Prego is a bit under the weather

Prego had some white discharge and green fluid draining from his left eye, so I took him to the vet yesterday. They did a tear test and it was only a smidge below normal. The vet said it is another outbreak of his herpesvirus. (This family of viruses is what causes cold sores in people.) These kinds of viruses can incorporate themselves into DNA and occassionally start reproducing again. This is the outbreak. (I was a biology major; that's how I know what a herpesvirus is.) They think he probably picked it up at the animal shelter.

Prego has had one outbreak before since we've had him (almost 2 years). It didn't affect his eye last time; he just sneezed and itched at his nose with his paw. The vet gave me some ointment to put in his eye. He hates getting it done, and I have to do it 3 times a day for a week. I'm afraid he will hate me by then He did still sleep with me last night, though. She also recommended giving him lysine. I think I will keep giving him lysine, as it is supposed to cut down on future outbreaks.

Please send some get better vibes to my kitty! I know he will be ok, but he's mostly just laying around, just like people when they have a cold, so I can tell he's not feeling well.

Does anyone else's cats have this kind of virus?

Polly can be vaccinated against it so she doesn't catch it. The vet said she may get it or she may not. I think I'll inquire about it at Prego's appointment on the 20th (for his rabies shot and yearly check-up)

I don't have any personal experience with this virus. But still sending kitty vibes to Prego and you.

My kitties and I are wishing Prego well, and hoping for a speedy recovery

Originally Posted by emmysamson

I don't have any personal experience with this virus. But still sending kitty vibes to Prego and you.

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I've never heard of it before, so I'm not sure how common it is. At least he's not having very many outbreaks. And he takes the lysine willingly (crushed up and put in his dry food).

Garfield has it, and I think it is pretty common. His symptoms are frequent runny nose & sneezing. Sometimes his nose gets pretty gummed up and I have to wipe off the boogies with a damp washcloth.

I have heard lysine is great, but Garfield hates the taste of it. If I mix too much in moist food, he will refuse it. Salmon is high in lysine, so if he has a flare up, I just give him some salmon in his diet for a day or two, and it settles back down.

Try giving treats after the eye ointment. If you already have a good relationship with Prego, he will forgive you for it. No other cats have caught it from Gar, and he is otherwise real healthy. With Prego having in the eye, it is a little more worrisome-just keep up on the treatments and hopefully it will go into remission again!

I have one, Emma, that has the herpes virus in her eyes. She is a little over three and has dealt with this since she was 4 months old. In the beginning she had it in both her eyes, now she only has problems with one. She also has a runny nose most of the time. Emma deals with this almost daily. Some days are better than others. I don't put drops in her eyes but do wipe her eyes daily. Sometimes more if she needs it. Emma has been quite the trooper! When I have failed to clean her eye enough she climbs up on my lap and stares at me. "Look mom I need my eye wiped." Or she shakes her head at me and gets kitty snot all over me. Emma is one of fifteen cats and none of the others have picked up her herpes. Now that I have said that I do have three young kittens - 4 months old - that are distemper survivers that are all having issues with sneezing and runny noses. That would make sense since the vet said they usually pick it up when their immune systems have been compromised. Perhaps I have more than Emma! No big deal.

Dozen2Luv (Regina)

Sending vibes Pregos way!

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

Garfield has it, and I think it is pretty common. His symptoms are frequent runny nose & sneezing. Sometimes his nose gets pretty gummed up and I have to wipe off the boogies with a damp washcloth.

I have heard lysine is great, but Garfield hates the taste of it. If I mix too much in moist food, he will refuse it. Salmon is high in lysine, so if he has a flare up, I just give him some salmon in his diet for a day or two, and it settles back down.

Try giving treats after the eye ointment. If you already have a good relationship with Prego, he will forgive you for it. No other cats have caught it from Gar, and he is otherwise real healthy. With Prego having in the eye, it is a little more worrisome-just keep up on the treatments and hopefully it will go into remission again!

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I tried to give him a treat last night right after I gooed him, but he wouldn't touch it. I tried again this morning and the same thing, but he did come for his breakfast. Poor baby! I made sure I petted him a lot last night and talked to him, telling him he needed his eye goo and it's for his own good. He still slept cuddled with me last night, so I don't think he's too mad.

I thought about tasting one myself to see if it tastes icky. Prego ate the food right up with the lysine on it. Are there different brands that might taste different that Garfield might take? Someone should make lysine flavored for kitties :-)

They're going to do another tear test when he goes back on the 20th for his rabies shot. He should be ok; last time he had an outbreak he got better in a few days. He is still young (5 years) and otherwise healthy. Polly is a little sad that her buddy doesn't want to play with her as much as usual.

Originally Posted by Dozen2luv

I have one, Emma, that has the herpes virus in her eyes. She is a little over three and has dealt with this since she was 4 months old. In the beginning she had it in both her eyes, now she only has problems with one. She also has a runny nose most of the time. Emma deals with this almost daily. Some days are better than others. I don't put drops in her eyes but do wipe her eyes daily. Sometimes more if she needs it. Emma has been quite the trooper! When I have failed to clean her eye enough she climbs up on my lap and stares at me. "Look mom I need my eye wiped." Or she shakes her head at me and gets kitty snot all over me. Emma is one of fifteen cats and none of the others have picked up her herpes. Now that I have said that I do have three young kittens - 4 months old - that are distemper survivers that are all having issues with sneezing and runny noses. That would make sense since the vet said they usually pick it up when their immune systems have been compromised. Perhaps I have more than Emma! No big deal.


Dozen2Luv (Regina)

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Have you tried lysine?

Prego does sneeze almost on a daily basis at least a couple times a day. And he always has been a noisy breather. Maybe he is sneezing and congested all the time, and I didn't realize it. I just thought he was quirky Hopefully a daily dose of lysine will help.

I haven't tried it yet. But with the little one's eating canned food twice a day I'll just have to add some lysine to it and make sure Emma gets a helping too and see what happens. Aniken, Luke and Princess Laia sneeze and have drippy noses but none of the other symptoms of a URI. Unlike a URI they are feeling fine and eating, so perhaps herpes!

Dozen2Luv (Regina)

Originally Posted by Dozen2luv

I haven't tried it yet. But with the little one's eating canned food twice a day I'll just have to add some lysine to it and make sure Emma gets a helping too and see what happens. Aniken, Luke and Princess Laia sneeze and have drippy noses but none of the other symptoms of a URI. Unlike a URI they are feeling fine and eating, so perhaps herpes!

Dozen2Luv (Regina)

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My vet told me to give a 500mg tablet once a day. She said you can also give it with dry food.