Cat cold (severe?)

tissa · Mar 27, 2016

Hello all! Happy Easter!

I am afraid my Texas is sick again. Those of you who read his story last spring, know that he almost died.

Anyways, my baby who is strictly an indoor cat somehow and somewhere got a kitty cold. At first he was just sneezing and was more mellow and i was hoping that he would get over it. But it has been a week now and he has only gotten worse. He now has very runny eyes (and the third lid is red), he is very congested, he doesn't meow at all (and usually he is talkative), he is blowing bubbles from his nose and I can hear bubbling sounds when he is breathing.

Now, i DID take him to the vet on Saturday. It was a new vet who lives closer to my new place and he did not seem too concerned at all. He said that Texas has a herpes virus, that he got that virus as a kitten and that similarly to human herpes virus that people get on their lips when they get a cold or their immune system is lowered, this virus can appear at any time in cats who have it. He did not do any special tests to determine that it for sure was a herpes virus, but said that that is what it was. He gave my Texas a Convenia shot and sent us home saying that the shot is just so it doesn't become a bacterial infection, but the virus itself can't be killed with the antibiotics and his body needs to fight it. He also gave us some cat food but it is a challenge to feed him...a huge challenge. The vet also gave us a feeding syringe that is a size of my elbow almost (i don't know what he was thinking). So i got a small one at the CVS, which is easier to hold for me, but its still nearly impossible to feed my cat.

So it has been over 24 hrs and i see no difference in his condition at all. It actually seems like he is even more congested.

He obviously is not eating and he is absolutely horrible at being force fed and i have not been very successful. Whatever i can get in him is not at all enough calories and causes him a lot of stress. I tired finger feeding ad syringe feeding. I did add tune and all the tricks that are supposed to work. He will not eat on his own. I saw him drinking a couple of times yesterday, have not seen him drink today yet. I got a little food in him this morning, but not much (and I deleted it with lots of tuna water because it needs to get inside the syringe and easily come out).

So my question is, do you think the vet was incompetent? Should my cat have received a different treatment? Do I need to wait a bit more and see if the virus will go away and the antibiotic will hopefully help with congestion? Should I take him to my old vet (its further and she is more expensive and I don't know if she would prescribe something different or not nor do I know if the vet i took Texas to was correct in his treatment and assessment).

THANK YOU!

I am very worried about my boy

I don't want to loose him or have him near death again

molly92 · Mar 27, 2016

Poor kitty! That sounds like pretty standard veterinarian treatment for an upper respiratory infection. Herpes virus is very common in cats and will flare up occasionally, although the intensity of the symptoms can vary. It could be a couple of other viruses, but vets don't normally do a test because the treatment is the same for all of them-medicine can't cure them, and antibiotics can prevent a secondary infection.

I would be worried that he's not eating or drinking, though. Is he dehydrated? You can check by "tenting" the skin on the back of his next by gently gathering it up in a little pinch and then letting it go. If it snaps back immediately, he's fine, but if it slowly falls back into place he is not getting enough fluids and taking him back to the vet to get some subcutaneous fluids might be a good idea. The other worry is that if cats don't get enough calories, they can develop fatty liver disease, which is very dangerous, so if he goes 48 hours without eating you do need to take him back to the vet, but try to get food in him anyway you can. Cats rely very much on their sense of smell to eat, so not having that is really affecting his appetite. The vet can prescribe appetite stimulants which may help, which is something you can bring up if you go back to the vet. What I always recommend for sick kitties that really need calories is human baby food. You can get chicken or turkey in the little jars (check and make sure there are no onions or garlic in the ingredients). Gerber or Beechnut are common brands that are good for this. It's very bland and gentle on their stomach, it's easy to lap up, and it also tastes very enticing to most cats.

Otherwise, the URI itself is not very dangerous, even though it is pretty miserable. You can gently wipe his eyes and nose with a warm, damp cloth, and taking him into the bathroom and running a hot shower next to him so he breathes in the steam can help with his congestion. There are also a couple of supplements that you can ask your vet about and try.

The first is L-lysine, which theoretically binds up arginine that the herpes virus uses so it can't replicate and the symptoms get better. This is really commonly used by cat owners and recommended by vets, but a review was published last year that showed that none of the studies done on lysine have actually had conclusive results, and depleting available arginine might be bad for the cat. You can read about it here and see other people's opinions on that:
[thread="309898"]Supplementing With Lysine Not Recommended For Herpes Kitties [/thread]
The other is lactoferrin, which works to generally boost the immune system. This thread contains links to a few studies and the anecdotal evidence of members who've tried it:
[thread="267703"]Stubborn Herpes Infection Add Lactoferrin In Addition To Lysine [/thread]
Overall I don't think this vet was incompetent, but you might need to take Texas back, and in that case it'd probably be good to prompt the vet about subcutaneous fluids, appetite stimulants, and supplementing with lysine or lactoferrin. Vets see a lot of URI's in cats and most of them don't need these treatments, so that's probably why he didn't bring them up. It's just the lack of eating and drinking for long periods of time that can become a serious problem and if you can't get him to eat enough by yourself then a second visit is definitely warranted.

