vaccinations/steroids/antibiotics without looking like a bad mom would be greatly appreciated. Yesterday went fine but I worry about future appointments.

I can't help you much on how to say "no" to your vet .  You've just got to be strong willed and say "NO THANKS, I DON'T WANT THAT".  There are long standing debates on whether or not to give our furkids vaccinations, and for each of us, it's just a personal choice.  My older furkids always got them, because I was uneducated back then.  My younger furkids only got their kitten shots and boosters, because I have since learned more .  EXCEPT for rabies.  Unfortunately, they all still get rabies shots, because they are required by the groomers, etc, just to get their claws trimmed .  But when it came time for the annual "other" vaccinations, we sat down with our Vet and discussed the pros and cons of getting them, and decided to forgo them.

Now, as to the URI and antibiotics, steroids, etc., I think it really depends on the cause.  Here is another thread you might find helpful:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/246695/whats-the-next-move-for-a-uri

that your boy gets over this soon.  So glad his kidney values are good.  Must be that great diet you've got him on