Cat with mucus in throat

[cadimo]

Hi, 

Thanks everyone for reading I'm getting a bit desperate here.

My female cat (Nefertiti) was neutered about 70 days ago (she's around 1 year old). A week after that I noticed she was coughing a little but not much. The vet said to just keep watching her for anymore signs.

One month ago I noticed Nefertiti seemed to have some mucous in her throat and I could hear some noise when she was breathing, nothing major I had to put my ear really close to hear it. I called the vet and since Nefertiti was eating and drinking normally I should give her antibiotics for 2 days. She seemed better after that but about 10 days ago I noticed the mucous but no coughing.

5 days ago she spit out/throw up this mostly transparent foamy substance and seemed fine after that. I called the vet again and apparently I was crazy to only give 2 days of antibiotics and should do it for 10 days now. Grreat today is the fourth day and it seems as if she is the same if not a bit worse. I noticed some mild coughing for the last 2 days. Yesterday morning and todays morning she has spit out the foamy substance. 

Her eating habits are okay, she seems happy.

Breathing frequency is about 25/min when resting,

No fever

Played today

Not overly aggressive she is actually calmer

She gained weight after the surgery 

I have 2 other cats and they are fine so its probably nothing contagious. I use Advocate every month on all the cats 

Please if someone has any ideas I'm willing to listen. I keep getting crazy scared that something might be wrong and I should be doing something about it.

Thanks again

 

[jennyr]

You say you called the vet, but did the vet actually see the cat? I would think a proper examination, listening to the chest and looking inside the mouth etc, is in order. It could be a number of different infections, which might need different antibiotics.

 

[puck]

That you had antibiotics at home means she's had infections before? Or you held on to some from another pet's Rx? If she has a repeat history, she needs to be worked up for the cause.

If your vet rec 2 day duration one moment, which is absolutely pointless and not beneficial to Nefirtiti at all, then rec 10 day treatment the next, without an exam that far along after last seeing her, is not standard veterinary medicine. They'd best act in your kitty's interest, and your advocacy of her well being, by examining her.

Many many things can lead to vomiting, coughing, or both. As well as lethargy. Her appetite is a strong indicator of feeling well in the moment, but 2 episodes of vomit and persistent coughing prompt an exam.

Coughing enough to induce retching and vomiting is concerning. If they are two unrelated, unassociated events, still, concerning enough to warrant an exam.

Elimination habits are? Normal volume and frequency? Unchanged?

 

[cadimo]

You say you called the vet, but did the vet actually see the cat? I would think a proper examination, listening to the chest and looking inside the mouth etc, is in order. It could be a number of different infections, which might need different antibiotics.

The vet came to my house to get my other cat to be neutered. I showed her the mucous Nefertiti had just spitted out and she touched her belly. The vet didn't seem worried at all but I am.

Just wanted to know if anyone ever had a similar thing happen to see if I should overreact more!!!

 
That you had antibiotics at home means she's had infections before? Or you held on to some from another pet's Rx? If she has a repeat history, she needs to be worked up for the cause.

If your vet rec 2 day duration one moment, which is absolutely pointless and not beneficial to Nefirtiti at all, then rec 10 day treatment the next, without an exam that far along after last seeing her, is not standard veterinary medicine. They'd best act in your kitty's interest, and your advocacy of her well being, by examining her.

Many many things can lead to vomiting, coughing, or both. As well as lethargy. Her appetite is a strong indicator of feeling well in the moment, but 2 episodes of vomit and persistent coughing prompt an exam.

Coughing enough to induce retching and vomiting is concerning. If they are two unrelated, unassociated events, still, concerning enough to warrant an exam.

Elimination habits are? Normal volume and frequency? Unchanged?

Elimination is unchanged

Breathing frequency still around 25

no fever

I just played with her

Eating and drinking well

She was happily purring and sleeping with me 

But she's been gaining weight steadily ever since neutering. She used to have food around all the time but now we set some feeding times.

