Why Is My Herpes Cat So Congested in Her Lungs?

I have a Feline Herpes cat who's been having a lot of chest congestion lately. It got to the point where her breathing would get labored and shallow, like she can't take full breaths because of all the crap in her lungs.  She would also have fits of coughing that were productive...I could tell she was bringing stuff up. She's not been having a flareup..just this stubborn chest congestion.  I took her to the vet over a week ago.  Vet checked her out and prescribed Clavamox, 2 dropperfuls 2x daily. My cat has no fever. She tries to act normal despite the breathing problem.  On bad days she doesn't eat much. On better days her appetite seems to be okay.  She eats mainly a quality grain free dry food. I've been working on trying to convert her to wet food and plan to work lysine into her diet once the chest congestion issue is cleared up.  It seemed the Clavamox was working to help her feel better.  Her coughing lessened and I could tell she was feeling better overall, being more affectionate and interactive, a more alert look in her eyes, etc.  Well yesterday afternoon is when I noticed her breathing getting worse again.  She is having a setback.  Breathing was very labored this afternoon after I got home from work and she looked miserable.  I gave her a steam treatment in the bathroom with the hot shower running. This seemed to help a bit.  But was a temporary reprieve.  Had to give her another steam treatment a few hours later, and a third one just now...brought her in with me when I took my evening shower.  At the moment, she seems to be doing somewhat better...just saw her trying to catch a bug flying around in the bedroom so that's a good sign, but she's eaten hardly anything at all today...at least not that I've seen.  I't just so frustrating because just when I thought she was finally recovering from her chest/lung problem, she's suddenly having this setback.  I'm not sure what to do for her except to keep giving her steam treatments when possible to help break up the congestion.  I'd like to see her coughing more so as to bring some of that junk.  I feel soo bad for her.  Has anyone had any experience like this with a feline herpes cat?  When she has flareups, for her it's all in the nose/nasal passages..lots of sneezing and breathing through her mouth because her nose is so blocked up. Her nose has been very clear lately.  It's just this chest problem that doesn't seem to wanna let up. Would a different antibiotic be more helpful?  Also I had recently made a change to the type of cat litter I use.  It is at all possible that this breathing issue might have something to do with her having a bad reaction to the new litter?  It could be pure coincidence regarding the litter, but it's something that has crossed my mind.  This has been so frustrating and worrisome for me.  I really want to get this kitty feeling better!

I'm bumping this up so some of the herpes cat people will see it and hopefully respond

Hi, I was looking through posts last night so must have been just before you posted. I do have a herpes cat but his problems are mostly with his mouth or eyes. He does cough and sneeze occasionally but it hasn't been a problem area to date thankfully.  I recently started him on L Lysine and his coughing and sneezing has lessened since I've done that - though may be coincidence I think it's related.

I'd be so worried if his chest sounded like you describe for your girl and would be looking for advice and reassurance from our vet again no matter how much they thought I was pestering them. Did they give a broad spectrum antibiotic or look to do any cultures to check they were prescribing the right one? Also, as you have changed litter I'd definitely go back to something you know is OK, just to check it isn't related to that.

I haven't had another cat with FHV and only recently started to learn about it when Mouse was diagnosed so I'm afraid I don't have much experience to draw on for you. Hopefully one of the very experienced people on the site will be able to give you a better idea of what this might be.

Thinking of you and your girl. Hope she picks up soon.

Thank You for the reply. I appreciate anyone's input.  Yes, I did remove the new litter last night and changed back to the stuff I was using previously, just in case that might be causing or aggravating her problem.  As I said, it might be pure coincidence with the litter thing, but one never knows and if I see her start to improve over these next few days then good chance it WAS the litter.  

From what I've read Clavamox is a  pretty decent broad spectrum antibiotic. It's basically amoxycillon with an extra kick to it.  But maybe she needs something stronger or different..I don't know.  Early on after I got her she was given injections of Convenia on two occasions with the hope it would help with her flareups.  I must admit, it DID seem to help but the benefit only lasts like a month or so. She wasn't having the chest congestion at the time so I don't know if something like Convenia would help with this issue.  I don't know if it's something that would respond to any antibiotic. It's a frustrating symptom she has and there's currently no other signs that she's ill (no fever, or trying to hide, etc)....just the shallow breathing thing and coughing, which obviously makes her feel crappy. The vet listened carefully to her heart and lungs and, while it's obvious her chest is congested, the vet didn't seem too alarmed. Vet prescribed the Clavamox and told me to try getting her started on Lysine supplements (which I had attempted to do in the past but gave up..now I'm reading/hearing from everyone that Lysine is pretty much a must have for herpes kitties and really does help)  