tissa · Mar 27, 2016

Molly92 said:
Poor kitty! That sounds like pretty standard veterinarian treatment for an upper respiratory infection. Herpes virus is very common in cats and will flare up occasionally, although the intensity of the symptoms can vary. It could be a couple of other viruses, but vets don't normally do a test because the treatment is the same for all of them-medicine can't cure them, and antibiotics can prevent a secondary infection.

I would be worried that he's not eating or drinking, though. Is he dehydrated? You can check by "tenting" the skin on the back of his next by gently gathering it up in a little pinch and then letting it go. If it snaps back immediately, he's fine, but if it slowly falls back into place he is not getting enough fluids and taking him back to the vet to get some subcutaneous fluids might be a good idea. The other worry is that if cats don't get enough calories, they can develop fatty liver disease, which is very dangerous, so if he goes 48 hours without eating you do need to take him back to the vet, but try to get food in him anyway you can. Cats rely very much on their sense of smell to eat, so not having that is really affecting his appetite. The vet can prescribe appetite stimulants which may help, which is something you can bring up if you go back to the vet. What I always recommend for sick kitties that really need calories is human baby food. You can get chicken or turkey in the little jars (check and make sure there are no onions or garlic in the ingredients). Gerber or Beechnut are common brands that are good for this. It's very bland and gentle on their stomach, it's easy to lap up, and it also tastes very enticing to most cats.

Otherwise, the URI itself is not very dangerous, even though it is pretty miserable. You can gently wipe his eyes and nose with a warm, damp cloth, and taking him into the bathroom and running a hot shower next to him so he breathes in the steam can help with his congestion. There are also a couple of supplements that you can ask your vet about and try.

The first is L-lysine, which theoretically binds up arginine that the herpes virus uses so it can't replicate and the symptoms get better. This is really commonly used by cat owners and recommended by vets, but a review was published last year that showed that none of the studies done on lysine have actually had conclusive results, and depleting available arginine might be bad for the cat. You can read about it here and see other people's opinions on that:
[thread="309898"]Supplementing With Lysine Not Recommended For Herpes Kitties [/thread]
The other is lactoferrin, which works to generally boost the immune system. This thread contains links to a few studies and the anecdotal evidence of members who've tried it:
[thread="267703"]Stubborn Herpes Infection Add Lactoferrin In Addition To Lysine [/thread]
Overall I don't think this vet was incompetent, but you might need to take Texas back, and in that case it'd probably be good to prompt the vet about subcutaneous fluids, appetite stimulants, and supplementing with lysine or lactoferrin. Vets see a lot of URI's in cats and most of them don't need these treatments, so that's probably why he didn't bring them up. It's just the lack of eating and drinking for long periods of time that can become a serious problem and if you can't get him to eat enough by yourself then a second visit is definitely warranted.

Thank you very much for such a detailed answer!

stephanietx · Mar 27, 2016

I have a herpes kitty and stress is generally the trigger for her flare ups. Stress can come in the form of many things, but mainly a new schedule, change in routine or living environment, or even new people in your home. Also, seasonal allergies contribute to extra sneezing and watery eyes for her. Running a feliway diffuser 24/7 will help decrease the stress.

What I would suggest is trying to get his nose clear so he can smell to eat. Either steam him in the bathroom by getting the bathroom good and steamy, then sitting in the bathroom with him, or using saline drops two to three times a day. I use Little Remedies Little Noses saline drops. If you use them, be sure to get the saline drops, not the spray. Just put one drop in each nostril.

To entice him to eat, get some plain meat baby food, preferably Beech Nut as it has no corn starch. Turkey and chicken are my kitties' favorites. Also get some really stinky canned food like the Fancy Feast classic pates. They are actually grain-free and kitties like them. You can add a little bit of water to the canned food, warm it up in either a water bath or in the microwave for a few seconds. Warming makes the food smell a bit more and entices them to eat.

In the past, my kitty has had a Convenia shot and it has caused excessive lethargy and decreased appetite, so keep an eye on him and be sure he eats. If he stops eating, get hm to the vet for IV treatment and/or some appetite stimulants.

