my cat ate a bird and is now quite sick

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moosedog

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he calmed down.  he still looks rather uncomfortable and irratated.  I going to watch some " How to Give a Cat Liquid Medicine "  videos because I don't know what I'm doing. 
 

riley1

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Yes, feed him whatever he'll eat.

While I kind of agree with "just do what they want to have him treated", here's the thing----he's already sick! A sick cat should NEVERnevernever receive a vaccine! This is even on the vaccine vial. The vets are totally going against label instructions if they vaccinate a sick animal. Vaccines given to sick animals/people do not confer immunity (useless) and may make the patient sicker. This is why pediatricians will not vaccinate your kid if you bring him in with a fever or other obvious signs of illness.

Not all vets will refuse treatment for unvaccinated animals. I guess you could call around to ask about their policies.
I agree that he should not be vaccinated while sick.  Did I miss something?  I get a 3 yr rabies, is this what you have?  Why are you not wanting the vaccine?  If it is because he is sick right now I understand, but later....
 

zoneout

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I agree that he should not be vaccinated while sick.  Did I miss something?  I get a 3 yr rabies, is this what you have?  Why are you not wanting the vaccine?  If it is because he is sick right now I understand, but later....
Good point.  Maybe the bird had rabies.
 

ritz

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Just a couple of thoughts, as I am late reading this thread.
Liquid antibiotics: can be added to food. Can also be flavored by the pharmacist when filing the prescription. You could try adding a tiny bit of clam juice or tuna fish juice (packed in water) to the liquid antibiotics and then putting on wet food.
According to the CDC, birds can't be carriers of rabies.
Vibes for your cat and YOU: I know it's stressful.
 
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moosedog

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I think the medicine got into his nasal passage as I was trying to give it to him yesterday.  It was only my 3rd time doing this and he was not happy and jerking his head around. 

After initially choking and yakking and sneezing for an hour he calmed down and started eating again.  I still hear some wheezing through his nose and noticed he burped a couple times.  Does getting stool softener in the nasal passage cause any other problems beside discomfort?  

Other than this he seems to be slowly getting better.  He's eating alot and I saw him drink some water.  
 
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moosedog

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Here is the breathing and burping noises he is making. 
 
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moosedog

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At 1 minute point you can hear the gurgling and burping.... beginning of video is his wheezing.  these noises only started after the medicine incident.  .  
 

riley1

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I had the same thing happen with a kitten after meds. As I had nothing else, my horse vet listened to his lungs the next day and said she heard wheezing but no cracking on one side.I got a shelter vet appt. later and they heard nothing and nothing on the xray. Liquid in the lungs is sometimes adsorbed.  In your case maybe only the nose and nasal passages are  involved.  From then on I put the meds in the side of the cheek and did not have more problems.  Do you have someone who can listen to his lungs?  Don't want to scare you but if it is in the lungs there is not much you can do.  If he is eating and drinking he may be OK.  Hope things go well for you.
 
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moosedog

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thanks for replying.  Yes he is eating and drinking.  He is still making that snorting noise though.   I have a stethoscope.  I'll look up on how to listen to their lungs because I'll probably hurt him again if I don't 
 
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that what it sounds like.   what am I going to do?  I have no money after I went to the vet the other day.   I just went back to work after being off for over a year cause of injury.  I'm not just saying I have no money, I literally have no money. 

thats what I did.  I had squirt the medicine in his mouth really quick because he was squirming around. 

I'm freaking out.  what do I do?  
 
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moosedog

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is there any type of expectorant type herbs that might help?  he is eating food and I could mix them in.  plus the lady said pets treated for this still have bad outlooks.  If I kill my cat I will not be able to live with that kind of guilt. 
 

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Good point.  Maybe the bird had rabies.
Not sure if this is a joke. . .just so nobody gets worried, birds can't have rabies ;).

Oh, dear, yes, aspiration pneumonia is unpleasant. Even if the liquid absorbs, it's really painful (I had it once) :(. What kind of medication is it? Calls to the vet are free; if, when you call, the vet thinks he needs to be seen, maybe you can find a rescue that will help with the bills. Or, some vets will make payment arrangements.
 

zoneout

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Not sure if this is a joke. . .just so nobody gets worried, birds can't have rabies
.

Oh, dear, yes, aspiration pneumonia is unpleasant. Even if the liquid absorbs, it's really painful (I had it once)
. What kind of medication is it? Calls to the vet are free; if, when you call, the vet thinks he needs to be seen, maybe you can find a rescue that will help with the bills. Or, some vets will make payment arrangements.
Call your local rescue and ask if there is an organization that helps poor people care for their pets.   We have one in my town and they help with free food and vet care - I used to volunteer there.  There are more resources in larger more affluent cities so you might want to look there.
 

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Okay. I think I get what is going on although I only skimmed the posts so if I miss something just correct me.

First off with that video...Leave your cat alone. He is obviously uncomfortable and wants to get away from you but you keep following him with the camera. Also do not hold him down for any reason. Not trying to be harsh here but stress is one of the worst things for a cat. He was stressed in that video clip. He looks very ill from what I see. The breathing honestly sounds upper airway but cannot tell unless physically there with him. Aspiration pneumonia is not a death sentence but it is very important to properly handle a cat that may be in respiratory distress. The proper way to handle him is " don't". What happens is they cannot breath. Something as simple as a hand laying on their chest is very uncomfortable to them and they feel they cannot breath. They struggle and it gets worse. All the while they are stressed a huge amount of things go wrong.