Would really like to get this chest issue cleared before the cold weather sets in and the furnace gets turned on, which really seems to send her into bad flareups.  If this cat has a flareup of a congested runny nose in addition to congested lungs, then the poor thing is really going to suffer. She is fortunate though that she doesn't get it in her eyes.  Sometimes they get a little runny when she has a flareup but for the most part they stay pretty clear.  I'm just so discouraged about this setback she's suddenly having after seeing her seem to be improving just a mere few days ago.  I must confess that I'm broke, on a super tight budget and don't have a lot of money for covering vet expenses, other than a basic exam and meds.  But I may have to take to her the vet again soon if she doesn't improve and/or gets worse. I'll continue with the steam treatments for her as that does seem to help. I did see her eat today, not a lot, but some so that was encouraging. And she's been peeing so obviously that tells me she's been drinking, which is good. I offered her some wet food which she she took a few small bites of..not much but at least she's showing more interest than yesterday.  I've heard her coughing a little more today which I think is good because it helps loosens the phlegm or whatever it is in her lungs.  I'm off now to get the shower running to give her another steam treatment. I'll keep ya posted.

Hi, it sounds like the steaming is helping her feel more comfortable at least and if she can cough and clear her chest a little without getting distressed that has to be good.

I THINK Mouse had a couple of Convenia shots when his mouth was bad when he first got sick but I've seen on this site that there are a few concerns about their possible side affects in cats so would discuss carefully with my vet if they suggested again. I'm wondering if my vets know and share these concerns as for the past year they have strongly recommended I go with oral medications if I can get Mouse to take them (which I've managed to do).  

I only recently started to give the L Lysine and here in the UK the tablets I got first were not very expensive (about £10 for 2 weeks worth). Mouse doesn't get much wet food and the powder made him froth and get distressed so I'm now giving him gel which was £30 for about 3 months supply.  I am hoping I can claim through insurance but not tested that out yet but on that basis I am getting it through my vet.  It's certainly worth it if it keeps the flareups at bay coz the recent Famciclovir antiviral he was on cost about £140 for 2 weeks! 

Keep her calorie intake up, and look at any threads about syringe feeding for advice if she's still not eating much: since joining this site I've learned that if cats are off their food for even a short period of time it can damage their liver.  

Surprised you haven't had more interest in your post yet.  I'll try and look in some of my other thread subscriptions and add a link here for you if I find one with useful information in it.

Just say no to Convenia! 

Now then, I have a herpes kitty and her symptoms and flare ups are always upper respiratory/eyes/nose.  She also struggles with airborne allergens and any time the weather changes.  This sounds like what happened to us several years ago with her.  She'd get sick, get meds, get better, then almost immediately get sick again.  After riding that roller coaster for almost 6 months, we finally found a vet who suggested a culture and sensitivity test to figure out exactly what was going on.  Turns out she had a nasty, nasty secondary infection that required a heavy duty antibiotic.  So, that's where I would recommend you start medically with your kitty.  Ask the vet to do the test to figure out what you're dealing with and which med will best treat it.

Some other things we did with Hannah that have helped long-term was to change her to an all grain-free diet, add Lysine, a daily antihistamine, and a daily dose of evening primrose oil to help decrease inflammation in her nasal passages.  We worked to get her as healthy as possible so that her body could fight off any infection on its own.  Thankfully, she's not had a major flare up in about 5 or 6 years.

Lsyine--I use the powdered variety in a 1 lb. jar either the NOW brand or the VitaCost brand, whichever I can find cheaper online.  In a pinch, you can use tablets found at a health food store or in the supplement section of Wal-Mart or drug store.  During a flare up, give 1000mg daily.  Be sure to divide it into 2 doses so that it stays in the system.  It flushes out when your kitty urinates, so keeping the drug in the system is essential for it to work.  If your kitty is not having a flare up, give 500mg daily.

Antihistamine--I use Claritin (loratadine), 1/4 to 1/2 of a 10mg tablet once a day.  It dissolves easily, so I add a bit of water to her wet food in the morning, drop the 1/2 pill in, smash it with the back of a spoon, mix into food and serve.