I had antibiotics from when she got neutered. The vet saw her but only briefly and without much interest.

I figured something definitely has to be wrong. I'm thinking asthma. Since she seems otherwise completely fine.I took all rugs out and been cleaning since 2 am. I also got a nebulizer working last night close to her and Nefertiti seemed to enjoyed it and sleep really well with no gagging this morning.

And I agree with you about the vet so I'm taking Nefertiti to a new vet on monday to get Rxs.  

 

[keyes]

And sometimes you just have to keep looking until you find a vet that truly cares about cats.  My "former" vet was someone that was more a dog vet than a cat vet and trust me it showed when it came to my cats.

 

[cadimo]

Just checked her Breathing frequency again and its around 40 she didn't gag out any mucous today and eyes,noise are clear.  Today is the 7th day on antibiotics.

I called 3 vet clinics and everything is closed since it was a holiday here this past week. So I had to call her current vet. I was instructed to check her urinary frequency give ser some coconut water and buscopan (pain medication) to make sure she is urinating. 

I gave her some wet food and the coconut water 30 minutes after the pain medication.Plugged the feliway diffuser a couple days ago to help her feel safe and the humidifier is on.

But my grandma is in the ICU so I'll have to leave Nefertiti alone for a few hours today (from 4 until 7). Can I do something else to make her comfortable? 

I have no trust in her current vet anymore so whatever help or info anyone has I would love to hear.

Tomorrow morning come hell or high water she'll have Rxs and blood work done. 

Thank you all for helping during this I never had cats and I make sure they'll be fine, happy and healthy so this is stressing me out a lot. 

 

[Columbine]

There's not a huge amount else that you can do. With resps that high asthma does sound possible, but it's very hard to judge that while she's got a bad uri.

I had a chf cat who had asthma as a complication. He seemed to like being in a room with a plug in vaporizer when he was bad. This is the one I have https://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?path=/en/Boots-Easy-Breathing-Vaporiser_1393121/&unCountry=uk You won't get that one (I think, anyway..wrong country) but it shows you the kind of thing I mean.

Hope your girl gets better soon (and that you can find a vet you trust)

 

[cadimo]

Updates on Nefe

Breathing frequency is down to 32 which made me hella happy.

Maybe is the pain medication but I think my asthma home care is doing some good we did not have one single instance of gagging today.  

She seemed a lit lethargic earlier today but is better now.

So I'm hypothesizing is either pain or asthma.

 
And sometimes you just have to keep looking until you find a vet that truly cares about cats.  My "former" vet was someone that was more a dog vet than a cat vet and trust me it showed when it came to my cats.

Your so right, unfortunately this is already the 2 vet. The first didn't care enough to noticed that they had ringworm when we found them. The search continues...

There's not a huge amount else that you can do. With resps that high asthma does sound possible, but it's very hard to judge that while she's got a bad uri.

I had a chf cat who had asthma as a complication. He seemed to like being in a room with a plug in vaporizer when he was bad. This is the one I have https://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?path=/en/Boots-Easy-Breathing-Vaporiser_1393121/&unCountry=uk You won't get that one (I think, anyway..wrong country) but it shows you the kind of thing I mean.

Hope your girl gets better soon (and that you can find a vet you trust)

Thanks for the link Columbine. I'll try to find a good vaporizer here.

 

[puck]

There's not a huge amount else that you can do. With resps that high asthma does sound possible, but it's very hard to judge that while she's got a bad uri.

I had a chf cat who had asthma as a complication. He seemed to like being in a room with a plug in vaporizer when he was bad. This is the one I have https://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?path=/en/Boots-Easy-Breathing-Vaporiser_1393121/&unCountry=uk You won't get that one (I think, anyway..wrong country) but it shows you the kind of thing I mean.