Contrary to the post above, I'm a big believer in the effectiveness of Lysine and give it to my kitties twice daily. I've used it successfully for years. Give him 1000mg a day during a flare up. Be sure to divide it into two doses. It dissolves easily in water, so you can add it to wet food with a bit of water and mix it together to serve.

tissa · Mar 27, 2016

stephanietx said:
I have a herpes kitty and stress is generally the trigger for her flare ups. Stress can come in the form of many things, but mainly a new schedule, change in routine or living environment, or even new people in your home. Also, seasonal allergies contribute to extra sneezing and watery eyes for her. Running a feliway diffuser 24/7 will help decrease the stress.

What I would suggest is trying to get his nose clear so he can smell to eat. Either steam him in the bathroom by getting the bathroom good and steamy, then sitting in the bathroom with him, or using saline drops two to three times a day. I use Little Remedies Little Noses saline drops. If you use them, be sure to get the saline drops, not the spray. Just put one drop in each nostril.

To entice him to eat, get some plain meat baby food, preferably Beech Nut as it has no corn starch. Turkey and chicken are my kitties' favorites. Also get some really stinky canned food like the Fancy Feast classic pates. They are actually grain-free and kitties like them. You can add a little bit of water to the canned food, warm it up in either a water bath or in the microwave for a few seconds. Warming makes the food smell a bit more and entices them to eat.

In the past, my kitty has had a Convenia shot and it has caused excessive lethargy and decreased appetite, so keep an eye on him and be sure he eats. If he stops eating, get hm to the vet for IV treatment and/or some appetite stimulants.

Contrary to the post above, I'm a big believer in the effectiveness of Lysine and give it to my kitties twice daily. I've used it successfully for years. Give him 1000mg a day during a flare up. Be sure to divide it into two doses. It dissolves easily in water, so you can add it to wet food with a bit of water and mix it together to serve.

I bought baby food for him right away since that was the only thing he would eat when he was tiny and was very ill (different diseases). But this time it did not work. Heating up food doesn't work either. Tuna doesn't work... But I did just do a steam bath and sat there with him for an hour. I also tried to feed him while in there - a tiny amount may have gotten in his mouth, but mostly everything went everywhere. I even put some on his paws so he would clean himself up and licked a little bit off of his paws.

BUT! I do think steamy air helps a little because he even wanted to play with me for a little bit (for the first time in a week) and after we walked out he went to the bathroom and then ate a little bit of dry food on his own! So i am happy he ate a little bit of dry food and i did not have to force him.

Do you know if I can buy Lysine without a prescription or without having to go to the vet? If so, where can I get it for my little guy? Do you give it to your cat only when he/she is sick or as precaution?

As for stress, I have absolutely no idea what could possibly cause stress in him. He is indoors. There has been no changes in his environment in months, so I don't know. I think he has a weaker immune system, because he was extremely, near death ill when he was a kitten and although he has recovered, he may have a weaker immune system now. That is my guess.

stephanietx · Mar 28, 2016

Herpes is usually an underlying issue and your cat will have a compromised immune system because of it. Generally, it can cause longer recovery time from illnesses and it also makes it easier for them to "catch" things. Even seasonal changes can trigger an upper respiratory infection/herpes outbreak. One thing we don't do for Hannah is have her vaccinated. When she was 2 years old, we took her to the vet and she got her FVRCP shot and that sent her into an 8 month long cycle of getting sick, being on antibiotics, getting well. Wait a month and repeat. Like your kitty, Hannah almost died the first week we had her because of a severe URI and parasites. It took 6 weeks for her to be completely well and healthy again. She's done well and hasn't had any flare ups until this past fall.

How is Texas today? (Great name, btw!)

tissa · Mar 28, 2016

stephanietx said:
Herpes is usually an underlying issue and your cat will have a compromised immune system because of it. Generally, it can cause longer recovery time from illnesses and it also makes it easier for them to "catch" things. Even seasonal changes can trigger an upper respiratory infection/herpes outbreak. One thing we don't do for Hannah is have her vaccinated. When she was 2 years old, we took her to the vet and she got her FVRCP shot and that sent her into an 8 month long cycle of getting sick, being on antibiotics, getting well. Wait a month and repeat. Like your kitty, Hannah almost died the first week we had her because of a severe URI and parasites. It took 6 weeks for her to be completely well and healthy again. She's done well and hasn't had any flare ups until this past fall.

How is Texas today? (Great name, btw!)

Wow so your little kitty has a similar history to Texas. When i got him, he was only 8 ounces and had coccidia, severe ringworm (lost all hair) and roundworms. The vet said to put him to sleep, but I just couldn't. He later had all of his kitten shots and was neutered too. May be it is a seasonal thing for him this time. Also our other cat got his front claws removed 2 weeks ago and we are thinking may be he brought something with hm (we had to leave him at the vet's overnight). Altho the aforementioned cat (Cooper) did not get sick and he is a very large, fat and older cat (3.5 years old), he may have brought something with him after the vet that triggered Texas to get sick. We were thinking of having Texas declawed too (not my idea - i hate declawing, but my husband insists since he will be buying new furniture and will be spending thousands of $$$$ and he doesn't want it ruined), but may be i can convince him not to declaw Texas since he may get sick after that (poor little guy).