As you know, it's imperative that she eat.  Try warming her food for a few seconds in the microwave to enhance the aroma.  She's not eating because she can't smell the food.  Continue steaming her in the bathroom as often as you can.  You can also try adding a bit of tuna juice to the mix, adding in some meat only baby food (beef, chicken, or turkey) or topping with bonito flakes.  You could also ask the vet for an appetite stimulant.  You can also add in some plain baby Pedialyte to help with nutrients.  Whatever you do, she MUST eat in order to beat this thing!

One other thing you can do is to run a humidifier (not a cool mist one, but an old fashioned warm steam humidifier) close to where she sleeps.  That will help with the breathing and clearing up the nose, too.  If you have eucalyptus oil, you can put a pot of water on to simmer and add some of that to the water.  Leave it on the stove to simmer and it'll fill the air with the essence and help her breathe better.  Don't put eucalyptus oil where your kitty can get to it as it's fatal if ingested.  I have put a few drops on an old wash cloth and stuck under bedding when my girl was at her sickest.  Most kitties don't like the smell though and won't go near it. 

Thank you so much for all the info.  Trust me, I am taking notes.  Yeah, I'm aware there is controversy about Convenia and I have heard mixed things. I wasn't aware of the possible dangers of it at the time she got the injections. Thankfully she didn't have any bad reaction to it and it seemed to help her for a bit, but after doing it twice I was really hesitant to continue with it because I really prefer to avoid antibiotics as much as possible saving it for when they are really and truly needed.  I know I need to get Lysine into her.  I just need to figure out how.  I did pick up a bottle of Lysine tablets the other day, but honestly, I don't know how well that's going to work out being that she's not much of a wet food eater. Seems she has to be in the mood for it and even then she only eats small amounts, just a few bites or little tastes and then she's satisfied and walks away. Every now and then, on a rare occasion she'll be more into it and eat most of what's on her plate, but it's very inconsistent.  However, I am going to keep trying to convert her better and will be trying different brands/flavors to see which she likes best and see if I can get her hooked on the wet food more.  She also does not eat treats. None. Our two other cats in the household love their treats but Twinkle has never taken much interest...doesn't matter the brand, flavor, texture. I'll offer it to her but she just maybe sniff at it a little and then walks away, therefore Lysine treats are not a good option for her.  I think I might try the paste..put it on her paws which would force her to lick it off.  It might be the only way..at least for now. 

She has been doing a lot better today with the eating and drinking and just looks better overall..less miserable and moving around more, even playing a little bit.  I gave her a steam treatment this afternoon.  Thankfully she never seems to really mind being closed up in the bathroom for the half hour or so, and she often looks better afterward so I know it's helping somewhat and I'll keep doing it for her daily as needed.

So that's the latest update on her...I will continue with my research and trying to figure out the best ways to help her so she can avoid any nasty flareups this winter.  She's an eccentric cat. If it was one of the other two dealing with this illness it would be a lot easier getting them to take Lysine or Claritin or any other helpful supplements.  Actually I'm thinking I might get the Lysine treats for the other two, just for good measure to help keep them healthy.  Neither one of the other two has ever had any kind of flareup...my black kitty sneezes every now and then but nothing more than that.  He's very healthy and happy...knock on wood.

Thank you again to you both, MServant and stephanietx.  I remain open to anyone other suggestions or further experiences from others.

Glad she's looking a little better today.

Mouse hated the L Lysine power and by the end of his 2 weeks on it he was frothing and getting really distressed with it.  I started off giving the gel mixed in with a tea spoon of sardines 2 x a day which he seemed to like - but after 2 days he just left it on the plate so there was no point.  I've been squirting the gel straight in to the side of his mouth and then doing his tooth routine which he likes (very strange boy   ) but you could use anything that your cat likes as a reward just to help the L Lysine's go down with something nice associated (doesn't need to be food if that isn't a treat).  I read that herpes kitties often don't have a very good sense of smell so going off food is often more of an issue with them, esp during flareups.  

