Munchie's Many Issues

[kath4now]

Hi, I joined this site just to make contact with you. My cat Sox has had discharge from one nostril for at least three years. Some sneezing, etc. It isn't getting any better. I showed my vet a copy of your post about Munchie's sinus flush, and she wasn't interested. Said he would have to have a scope first, and then go to a specialist animal hospital. I wonder why a scope would be needed. Sox is around 18 and I hate to have him anesthetized any more than necessary. Also, it sounds like the animal hospital where you work did the procedure right there. It sounds relatively simple, so I wonder why my vet would farm it out to a specialist. I'm thinking of looking for another vet who would do it on site. Also, have you needed to have the flush repeated? I would think that if there is a foreign particle in the nose, once it's flushed out it wouldn't need to be done again. Please let me know how Munchie is doing. Thanks much.

Kathy in Franklin TN

 

[brabiz]

the best advice is for you to do a culture on the snot...my guy has had pseudomonas for two years and has been treated with various antibiotics, lysine, interfeuron, etc.  his infection has limited antibiotisc to treat it.  now he is on amakacin sub-q and we have to do kidney tests to make sure they're not being damaged...hope you get answers

 

[kath4now]

Thanks much for the advice. Will the vet take a smear, or do I just wait until Sox has some discharge on his nose? Should I just get it on a paper towel, or something else? He has a lot less discharge than some of the photos I have seen.

 

[brabiz]

just go to the vet and ask for a collection tube for a culture. try to catch it as soon as the cat sneezes it out and bring the tube back to vet.  will take a few days for a report and sensitivity result.  the hardest part is having the tube handy when the snot flies!

 

[kath4now]

It really wouldn't be when he sneezes; what happens is that some discharge collects in about the size of a large rain-drop at his right nostril. It usually has some blood in it. So I think that will be easy to get in a collection tube. Right now he isn't sneezing. He got an antihystimin pill (I know that's misspelled) yesterday and they usually last a couple of days. Sometimes even without the med he doesn't sneeze much. But some discharge is usually there. Many thanks for the info.

 

[kath4now]

Has Munchie had to have the flushing  repeated? I've been delaying because when I told my vet about his nasal flush, she wasn't interested. Said my Sox would have to go to the specialty vet, first probably have an endoscopy, etc. etc. Didn't seem to think it would do much good. I think it's odd that the vet where you work did the flush there, but mine would farm it out.  It sounds like a relatively simple, if messy, procedure.  At the time, Sox wasn't doing badly, and I told myself his condition probably bothered me more than it did him. He didn't seem to have trouble breathing, and the discharge wasn't constant, and not a huge amount.

But around 2.30 am today I woke up and he was making an awful sound, obviously trying to expel something from his nose. And then there came a big glob of mucus with blood in it. I cleaned off his nose, gave him some holistic antihistamine, Sinu-Rite, which seems to help some, and he has been breathing normally since and eating well. It's now 5.50 p.m. I got the stuff he expelled in a paper towel and put it in the freezer in a plastic bag. Tomorrow I'm going to talk to my friend's vet and see how she feels about the nasal flush. I hope they will be able to test the stuff he managed to get out. I wonder how much is still in his nose.

About the Sinu-Rite, I got it because the prescription antihistamine is horrendously bitter and Sox foams at the mouth every time he gets it. It just makes him miserable. It's hard to tell how effective the Sinu-Rite is, since Sox's condition fluctuates. But it does seem to help when he gets a good deal of it. I crush the pill in  water and  give it by mouth  with a dropper and then maybe three times a day give him more mixed with his food. I'd be interested to hear what anyone else has to say about the product.

I hope Munchie is still doing well. Thanks for your guidance.

 

[brabiz]

the most important thing to do is to have a viral study done so you finally know what is wrong.  the test will show you what bacteria is causing all these problems and which medicine will work best.  if it is pseudomonas, the likely hood of getting rid of it permanently is slim, but can be held in check with pulse antibiotics.  cats have to be sedated to do a flush and the vet at the hi tech emergency clinic here says it will not be effective in norman's case .  he has been on a new antibiotic which has no severe contraindications, like amacaycin, nd his symptoms have subsided. 

 

[cprcheetah]

I have not had to repeat the flush a of yet however I did have to repay the zithromycin for about a week.  He may have to repeat.  It is somewhat a delicate procedure as the have to use caution about getting it down his throat.  It was actually the specialist who recommended we do the flush at the clinic.  He has done quite well with it.

 

[kath4now]

I took Sox to my friend's vet Tuesday for rhinoscopy  and, I had hoped, the sinus flush. But when the vet examined his hard palate, he found that it goes only half-way back. Diagnosis cancer. He said Sox is breathing only through his left nostril. Wouldn't hazard a guess as to amount of time he has left, but said he once had a dog who lived 4 years comfortably before he had to be put down. 

Sox is eating well and seems comfortable, so all I can do is hope he has considerable good time left.  Of course, he's getting even more pampering that before, if that's possible.

 

[goholistic]

 
I took Sox to my friend's vet Tuesday for rhinoscopy  and, I had hoped, the sinus flush. But when the vet examined his hard palate, he found that it goes only half-way back. Diagnosis cancer. He said Sox is breathing only through his left nostril. Wouldn't hazard a guess as to amount of time he has left, but said he once had a dog who lived 4 years comfortably before he had to be put down. 

Sox is eating well and seems comfortable, so all I can do is hope he has considerable good time left.  Of course, he's getting even more pampering that before, if that's possible.

I'm so sorry about the diagnosis.

 

[cprcheetah]

So sorry for that diagnosis.  I just went through bladder cancer with one of my kitties