Lethargic cat with high fever but still eating

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theresag556

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we are actually 12 days post vaccination. I know it sounds far fetched because her symptoms didn't come on until a week after. I was talking to a neighbor of mine who was a vet tech for several years with a specialist and she said they would see delayed onset reactions a lot. Some even 3 weeks after the vaccinations. When I first mentioned this to the vet, he made it sound like it was pretty far fetched as well but said he did see this before in another cat. Now that's what he thinks it could be.
 
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Back to the vet we went this morning. She's eating and drinking fine, no fever, but still lethargic. They took more blood to run more blood work and also do a blood smear to look for more obscure things. I also had them retest her for FIV/Felv since she was so young when she was originally tested. That came back negative thankfully. Also took some urine for a urinalysis. My poor baby has been through a lot. Hoping they find what's causing her lethargy soon. Right now she's just sitting on her pouf watching the foster kitten entertain himself.
 
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I had thought this last night also, she is not well, something is wrong still.

I'm pretty sure based on the huge number of cats I've dealt with through the years in my rescue, that a very delayed reaction is quite unusual, of course not much is ever out of the question with cats! But personally, I think there is something else going on.

Don't mean to worry you more! Just my way, I have to be honest and tell it like I see it, not much point in sugar coating things. 

This may very well be dry FIP. Let's hope not.

Sending positive vibes and a couple hugs thrown in too :)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
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theresag556

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Did more tests and everything came back normal. She's still eating and drinking and using the litter box. Her temp is normal. I was talking to an out of state friend who is a vet. She did some asking around about my situation and one of her friends has had several cats come in the last month with a delayed reaction to a vaccine which happened to be the same one that was given to my Bitsy about a week prior to these symptoms coming up. After I began googling that vaccine, I found another thread on here with someone who dealt with this as well. I have an appointment to see a specialist next week. I will keep a close eye on her and if need be take her to the emergency vet.
 
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theresag556 said:
we are actually 12 days post vaccination. I know it sounds far fetched because her symptoms didn't come on until a week after. I was talking to a neighbor of mine who was a vet tech for several years with a specialist and she said they would see delayed onset reactions a lot. Some even 3 weeks after the vaccinations. When I first mentioned this to the vet, he made it sound like it was pretty far fetched as well but said he did see this before in another cat. Now that's what he thinks it could be.
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The same thing happened to my friend's cat.  It was at least a week before there was any reaction at all, and with him, it took about a month for him to get back to normal.  
theresag556 said:
Did more tests and everything came back normal. She's still eating and drinking and using the litter box. Her temp is normal. I was talking to an out of state friend who is a vet. She did some asking around about my situation and one of her friends has had several cats come in the last month with a delayed reaction to a vaccine which happened to be the same one that was given to my Bitsy about a week prior to these symptoms coming up. After I began googling that vaccine, I found another thread on here with someone who dealt with this as well. I have an appointment to see a specialist next week. I will keep a close eye on her and if need be take her to the emergency vet.
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This is such good news!  I hate that she had this reaction and I know you've been worried sick, but it sounded like a vaccine reaction to me from the start.  I think we were all praying for anything other than FIP.   I think Bitsy is going to be just fine.  It may take a few weeks, but she sounds like she's making progress.  I hate those vaccines.  I know some are necessary, but please remember in the future, especially since she had a reaction, to do titer testing on her.  Hugs to you and Bitsy!
 
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theresag556

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It was felocell 4. If you look up what the reactions are, it says they can start 7-21 days after and last from 3-30 days or something like that. They can have fever, lethargy and anorexia. Bitsy just had fever and lethargy. Since she's done with her 1 year boosters, she'll only be getting rabies. I try not to over vaccinate for my indoor kitties. I'm still gonna watch her carefully and take her to a specialist next week. I would also like my vet to file a report of some sort that this happened if that is in fact what this is-a delayed vaccine reaction.
 
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This is crazy, and scary!

