5 cats with URI

slave2_ragdolls

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It started with my 15 year old Siamese mixed boy. I took him to the vet 10 days ago and he gave me a Convenia shot and Chlorphenramine Maleate pills to give to him for 10 days. I never could get the pills down the cat as he makes gargling sounds when I try to force the pill down his throut. Now the other 4 cats are sneezing. I want to go and get something that is NOT in pill forum for my older Siamese cat on Monday. What works well as I am on a budget and cannot afford another $140 dollar vet bill?  Pilling 5 cats 2 times a day is nothing less than a NIGHTMARE!  All 5 cats are indoor only.
 
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molldee

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Yikes. It'll probably take more than $140 to treat FIVE cats! Can you ask around to borrow money from friends or family? Have you looked into CareCredit or payment plans with the vet?
 
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slave2_ragdolls

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Yikes. It'll probably take more than $140 to treat FIVE cats! Can you ask around to borrow money from friends or family? Have you looked into CareCredit or payment plans with the vet?
My $140 dollar vet fee was to diagnosis for my 15 year old cat that brought it to the other 4 cats. My vet gives me a break for having so many cats. I am just wondering what other options were available to me  other than what I posted in my 1st post for medication to the cats ??.
 
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molldee

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If they all have URIs then they have to be treated at the vet. There's no OTC medication to treat them.
 

hexiesfriend

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Are you certain they all have a URI? Cats can sneeze and not have a URi but of course a vet would have to look at that it is always better to have them looked at. To make your sneezers more comfortable you can take them into the bathroom and run a steam shower and let them breathe in the steam to clear them up. It only takes a few minutes per cat. The object is to keep them sneezing to allow for drainage. Also there is a liquid antibiotic you can give them to treat URI. To save money I would ask the vet for a human antibiotic prescription if possible and get your script for the liquid antibiotic filled at the human pharmacy. Often it is only $4 a bottle. Large retail chains like Walmart and some large Grocery chains will do this. Amoxicillin for example is $35 for the pet form and $4 for twice as much liquid at the human pharmacy. Sometimes the human antibiotic does not come in a liquid. That will definitely save you a lot of money. Convenia is expensive and isn't really necessary if you can treat your cats orally through pill or liquid. Sometimes it doesn't work for all infections.
 
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slave2_ragdolls

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Are you certain they all have a URI? Cats can sneeze and not have a URi but of course a vet would have to look at that it is always better to have them looked at. To make your sneezers more comfortable you can take them into the bathroom and run a steam shower and let them breathe in the steam to clear them up. It only takes a few minutes per cat. The object is to keep them sneezing to allow for drainage. Also there is a liquid antibiotic you can give them to treat URI. To save money I would ask the vet for a human antibiotic prescription if possible and get your script for the liquid antibiotic filled at the human pharmacy. Often it is only $4 a bottle. Large retail chains like Walmart and some large Grocery chains will do this. Amoxicillin for example is $35 for the pet form and $4 for twice as much liquid at the human pharmacy. Sometimes the human antibiotic does not come in a liquid. That will definitely save you a lot of money. Convenia is expensive and isn't really necessary if you can treat your cats orally through pill or liquid. Sometimes it doesn't work for all infections.
I have no clue if the other 4 cats have the URI like my 15 year old cat has. They are sneezing on occasions and you always assume the worst as you know. Thank you for your late night opinion......I appreciate it more than you will ever know. My 15 year old is suffering bad and will go to the vet today again. He is my best friend and I want him to be happy for the rest of his life.
 

hexiesfriend

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Sounds like he has a bad URI, but he will be fine, sounds like he has a lot of TLC!!! I would just watch the others for signs of crusty nose and eyes and just keep their nasal passages open with the steam bath or even a vaporizer. Hope your kitty gets well soon!!
 

cprcheetah

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You could try giving the rest of them Lysine.  You would want to give 500mg twice a day.  I have a cat who is dealing with a respiratory infection, his is chronic and so far my other 4 cats haven't caught it (in 4 months).  Knocking on wood here.  I agree with the poster above if your other cats get sick as the vet to call in a prescription to walmart.  It's loads cheaper.
 

di and bob

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I agree that trying to pill a cat is a nightmare! Greenies pill pouches work sometimes, even with capsules my cats will swallow them down thinking they are a treat. They are cheapest at places like Walmart. Lately, if my cat needs an antibiotic I ask for the injection, it lasts for a week to 10 days and is all they need. To me the 50.00 price is worth not having to force a pill down them (or liquids) twice a day!  I agree with the L-Lysine too, it has helped my two regain their health with their URI"s, it boosts their immune systems and is pretty cheap on Amazon, I buy the 'treats'. Good luck and prayers for your senior, may he recover his health!
 

miraramsay2012

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I feel your pain. I used to foster kittens and if one gets sick - they all get sick.

There are alternatives to pills. There's the Convenia, which is injection (though I don't recommend it - if there is an allergic reaction, there is no way to stop it), and amoxicillin in liquid. If it has to be a pill, you could hide it in their food. I had to give my little girl pills not to long ago and I would take a piece of raw chicken, wrap it around the pill. She had no clue.
 
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slave2_ragdolls

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You could try giving the rest of them Lysine.  You would want to give 500mg twice a day.  I have a cat who is dealing with a respiratory infection, his is chronic and so far my other 4 cats haven't caught it (in 4 months).  Knocking on wood here.  I agree with the poster above if your other cats get sick as the vet to call in a prescription to walmart.  It's loads cheaper.
The vet also sold me Enisyl-F which is the Lysine. I put four squirts on the cats food 2 times a day for about a week. I paid $40.00 for the bottle
I have seen it for about $18.00 for the same size online. I stopped giving it to my 5 cats as I got lazy and just squirted it directly on the food without mixing it up. Some cats ate it while others rejected it. Should I start giving it to the cats again? Should I just squirt it on their paws?
 
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