Second URI right after the first--what do I do?

nikkisand said:

 
So my littlest kitten is going to be 12 weeks old this week.  She was sick a little over a week ago and I took her to the vet on the 14th.  She was diagnosed with a URI and was given Amoxicillin BP 1/2 ML two times a day for 7 days.  Her last dose was Friday and she was back to her little peppy self. 

Yesterday, I noticed she was sneezing a lot but paid no attention to it.  Today she is sneezing, making a sound of what I think is coughing plus watery eyes.  She has slept all day.  She ate wet food today (its her favorite, she actually ran to it about an hour and a half ago) and drank some water earlier in the day. 

I texted a family friend of mine who is a vet tech and recommended that I do not give her more medicine and to just watch her closely.  Is it normal for kittens to get so sick, especially after taking a course of anti-biotics?  

I just want my baby to feel better.  If anyone has any ideas to help her feel more comfortable, that would be great.  Thank you! 

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StephenQ said:

 
I have to disagree completely with your friend.  The coughing suggests lung involvement which could be very  serious, and in any case when a URI recurs standard practice is to re-treat, but you should contact your vet before treating, and as soon as possible.

And yes it is definitely possible for a cat to get sick again if he wasn't completely cured in the first place or he developed a secondary infection (possibly that cough).  A 12 week old kitten with an infection that has moved to his lungs could be life threatening. 

Please call your vet.

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catlover73 said:

 
I agree with Stephen.  I went through this same thing with one of my cats years ago when she was a kitten.  Please at least call your vet and let them know that she is sick again.  I had to go through 2 rounds of 2 different antibiotics with my kitten before the URI cleared up completely  She did the exact same thing you are describing. Hopefully your vet will give you more antibiotics to clear up this 2nd URI. 

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catlover73 said:

 
I  do not know anything about those antibiotics myself.  Hopefully the new medicine will get rid of the URI completely this time.  

Thank you for taking your baby back to the vet. I have had luck using steam treatment for my cats and kittens when they had URI's.  Run the shower in your bathroom as hot as you can get it.  Take your kitten into the bathroom and hang out in the steam for 15-20 minutes at least 3x a day.  This may help break up some of the congestion so your cat can smell her food again.  

Keep in touch with your vet if you continue to have issues with her not eating.  You can try feeding your baby meet flavored baby food with no garlic or onions in it.  You can also try cooking up some plain chicken for her.  If she has treats she likes you can try using those to get her to eat something.

I used baby food with an adult cat I rescued that had been abused and was actually scared to eat.  I fed it to her on spoon.

I used cooked chicken with one of my seniors when he got sick and refused to eat.  

If your cat will eat wet food you could try some of the Fancy Feast Pate style wet cat food.  I used this with my senior to transition him back to cat food from chicken. 

@StephenQ

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nikkisand said:

 
She barely ate this morning so I made an appt with a vet today!  She was dehydrated, needed an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory.  She received fluids, and got her doses of the medicine as soon as we came home.  I hope this maybe this helps her feel better soon and she gets to eating again! Doctor prescribed Meloxicam and Orbax.  Does anyone know anything about these medications?  

Thank you for this advice!! As a new kitty owner, I have a lot to learn.  Kittens are tough work!  

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