Cat has inconsistent illness...need help

cats-are-best

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 25, 2017
Messages
1
Purraise
1
First and foremost we have a Vet visit first thing tomorrow, so I know I shouldn't come here to self diagnose but I need to make sure I can help get things going quickly, as Kubrick (Our male cat, not neutered, 1 year and a half old, inside house cat) has an illness that is stubborn and worsens in very surprising ways as it goes on....

It started out as runny nose and eyes and occasional vomiting of food but he still ate/drank, so I got amoxicillin and fenbendazole (to finish up his last deworm doeses) and started him on them ASAP , that was on march 17th -- five days into the treatment on the 21st, his runny nose and eyes were all but gone,,,but he had stopped drinking and eating, and threw up white foam (clear sign of dehydration and nausea I think) and he began collapsing and losing balance after each vomit episode, that night, I immediately syringed him food and water and took him off the amoxicillin and he acted better instantly, he even began eating again and attempting to drink as well for 2 days. But I kept syringing him food and water as what he ate was not sufficient for dehydration prevention and energy gain.

[He was alright at first being syringed his food and water, but at times he would squirm and become fidgety. And then began panting and losing balance again even at one point falling off the bed, about a foot and a half to the floor, (I hope to god he didnt injure himself, and that that isn't the cause of the new development.)]

Through the 22nd to the 23rd he began breathing heavily, inward and outward, but it was a normal respiratory rate, just harder than normal. He grooms himself and jumps around just as normally he would, he rubs on us for affection, he is alert and attempts to eat upon hearing food rattle but losing interest after, and even goes to the litter box on his own still (urinating normally, and having occasional bowel movements).

However, his breathing worsened by today and he began panting tonight. Its a hotter night than previous nights so we immediately took him to a room and turned the cooler on, and sure as that -- the panting subsided but the breaths are still hard (but NOT fast).

His runny nose and eyes are gone, he's been dewormed, he's been getting syringed water and pedialyte, and being syringed pureed food, and kept hydrated and fed, and goes to the litter box as normal like I said but I just want to know. If this is something serious such as fluid in the chest or lungs, etc. etc.,

Would the panting come and go? Why did the seemingly simple URI go and this new development come? What could it be? What should I tell the vet tomorrow?

I'm sorry for the wall of text but I'm at a loss here, and even though we're going to the vet tomorrow and I'm starting to feel very scared for my cat....I just want to be on the preemptive...

Please any help is greatly appreciated....
 

Geoffrey

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
Messages
521
Purraise
387
Location
Sydney Australia
Welcome to the Cat Forum.

I am a human doctor, not a vet, but humans are often nauseated on taking Amoxillin and Kubrick was probably feeling nauseated as a side effect of the antibiotic, that would explain why he became better on stopping it. 

What you should tell the vet tomorrow is the history that you have given us here.  A veterinary physical examination, perhaps with an X-Ray, would tell if there is any abnormality of the lungs or heart and the vet should then tell you what is wrong and what  further investigations should be done - if any. 

If the vet doesn't tell you what is wrong, then you should ask.

I am not a vet so I cannot diagnose Kubrick here on the Forum.  All I can say is that the condition does not sound too urgent as you report that the breathing rate is normal.  

You haven't told us where you live, but if the heat was anything like what we, in Australia, had earlier this month, the excessive panting that Kubrick had today and this evening could be only due to the heat.  In my opinion you should be safe waiting until to morrow as long as Kubrick is kept cool -  so don't worry so much.

With all best wishes,

Geoffrey
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,761
Purraise
3,484
Location
Texas
It's very possible that it's all a side effect of the amoxicillin.  I am not familiar with the side effects, but I'd look that up.  Keep an eye on him and try to keep him calm.
 

Geoffrey

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
Messages
521
Purraise
387
Location
Sydney Australia
The main common side effects of Amoxillin are nausea and rash.  There are other, rare, side effects such as colitis due to over growth of resistant organisms in the colon. 

I would imagine that it is hard to see a rash in a furry animal like a cat!

With best wishes,

Geoffrey
 
Top