Has anybody used Flonase for their cat's congestion issues?

furrypurry

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My vet has recommended it but I'm a little bit leary.  I am afraid of doing anything that might harm their sense of smell.  Of course she explained that I should put a small amount in a container and dispense it to them with a nose dropper.  Just one drop per nostril.  
 

Kieka

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I use Flonase myself and don't notice it affecting my sense of smell. However, it is very easy to become dependent on it once you start using it on a regular basis (although it is not as bad as Afrin which should be used for more than 3 days). I usually wean myself off it once every few months but when I do the headaches, toothaches and stuffy feeling is not fun. And I do mean wean slowly over a month because if you quit it cold turkey it can be really bad. I honestly wish I didn't need it but the last time I stopped for a month I had to start again because allergens in my area went insane with the weather we have been having. Since it is a trade off for me of using more inhaled steroids or the nasal spray I go with the lesser of two evils. 

Anywho, I would use Flonase on a cat as a last resort. If you do it for more than a week, assuming that cats react the same as humans to it, then you should wean him off slowly to reduce the side effects/withdrawal. 

Can I ask, what the vet is treating with the Flonase treatment? 
 
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furrypurry

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I have a Himmie with what the vet has diagnosed as allergies.  I use Flonase occasionally, too.  
 

mollyblue

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Our vet said we could Afrin on Puffy Cat, but we used it once and she threw up all day, so we never tried it again.  The vet has prescribed a saline solution which he said is pretty much just eye drops, and then she also has a steroid nose drop.  We use that as a last resort if she gets too stuffy...  I wonder if Flonase would be better/worse or comparable to the steroid or to Afrin?  I think she needs more than we do for her because there is not a day that goes by she isn't snuffly.  She hates us doing anything though, and when we try to do too much on the medication front, she will go in hiding and not come out.  We are trying to find a happy balance between what the cat is willing to tolerate between symptoms and treatments. 
 

1CatOverTheLine

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I would get a second opinion from a different vet.

Were there any guesses as to the cause of the allergies? 
I agree wholeheartedly.  Before accepting a diagnosis of, "allergies," in a Persian or an Himalayan, I'd want to be absolutely certain that the Vet had been trained to encounter and diagnose Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome confidently.

.
 
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furrypurry

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We are going to a different vet on Friday.  I've not been happy with the one we've been seeing for a myriad of reasons.  
 

catpack

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Yes, good to get a second opinion. Preferably from a vet with special interest in cats (a lot of vets today still want to treat cats like little dogs).

I haven't heard of using Flonase; however, I have used an Afrin solution (10 parts saline (Little Noses unmedicated) to 1 part regular strength Afrin). This mixture should only be used for 3 consecutive days. One dose per day.

I much prefer saline and this can be used as frequently as needed.

Most cats that present with URI symptoms (sneezing, watery eyes, nasal discharge) actually have an underlying viral infection (most commonly feline herpes virus).
 
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furrypurry

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Yep, I have suspected since I got my two as kittens 9 years ago that they have FHV.  I have used saline drops quite frequently.  
 
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