Cat Flu - Permanent Nasal Damage

Hi all,

I'm looking for help for my kitten, Gretel. I adopted her when she was 8 weeks old and she was suffering with chronic cat flu. She was treated with antibiotics and eventually the running eyes stopped but the breathing issues never resolved themselves.

She is now left with permanent nasal damage. She is 7 months old and it is heartbreaking to hear her loud snorty breathing. It sounds so terribly uncomfortable. I brought her back a few times to the vet and he treated her with steroid injections and more antibiotics. The steroids helped her breathing by about 50% but only for a couple of weeks at a time. Also, because her immunity is lowered by the steroids her original car flu symptoms flare up and make her breathing almost impossible.

And so we find ourselves in a vicious circle of trying to get her help for her breathing but really making things worse. 

She is overdue to be spayed but there is a risk with her bad breathing and the way she is at the moment, I'm very reluctant to let her go under an anaesthetic.  I'm taking her back to the vet again tomorrow to be looked at.

Does anyone have any experience with this or any advice to offer? I find it very stressful and upsetting for poor Gretel. 

Thanks very much.

After doing a bit of reading, I just ordered Lysine for cats online. Fingers crossed. 

Kila said:

 
After doing a bit of reading, I just ordered Lysine for cats online. Fingers crossed. 

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hope it helps. have to say, you are the strong but silent type: 7 Posts. Joined 4/2006

If she truly has bone loss or reduced turbinates in her nose, she needs a culture of her nasal passages and blood culture sent to the lab for pathology. Fungus (cryptococcus) and/or resistant or exotic (mycoplasma) bacteria can lead to this type of aggressive hard tissue infection.

Cat "flu" translates as your vet's slang for chronic URI, as she sounds like she may have herpesvirus with secondary infection, or primary infection that hasn't yet completely responded to antibiotic therapy. If doxycycline for 2 weeks isn't effective, changing to azithromycin is standard for a stubborn URI; unless culture results indicate different antibiotics the organism in the respiratory tract is sensitive and resistant to.

Meanwhile, if she is intubated, an endotracheal tube is placed down her trachea, so she doesn't have to rely on her nose to work. She'll get pure oxygen directly to her lungs. If anything, it will be therapeutic for her, and while her airway is protected with the ET tube, they can go ahead and get a good, representative sample of her nasal passages while she's fully anesthetized. They can also do a nasal flush, pushing out discharge accumulated, decreasing the medium for more bacteria or fungi to grow in.

Sometimes, inhalant corticosteroids, such as albuterol, help these crunchy nose kitties. Ask your vet about calling in a Rx for an inhaler and ordering an Aerokat adapter to fit her face, if they think it may benefit her.

Hope Gretel gets some relief, soon!

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a helpful and comprehensive response.

Would it be ok with you if I print it off and take it to my vet so we can go ahead with your suggestions?