We've had Kenzie for almost 2 weeks. We adopted her from local shelter's "adopt & shop store" (set up like a pet store but all dogs/cats are rescues).
Paperwork said she had been cleared of URI and eye still had some clear discharge. They said antibiotics had been given and finished and she's been fine. We adopted her on Sunday 7/13, brought her home and set her up in the spare, spacious bathroom to get used to her new digs. Well, by next morning clear eye discharge was greenish-yellow. Shelter gave a certificate for free check-up, so we took her in Wednesday.
Vet determined she had eye infection, gave l-Lysine (2x's day-gel) and tobromycin eye drops 3x's day. Green-yellow discharge appeared in her right eye 2 days later, so I started eye drops in both eyes. Didn't seem to be working on the left eye, but right eye started to clear up.
On Monday 7/21 she began sneezing, A LOT. I wasn't aware this was symptom of URI so I wasn't on the lookout for mucus from sneezes. I took her back to Vet on Tuesday, same practice different vet, said eye infection is either herpes or chlamydia probably contracted from birth. Changed from eye drops to chlortetracycline ointment 2x's day. Overnight she continued sneezing and by Wednesday morning was super congested (she sounded like a freight train when she started purring) and I witnessed projectile yellow mucus fly from her lil nostrils. Called vet and updated status, prescribed clavamox, 1/2 a pill 2x's /day for 12 days which I picked up on Wednesday evening after work and started that evening. Tonight, I noticed greenish goop again in her right eye, so now poor baby is getting pills shoved down her throat twice a day, stinging ointment stuck in both eyes, humidifier running 24/7 (and lots of treats, love, playtime). She is still eating, tho appetite has fluctuated and has regular urine/bowel movements and no issues with litter box. We're still keeping her in the bathroom in case she develops diarrhea from the antibiotics and because I don't want to stress her out further by having the whole home to adjust to (next step will be to move her to large spare bedroom). We do not have any other pets.
I just feel so bad for her and desperately want her to start getting better so she can some out of quarantine and explore her new home and just feel loved and at peace.
Does anyone have any idea how much longer this URI/eye infection will last, or if I, or vet, can do anything different?
Oh, and top of it all, she has a pretty strong heart murmur. First vet at practice said go to cardiologist, 2nd vet at same practice (much older) said don't waste the money, but get to know what is normal for Kenzie such as resting breathing rate and monitor her for changes as she ages. Could lead to congestive heart failure, but wasting money on cardiologist at this point will do nothing but tell us "'yes, she has a heart murmur and this is where it is specifically -valve vs chamber- but no there's nothing we can do about it'".
Based on adoption costs, vet bills, toys/food/litter/collar/brushes/pet carrier/ etc/etc/etc, I'm looking into pet insurance to help offset future expenses. Vet office had 2 month free trial of Embrace, which I signed up for. Would heart murmur now be considered a pre-existing condition and cost of cardiologist not be covered? URI preexisting too?
Sorry this is so long, sooo many questions! I grew up with a cat, when I was 12 our family got a newborn kitten from a friend. Tiger was in our family for 16 years with no issues but urinary tract blockages on occasion and had to clean his ears from time to time. Nothing like what poor lil Kenzie has already been through in her short 4 months on this planet!
Paperwork said she had been cleared of URI and eye still had some clear discharge. They said antibiotics had been given and finished and she's been fine. We adopted her on Sunday 7/13, brought her home and set her up in the spare, spacious bathroom to get used to her new digs. Well, by next morning clear eye discharge was greenish-yellow. Shelter gave a certificate for free check-up, so we took her in Wednesday.
Vet determined she had eye infection, gave l-Lysine (2x's day-gel) and tobromycin eye drops 3x's day. Green-yellow discharge appeared in her right eye 2 days later, so I started eye drops in both eyes. Didn't seem to be working on the left eye, but right eye started to clear up.
On Monday 7/21 she began sneezing, A LOT. I wasn't aware this was symptom of URI so I wasn't on the lookout for mucus from sneezes. I took her back to Vet on Tuesday, same practice different vet, said eye infection is either herpes or chlamydia probably contracted from birth. Changed from eye drops to chlortetracycline ointment 2x's day. Overnight she continued sneezing and by Wednesday morning was super congested (she sounded like a freight train when she started purring) and I witnessed projectile yellow mucus fly from her lil nostrils. Called vet and updated status, prescribed clavamox, 1/2 a pill 2x's /day for 12 days which I picked up on Wednesday evening after work and started that evening. Tonight, I noticed greenish goop again in her right eye, so now poor baby is getting pills shoved down her throat twice a day, stinging ointment stuck in both eyes, humidifier running 24/7 (and lots of treats, love, playtime). She is still eating, tho appetite has fluctuated and has regular urine/bowel movements and no issues with litter box. We're still keeping her in the bathroom in case she develops diarrhea from the antibiotics and because I don't want to stress her out further by having the whole home to adjust to (next step will be to move her to large spare bedroom). We do not have any other pets.
I just feel so bad for her and desperately want her to start getting better so she can some out of quarantine and explore her new home and just feel loved and at peace.
Does anyone have any idea how much longer this URI/eye infection will last, or if I, or vet, can do anything different?
Oh, and top of it all, she has a pretty strong heart murmur. First vet at practice said go to cardiologist, 2nd vet at same practice (much older) said don't waste the money, but get to know what is normal for Kenzie such as resting breathing rate and monitor her for changes as she ages. Could lead to congestive heart failure, but wasting money on cardiologist at this point will do nothing but tell us "'yes, she has a heart murmur and this is where it is specifically -valve vs chamber- but no there's nothing we can do about it'".
Based on adoption costs, vet bills, toys/food/litter/collar/brushes/pet carrier/ etc/etc/etc, I'm looking into pet insurance to help offset future expenses. Vet office had 2 month free trial of Embrace, which I signed up for. Would heart murmur now be considered a pre-existing condition and cost of cardiologist not be covered? URI preexisting too?
Sorry this is so long, sooo many questions! I grew up with a cat, when I was 12 our family got a newborn kitten from a friend. Tiger was in our family for 16 years with no issues but urinary tract blockages on occasion and had to clean his ears from time to time. Nothing like what poor lil Kenzie has already been through in her short 4 months on this planet!