Lola Symptoms...need a little advice

lionessrampant

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Hello everyone-

I'm going to try to get into the vet sometime tomorrow (fingers crossed!) but as usual, I'd like some guidance as far as what to ask the vet and what to expect:

1. Lola over the past 48 hours or so has seemed ever so slightly less active. She's been playing with Leo and I, but (and maybe I'm imagining it) not as into it and she seems more intent on curling up and going to sleep.

2. Lola had a little bit of brown discharge from her right eye yesterday, but not today.

3. Lola's breathing seems like it is a little irregular. Not labored or panting-like, but maybe faster? And it's not like she's gasping, but she's heaving a tiny little bit sometime when I look at her. Other times she looks normal.

4. She has a healthy appetite, she's drinking water, using the box, peeing and pooing normally, just as interested in snuggling with mommy and she's up and about. The breathing thing, even though it doesn't look like it's life-threatening or difficult or an emergency, is unsettling. Like it might be signalling something.

Anyone have ideas or questions/request for tests for when I take her in?
 

sharky

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asthma??? allergies???

I am far from a good cat diagnostion
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by lionessrampant

Almost 8 months
I'm kind of paranoid lately, after what we went through with Smudge, but sometimes just a nice blood panel can tell you a lot...although it's more expensive than just an exam.
 
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lionessrampant

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Ack! Today her breathing seems a bit better (though, after she played she was heaving a bit, but I'm assuming that's normal and she still seems to be breathing...faster sometimes when I look at her. Not labored or gasping, just slightly faster.), but she is more lazy than she was yesterday.

I decided not to take her in today...it's snowing and we're under a wind advisory and she's still moving around and behaving normally, except that she is just not at all interested in her afternoon play session. I didn't want to risk making something that is either not a big deal or in its early stages MUCh worse by putting her in a carrier and getting in a car when it's 20 degrees outside with 45 mph winds. She just wants to lay next to my hot water heating pad thingy (I use the old fashioned, non-electric, non-fire-causing one, hooray!) and observe from the futon. Maybe it has something to do with the 30 degree drop in temperature in the past 24 hours...I don't know.

I'm hoping that all this is is a URI or something that doesn't require extensive, invasive treatment on my little girl. I just get worried because she's still small and borderline skinny...(6.2 pounds at 8 months).

Does anyone else have any ideas as far as what i should ask the vet about? Doing a blood panel is probably not a bad idea, but I'd like as much feedback as possible. Thanks guys!
 

kluchetta

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Well, I would definitely get a temperature. That will tell you if there's an infection. Then, if there is a temp, and she takes antibiotics for a few days, you should probably get another temperature. Our big warning sign with Smudge was the temperature even after being on two types of antibiotics. I'm just really paranoid of FIP, and especially in kittens.
 
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lionessrampant

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Well, I would definitely get a temperature. That will tell you if there's an infection. Then, if there is a temp, and she takes antibiotics for a few days, you should probably get another temperature. Our big warning sign with Smudge was the temperature even after being on two types of antibiotics. I'm just really paranoid of FIP, and especially in kittens.
I've been reading up on FIP and while it's certainly something I'll ask the vet about, she doesn't seem to be displaying any of those symptoms. Other than the slight/possibly lethargy (I have a tendency to be a hypochondriac FOR my cats) and the funky breathing, she's completely herself. At the moment, I'm more worried about asthma or allergies or a spossibly heart problem. She hasn't so much as sneezed or coughed, she had one little eye gooper, her appetite and urination and drinking are all fine, no vomitting...it's weird. She also doesn't seem to be in pain...I felt her body to check and she was fine with the whole deal and I couldn't feel and abvious inflammation.

Huh.

Well, the wind and snow are suppoed to let up tomorrow, plus I have th day off, so I'm sure we'll get into the vet.
 