Not nearly as bad as fip though, and I am glad to have read about the other person here who had a delayed reaction and the good outcome.

I did google it, and sure enough, while it's a very small number of cats (1% out of more than 2,000) it is still real, especially for someone who is going through it with their cat.

I do agree about stacking vaccines, and also would say that should be the last vaccine kitty is given, ever.

I learned from UC Davis that when a kitten gets the series of vaccines, then again at 1 year, they are protected for life, which they are still struggling to get this information confirmed and acknowledged.

So for now it is recommended every 3 years, so we are still overvaccinating our kitties.
 
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Update on Bitsy cat. I took her to a specialist this morning and left her so they could do some blood work as well as x-rays. They didn't find anything abnormal in either. She did have a slight elevated temp of 102.9 but the doc wasn't sure if that was just due to being anxious at the vet office. I brought up the idea that it could be a vaccine reaction but was told that it's hard to prove and document but to definitely talk to the regular vet about it. Bitsy has been on Convenia for bout 12 days now so I would think that if it was a bacterial infection, it would be gone by now. I would also think that if it was a viral infection, it would've run its course by now as well. For now, since she is eating and using the litter box like normal, we're just gonna take a wait and see approach. Not what I wanted to hear but there's not much more left to do.
 
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theresag556 said:
we are actually 12 days post vaccination. I know it sounds far fetched because her symptoms didn't come on until a week after. I was talking to a neighbor of mine who was a vet tech for several years with a specialist and she said they would see delayed onset reactions a lot. Some even 3 weeks after the vaccinations. When I first mentioned this to the vet, he made it sound like it was pretty far fetched as well but said he did see this before in another cat. Now that's what he thinks it could be.
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I talked to my friend whose cat, Mango, had a delayed vaccine reaction.  His symptoms didn't begin until TWO WEEKS after the vaccine was given.  He was lethargic, ran a fever, much like Bitsy.  It took about 6 weeks to recover.  Also, be aware that the vaccines contained viruses.  Antibiotics are of no use against viruses.  
 
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How were they able to determine that Mango had a vaccine reaction? It seems like most vets scoff at the idea a vaccine reaction can happen beyond the first 24-48 hours.
 
maggiemay

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theresag556 said:
 
Update on Bitsy cat. I took her to a specialist this morning and left her so they could do some blood work as well as x-rays. They didn't find anything abnormal in either. She did have a slight elevated temp of 102.9 but the doc wasn't sure if that was just due to being anxious at the vet office. I brought up the idea that it could be a vaccine reaction but was told that it's hard to prove and document but to definitely talk to the regular vet about it. Bitsy has been on Convenia for bout 12 days now so I would think that if it was a bacterial infection, it would be gone by now. I would also think that if it was a viral infection, it would've run its course by now as well. For now, since she is eating and using the litter box like normal, we're just gonna take a wait and see approach. Not what I wanted to hear but there's not much more left to do.
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I posted above about my friend's cat taking six weeks to get back to normal.  I have NO CONVENIA stamped on the files of all four of my cats at their vet's office.  Convenia's antibiotic effects last for two weeks, but the drug itself stays in their little systems for two months.  It can have scary side effects and is simply not worth it to me.  http://catinfo.org/?link=convenia     I think Bitsy is healing on her own.  If she has no fever, is eating, drinking and using the litter box normally, just keep an eye on her.  It may be hard to prove a vaccine reaction, but that certainly doesn't mean that isn't exactly what happened to her.  Best to you and Bitsy.
 
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theresag556 said:
 
How were they able to determine that Mango had a vaccine reaction? It seems like most vets scoff at the idea a vaccine reaction can happen beyond the first 24-48 hours.
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Because that particular vet trained holistically as well and didn't have a closed mind.  There are very few like her.  They can scoff all they want, but cats are as individual as people are, and can have varied reactions to drugs.  Just because most don't have a delayed vaccine reaction does not mean that Bitsy didn't.  I know that Mango did.
 
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