It would be one thing if he was going to the vet and you have to get him in a carrier but even then you don't want to handle him to much. If he isn't going to the vet then leave him alone. Offer food and water. Don't worry about what kind of food. Don't give herbs or any over the counter medications. For the buprenex, it is a potent pain killer opiate that works great in cats but you have to give it the right way. It is absorbed through the mucus lining of the inside of the cheeks and the gums. It should never be squirted in the cats mouth. It is also odor and tasteless so I don't understand what the struggle was about. If you have to give your cat a medication you do it where the cat is. You do not pick him up and put him anywhere. Just wherever he is you give it. But it sounds like he isn't on any medications right now. Aren't you done with them?

Get your cat to a vet. If you don't have money call around and find one. Online there is a site gofundme you can try that and there is also information on this site what to do if you don't have money. Your cat looks sick and needs a different vet from the one he saw last. He needs a cat only vet. Try calling around and do the above things mentioned. This is not something related to the bird. Just a coincidence. Most important is to leave him alone for now. Let him sleep and eat and drink in peace.
 
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moosedog

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@Quiet, Youre being ridiculous, yet thanks for the reply and taking your time to watch the video.   I appreciate everyone that took some of their time to help. 

I took him to the vet.  She said it is really hard to get anything into a cats lungs.  she took an xray and everything looked good.   Also, most of the bone fragments were gone from his stomach and intestine.  He gave him some antibacterial shot so that I would not have to try to administer anything. 
 

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if I miss something just correct me.

Offer food and water. Don't worry about what kind of food.

For the buprenex,....It should never be squirted in the cats mouth....I don't understand what the struggle was about

Your cat...needs a different vet from the one he saw last.

Most important is to leave him alone for now. Let him sleep and eat and drink in peace.
There are a few details you missed and a couple of things that aren't spot-on, so here goes.....

On the food and water and leaving him in peace.......first a reference:
 Suction of the airways can be performed immediately after inhalation of foreign matter. If your cat is showing signs of respiratory distress, oxygen will be required as part of a stabilizing treatment. Should signs of dehydration or shock be present, or if intake of oral fluids has been prohibited, an intravenous drip may be inserted. Until the primary problem has been diagnosed, oral intake should be withheld, especially in acute cases of aspiration pneumonia.
Your cat should be given a quiet place to rest, preferably in a cage, away from other animals or active children. However, supervision is still important. An animal with this condition should not be left lying on its side in an inactive state for more than two hours at a time, to avoid the risk of fluid accumulation in one area. Encourage your cat to change positions throughout the day.

Once your cat is showing signs of stability, a mild form of gentle exercise could be beneficial in stimulating a cough, which will in turn help to clear the airways.

Pneumonia (Aspiration) in Cats - petmd.com
So, no food/water until cleared by examination.

Supervised 'peace and quiet'.....with periodic re-positioning....with exercise when possible, and....coughing is GOOD.

It wasn't Buprenex that he aspirated, it was "a stool softener".

The 'offending Vet' was the first Vet.....cat is now being seen by a respectable Vet.

Hope that helps.

Moosedog - great news - and , great relief !

What foods is he eating? And, what's the name of the stool softener?
 
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moosedog

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Stool softener is Lactulose

He's been eating Wellness brand catfood.  He was just begging for food and I gave him some and he only took 2 little bites and walked away. 

Thats the last of his wet food.  Im going to the store tonight.  What kinds of canned food are the best?    the store that sells the Rad Cat will be closed by the time I get there. 
 

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Lactulose is yucky for many (most, maybe) cats....and, it's something that's often aspirated (not that it's used that much in the big picture)...that's probably why he was struggling so much. Lactulose is also "old school" medicine......

Today the most popular stool softener is MiraLAX, a common human laxative - more here: http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html#OsmoticLaxativesPrevent

MiraLAX can be added to wet food and, he'll never know it's there......just use a teaspoonful of food so you know he's taken the drug.

With wet foods, you can add in a small amount of pure canned pumpkin (not the pie filling)....more about that here: http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html#FiberorPrebiotics    -scroll down a tad there

Wellness is considered one of the better wet foods....I'm using it now since 2007. I use the grain-free "Complete Health" type (no fish varieties) and I add in some freshly lightly-cooked shredded turkey and its broth + some pure canned pumpkin.
 

riley1

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Lactulose is yucky for many (most, maybe) cats....and, it's something that's often aspirated (not that it's used that much in the big picture)...that's probably why he was struggling so much. Lactulose is also "old school" medicine......

Today the most popular stool softener is MiraLAX, a common human laxative - more here: http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html#OsmoticLaxativesPrevent

MiraLAX can be added to wet food and, he'll never know it's there......just use a teaspoonful of food so you know he's taken the drug.

With wet foods, you can add in a small amount of pure canned pumpkin (not the pie filling)....more about that here: http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html#FiberorPrebiotics    -scroll down a tad there

Wellness is considered one of the better wet foods....I'm using it now since 2007. I use the grain-free "Complete Health" type (no fish varieties) and I add in some freshly lightly-cooked shredded turkey and its broth + some pure canned pumpkin.
I would keep giving him the food he is used to; avoiding a stomach upset by changing foods.  And White Shadow is right; miralax is the best thing for constipation and it does not have to be put into his mouth.  Hairball treatment works for older cats but should not be used in kittens.  Not sure about the  pumpkin - we always give it for lose stools.  I am so glad you got to see a vet and there is nothing in the lungs!
 
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