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lionessrampant

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Well, I would definitely get a temperature. That will tell you if there's an infection. Then, if there is a temp, and she takes antibiotics for a few days, you should probably get another temperature. Our big warning sign with Smudge was the temperature even after being on two types of antibiotics. I'm just really paranoid of FIP, and especially in kittens.
I haven't been able to get her temp. I haven't been trained how to do it properly. Her lymphs are slightly inflamed both up front and in back, but not too bad. I've DEFINITELY felt cats with much more swollen lymphs. I used my handy dandy stethoscope (Daddy's a doctor and baby bro is asthmatic, so I'm well versed) to listen to her chest, and there seems to be a little bit of fluid in her nasal area, but not that I could hear in her chest. She got up to play twice tonight....we usually have 3-4 play session per day, so that was hopeful. She's still interested in treats and food and water and all litterbox activity is blessedly mundane. I saw a little of fluid near her eyes...brown and liquidy, not green/yellow and goopy, so that's good, too. I'm thinking we might just be looking at a virus. I just have to get that temp and get the vet's opinion. That way, I'll know if I need to do antibiotics, prednisone, xrays or a blood panel.

Still, her breathing rate is kind of bugging me. Although it seems to have improved. Her weight has actually INCREASED, so that's also good! Her meow is back, too. I wasn't aware that it was missing, but the nice big 'meep' she gave e this morning was kind of like 'oh, i haven't heard that in a while!'

Again, any opinions would be helpful. If anyone feels like I should be doing more, or something different, or if you have a suggestion of something I should bring up with the vet, then have at it! I'd LOVE your input!
 

sharky

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Good luck to you and Lola at the vet tomarrow
 

kluchetta

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Seems to me like you've got it goin' on! You're much braver than I if you even THINK about taking the temp, LOL! Good luck!
 
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lionessrampant

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Here's what we're looking at: doctor said we're looking at a bad virus with very slight fluid accumulation in the thorasic cavity. She's having trouble breathing because of a chest cold basically. Temp is at 102, so we're ok as of this afternoon, but I've been instructed to try and take it again for the next few days. She's on an antibiotic and I'm going to take her back in at the end of the week next week for a follow-up, or if I see a change in condition for the worse. We're not in the clear, but I'm a little less worried about it being something as serious as FIP or asthma or a hernia. You never know, though, but I have my fingers crossed!
 

kluchetta

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That sounds like pretty good news to me. 102 isn't bad at all. (Poor Smudgie's was 105, then 105.8) Hope your baby feels better real soon!
 
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lionessrampant

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

That sounds like pretty good news to me. 102 isn't bad at all. (Poor Smudgie's was 105, then 105.8) Hope your baby feels better real soon!
Thanks so much! I'm hoping she feels better soon, too. We have to do a bit of travelling, so I'm hoping that she's ok for that. My pet sitter rudely cancelled on me, so now my babies are going to my parents' house for Thanksgiving!
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by lionessrampant

Thanks so much! I'm hoping she feels better soon, too. We have to do a bit of travelling, so I'm hoping that she's ok for that. My pet sitter rudely cancelled on me, so now my babies are going to my parents' house for Thanksgiving!
Well, since you were so observant and got it taken care of quick, hopefully she'll be up for the journey. Some cats travel well, and some don't.
 
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lionessrampant

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So, today I noticed that Lola started breathing with her mouth open after my sister picker her up...I'm hoping she was just stressed out from the new person (she does sometimes) because she stopped and went back to her "normal" level of labored breathing. I'm kind of scared because I don't know any vets around here (other than the one at the end of the street) and I don't know which ones have Sunday hours. But I think I need to take her back in. She still has no temp...we're holding at 102. But now, the breathing seems to be getting a little worse. I'm trying my best to keep her off of her feet until I can get her back in. I'm so scared for my little girl, but hopeful, since that temp is keeping down. Just thought I'd update.
 
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lionessrampant

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Originally Posted by sharky

sending a
and a prayer
Thanks so much.

Instead of letting her have the whole basement, I've confined her back to the one room she started in, with soft lights and a soft radio and some soft pillows. She seems to be exactly where she was before, so maybe something just freaked her out. I'm still taking her back in, though. I think I want chest x-rays. I don't need a cat with unresolved asthma or pneumonia.

Since the temperature is down and she's still eating, drinking and using the box, I think she'll be ok. She's just having trouble with the breathing and being up and about. Since it's only those 2 symptoms, I'm pretty confident that we'll resolve this.

It had to come during a week without a paycheck, didn't it?
Oh well, her mommy and daddy are there for her no matter how much of the savings we have to dip into.
 

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You can call your local Animal Control and they will give you the name and phone number of the nearest 24 hour emergency vet clinic.
 
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