Texas seems slightly better today. Still very very congested, but his third eye lids are not as red as yesterday. My husband had him hang out in the sower while he was taking his morning shower and I just had a big pot of water boiling in the kitchen to humidify the air a little bit and at some point I took Texas in my hands and stood right by the boiling pot with him for about 5 minutes. He then went and ate a little bit on his own again! (dry food - i don't know why he just won't eat wet food). So i think the steam is helming him out. I also ordered Lysine on amazon and it should come tomorrow and i will give it to him. Hope it will help clear out his nose and eyes. I am still puzzled at how some people say they do saline drops in their noses. I can't even imagine being able to manage to spray something in Texase's nose. He will never let that happen and their nostrils are so tiny and they are moving like crazy. Ugh! I wish he would know its for his good and would just let me dot it

stephanietx · Mar 28, 2016

I forgot to answer your question. You can pick up lysine at health food stores, the supplement section of Wal-Mart & Target, or in the supplement section of the drug store. I buy mine in a 1 pound powdered jug from VitaCost. It's inexpensive and dissolves easily in water.

stephanietx · Mar 28, 2016

Wow so your little kitty has a similar history to Texas. When i got him, he was only 8 ounces and had coccidia, severe ringworm (lost all hair) and roundworms. The vet said to put him to sleep, but I just couldn't. He later had all of his kitten shots and was neutered too. May be it is a seasonal thing for him this time. Also our other cat got his front claws removed 2 weeks ago and we are thinking may be he brought something with hm (we had to leave him at the vet's overnight). Altho the aforementioned cat (Cooper) did not get sick and he is a very large, fat and older cat (3.5 years old), he may have brought something with him after the vet that triggered Texas to get sick. We were thinking of having Texas declawed too (not my idea - i hate declawing, but my husband insists since he will be buying new furniture and will be spending thousands of $$$$ and he doesn't want it ruined), but may be i can convince him not to declaw Texas since he may get sick after that (poor little guy).

You might've just found the trigger. The "disapperance" of his housemate. It's also very possible that Cooper brought something home with him. I would strongly urge you to not get Texas declawed. Talk about stress! Please look up The Paw Project http://www.pawproject.org/ Great resource for declawing and what actually happens during the process. Also, if you're on FB, look up City the Kitty.

tissa · Mar 28, 2016

stephanietx said:
You might've just found the trigger. The "disapperance" of his housemate. It's also very possible that Cooper brought something home with him. I would strongly urge you to not get Texas declawed. Talk about stress! Please look up The Paw Project http://www.pawproject.org/ Great resource for declawing and what actually happens during the process. Also, if you're on FB, look up City the Kitty.

Trust me, I am very much against declawing any cat

But my husband gave an ultimatum: either they get declawed or they look for a new home. Ugh! But Texas has not been declawed yet and I will try my hardest to keep his paws intact.

molly92 · Mar 28, 2016

I'm glad the steam helped so much!

Lysine is at most vitamin and supplement stores, and you can also order it online. There are cat brands available, but the human brands are cheaper and are the same ingredient. The standard dose is 500 mg twice a day during flare-ups, and 250 mg twice a day for maintenance when he's well, but you can adjust that how you see fit.

Please, please look into soft paws! They're little vinyl caps that are glued on over the nails, and they protect the furniture without bothering the cat. And remember that declawing often causes cats to bite because they feel defenseless and have litter box avoidance issues because the litter becomes uncomfortable. Would your husband rather have that?

tissa · Mar 28, 2016

Molly92 said:
I'm glad the steam helped so much!

Lysine is at most vitamin and supplement stores, and you can also order it online. There are cat brands available, but the human brands are cheaper and are the same ingredient. The standard dose is 500 mg twice a day during flare-ups, and 250 mg twice a day for maintenance when he's well, but you can adjust that how you see fit.

Please, please look into soft paws! They're little vinyl caps that are glued on over the nails, and they protect the furniture without bothering the cat. And remember that declawing often causes cats to bite because they feel defenseless and have litter box avoidance issues because the litter becomes uncomfortable. Would your husband rather have that?

Unfortunately my husband's mother declawed her cats and did not have any issues, so he has this idea that it is all good. Cooper (our cat) too had no issues with aggression and is as sweet as can be, so I think my husband already has his mind made up about it. BUT i will get soft paws for Texas and my husband knows first hand how sick he was when he was little and is seeing how sick he is now. I hope that will help me talk him out of doing anything to Texas. He has not brought up declawing him yet.

Cat cold (severe?)

tissa

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