Twinkle has been doing well these past couple of days.  Appetite has been normal and she's been eating more wet food and she seems to enjoy her steam treatments.  The chest rattling is still there of course, and she needs to be careful about exerting herself, but she's seemed happier these past 2 or so days.  I will not be taking her back to the vet unless symptoms suddenly get worse.  I will continue with supportive care and work on improving her diet and using the Lysine.  The Viralys gel I have ordered should be here soon.  I love the Claritin tip...didn't know it was safe for cats so I will definitely remember that.  Thanks  I thought Lysine powder or crushed Lysine tablets weren't supposed to have much flavor and could be easily mixed in food??  Hmmmm..well anyhow, I do have a bottle of Lysine tablets but I'm going to try this gel thing first and see what's the best way I can figure out to sneak it into her.  Maybe I'll get really lucky and she'll like the taste of it and be one of those cats who will lick it right off the spoon or plate.  Her dry food isn't grain free per se, but it's Nature's Recipe brand and seems like pretty decent stuff.  I did notice an improvement in her coat and less shedding shortly after I started her on it.  She still does have a tendency to shed a lot but it's a LOT better than what it used to be. I can pet her now without a bunch of short white hairs flying all over the place.  She's a good water drinker so no worries there.  I do have a humidifier but it's not the warm steam type.  I'll just keep bringing her in with me when I shower and will keep my eyes open for an old fashioned warm vapor humidifier in the meantime.

I'm so glad to hear she's doing better and great that she seems to enjoying her steam sessions with you.

I can relate to the reduced shedding experience - one of my previous cats used to molt so much I couldn't believe she didn't go bald! It would have been lovely to find a solution for her.  (Still finding her fluff 3 years after she crossed the RB)!   

Mouse seems to be fine with the L Lysine gel - I think it smells like fish so maybe that's why.      He gets such a tiny portion of wet food and he's not that keen on it so anything that's added just puts him off, and the quantity of powder when it was put in his mouth just caught his throat and he kept frothing and got distressed.  If Twinkle has a reasonable portion of wet food to eat daily it is worth trying her with the L Lysine tablets crushed and mixed in.  I really do think it's worth it. Mouse looks better since he started on it: he's a bit more bouncy again (he'd been a bit subdued and sleepy since he finished a 2 week course of Famciclovir and even though no obvious symptoms I still thought he was run down).  I haven't heard the usual little coughs and sneezes he comes out with every few days either.

The cat in your avatar is beautiful, I love white cats. Is that Twinkle?  

Hi,

Yes, that is Twinkle in my pic.  Not sure if you can see it but she's an odd-eyed cat..left eye is blue and right eye is gold.  She came from a Mississippi shelter during Hurricane Katrina timeframe when shelters were overflowing..she and a bunch of other cats got transported to the local shelter near where I was living at the time, in Massachusetts (we have since moved to Pennsylvania).  My other cat, Mauli, came from from the same shelter as well and I adopted them both on the same day. There was a personal handwritten message in Twinkle's records that were given to me when I adopted her.  The story is that she was rescued from a kill shelter on the day she was to be euthanized. She was pregnant and had pneumonia at the time.  She was nursed back to health.  Then she ended up at the shelter in Mass. for 2 years before someone finally adopted her...which was obviously me    That was on 2/14/09 that I adopted them and it's one of the best things I've ever done for myself , for them too.  I didn't know when I adopted her that she had Herpes. The shelter knew but did not inform me until after I sent them an email inquiring about why she had such a runny nose and lots of sneezing (when I met her at the shelter she wasn't showing these symptoms...I assumed she was fine and healthy)  Anyhow, I was pretty pissed that the shelter withheld that information from me.  The only thing they told me is that her eyes sometime get weepy in the winter and that I might need to wipe them with a damp cloth from time to time.  That's b.s. because I've never seen her get weepy eyes It's all nasal congestion, runny snotty nose and lots of sneezing, but her eyes have been fine. Anyhow, that's how I ended up with a herpes cat.  My other cat is fine and does not have the virus, or if he does he has never shown any symptoms.

Regarding wet food, Twinkle is picky about it. I'm trying to encourage her to eat more of it but it's always a little at a time with her and she mostly just licks up all the juice.  Dry food is what she mostly eats.  So that's why I'm going to try the gel, at least until I can get her to eat wet food more, and on a more consistent basis (if that ever happens), then maybe I'll try the tablets.  Thank you for sharing your experiences with Mouse (cute name) and for asking about Twinkle  Very kind of you and you've been quite helpful.  I'll continue to keep you posted and I hope Mouse remains happy and bouncy