Hope your girl gets better soon (and that you can find a vet you trust)

Agreed. Alternative nebulization options are a small closed bathroom filled with hot steam for 7 to 10 minutes every 6 hours with your baby. The first session stay in there with her to observe breathing and coughing. Then, if seems fine, as some get more irritated as a response, so we monitor initially, close her in without you afterward so she'll not purr or move to be with you etc and just breathe steam for 10 minute intervals.

A chest Xray is the first diagnostic in order, and sometimes even a boarded radiologist isn't sure if the lungs are abnormal looking from asthma or heart disease at that point, and a chest ultrasound +/- an echocardiogram are recommended as follow up. These are very important steps for the vet to take before selecting treatment options, as treatment for asthma often includes corticosteroids, potentially lethal to a heart disease cat, inducing heart failure and fluid around the lungs.

Very Important Note: Do not let them prescribe or administer steroids, which names include prednisolone, prednisone, medrol, Depo-medrol injection, etc, without that Xray at a minimum! If they want her on 'roids, request they monitor her on the first dose, be it injection or oral, so if she does have any heart and respiratory adverse event, they can responde immediately to reverse it with emergency loading doses of drugs intravenously. I see regular vets' feline patients on emergency occasionally, when the vet administered steroids and sent the pet home, as they had diagnosed a respiratory infection and/or asthma based upon exam, and it was in fact, high grade heart disease that steroids sent into failure and pleural effusion. Treatable, but time-dependent, treating fast, and observation-dependent, watching breathing effort and rate worsen rather than improve after steroid admin.

 

[cadimo]

Update on my baby.

I bought a nebulizer machine and she's been using it for about 4min every night. Cutest thing ever she loved it and kept her nose close to the mask to breath it in.  She woke up extremely well on Monday morning, happy and climbing back on the window sill. She's cuddly and great   

I took her to her current and to a new vet  yesterday afternoon.

First on the new vet:  He listened to her chest and examined her ears,nose, eyes. Touched and massaged her belly. 

He said that she looked absolutely normal and healthy just a bit chubby and there was no reason to get Xrays or blood work done. 

I agreed on the Xrays but insisted on the blood work.

He called with the results today and everything is normal, even her vitamin and mineral levels.

The "current" not anymore vet: Looked at her ear and touched her belly and said "she's okay lets just wait a few more days!" That's it!  3 min probably less.

 Never going there again. 

Thanks you all so much for the help and support I definitely needed it. 

 

[cadimo]

 
Agreed. Alternative nebulization options are a small closed bathroom filled with hot steam for 7 to 10 minutes every 6 hours with your baby. The first session stay in there with her to observe breathing and coughing. Then, if seems fine, as some get more irritated as a response, so we monitor initially, close her in without you afterward so she'll not purr or move to be with you etc and just breathe steam for 10 minute intervals.

A chest Xray is the first diagnostic in order, and sometimes even a boarded radiologist isn't sure if the lungs are abnormal looking from asthma or heart disease at that point, and a chest ultrasound +/- an echocardiogram are recommended as follow up. These are very important steps for the vet to take before selecting treatment options, as treatment for asthma often includes corticosteroids, potentially lethal to a heart disease cat, inducing heart failure and fluid around the lungs.

Very Important Note: Do not let them prescribe or administer steroids, which names include prednisolone, prednisone, medrol, Depo-medrol injection, etc, without that Xray at a minimum! If they want her on 'roids, request they monitor her on the first dose, be it injection or oral, so if she does have any heart and respiratory adverse event, they can responde immediately to reverse it with emergency loading doses of drugs intravenously. I see regular vets' feline patients on emergency occasionally, when the vet administered steroids and sent the pet home, as they had diagnosed a respiratory infection and/or asthma based upon exam, and it was in fact, high grade heart disease that steroids sent into failure and pleural effusion. Treatable, but time-dependent, treating fast, and observation-dependent, watching breathing effort and rate worsen rather than improve after steroid admin.

 This is great info. I'm saving it for future reference. Thank you puck.