new to forum question about clavamox and a uri

[vinnie2564]

My vet needs an expensive cat scan to find the problem my cat has. My cat didn't eat anything for a day and a half so we took him to the emergency vet on Sunday. He believes the problem is a uri and put my cat on these stronger antibiotics overnight and in the morning gave me clavamox tabs for 14 days. Monday he did not eat until 11 at night. He ate again today and drank water. My cat has had this for a very long time now, but we have two more cats that are fine. If this is a uri, how aren't the others affected and how will the clavamox help if the cause is a virus. Also, the blood test showed low white blood cells. Will the antibiotics help the white blood cell count to rise?

Thanks for your help

 

[red top rescue]

The vet gives Clavamox in order to prevent your cat from getting any secondary bacterial infection while he has this URI.  The virus often suppresses the immune system, thus the low white cell count, making him more susceptible to bacterial infections.  If he is eating now, you are over the hump.  The hardest time is when they cannot smell or taste and won't eat.  If they go more than 3 days without eating, the can get liver problems so it is very important to make sure they eat.  The white cells should increase and eventually overcome the virus.  There are some extra supportive measures you can take.  If the virus is herpes, it will not be able to grow if you increase his lysine level by adding lysine to his food.  1/2 of a 250 mg. capsule twice a day should be enough, but do a search to see what others recommend.  If the virus is one of the calici virus family, lysine will do nothing but lactoferrin seems to do wonders in improving their resistance.  There are several threads on here about those two substances.  As for why your other cats don't get it, they may have had it already, possibly before you got them, and therefore they are immune.  They may even carry the virus even though they are immune to it, and they might have infected him.  Once he is over it, he will be immune also, although sometimes they need to take lysine or lactoferrin or both to prevent relapses at times of stress.  If you search "lysine and lactoferrin" in the search bar above, right under the brown title bar, you will get links to lots of threats concerning upper respiratory diseases and the use of these.  Glad he's getting better and eating now..