Pale Nails

[staceyloobug]

Since Butters has been diagnosed with Calici Virus and Mycoplasma Felis, the L-Lysine really isn't working. We're sticking with it, because it can't hurt, but he's still sneezing and coughing, although I wouldn't say it's too terrible. It was worse a month ago.

However, today I noticed that his nails are really pale. I couldn't even decide where the quick was. His ears are also not pink -- they are pale, too. His nose is pink, though, so that part is ok. I didn't know if this was cause to panic or if I could just check them again when I got home to see if it was just a fluke?

 

[mews2much]

Are his gums pals?
He could be anemic.

 

[kiwideus]

Was Butters definitely diagnosed with the mycoplasma felis - that is the bacteria that causes hemobartonella - which causes anemia, which will result in the paleness that you are seeing. Did the vet give you antibiotics and steriods? The vet should have done a packed cell volume - PCV and the normal range is between 30-54% - do you know what her volume is? Because blood tests cannot actually determine M.felis - they have to do a PCR to determine this.

My cat had a suspected case of this - and was given steriods and antibiotics and she seems to have recovered but we still have to check her PCV to make sure it isn't an autoimmune disease. If Butters is looking pale again...ring the vet and tell them.

 

[staceyloobug]

Yes, he was diagnosed via a URI panel with mycoplasma felis, but the vet didn't say any of this. She only said to keep watching him, and it was no big deal, that he would probably just work through it on his own. He's been on 3 antibiotics, but none made a difference.

 

[kiwideus]

That is odd - you might want to take Butters to a different vet? I would ask your vet about the PCV.

Stella's PCV was dangerously low that they almost had to do a blood transfusion on her, but she recovered quickly with steriods and antibiotics.

 

[bunnelina]

Hi, I've just been reading up on poor Butters. I don't have any experience with mycoplasma felis, but it sounds like anemia.

I adopted a kitten with calici virus last October and it spread to my 14-year-old male cat. Both were pretty sick for a month, starting with laryngitis, mouth sores, and throat inflammation. Our supportive care included antibiotics (in case of secondary infections) for both, plus pain injections, force-feeding, and sub-Q hydration for the older cat. The virus affected his joints, so he was limping. Between that, his congestion, and his bloody jowls, he was in sad shape. I also ran a vaporizer and used saline drops in their noses to help their sinuses.

We also gave all four of our cats L-lysine. While I'm not sure there's evidence that it helps with calici virus, there's no research to the contrary, either. It does take about a month to kick in. It does no harm, as you say, and it may help if you give it consistently over time. Our other cats never got sick even though we couldn't isolate anyone.

Our guys slowly got better over several weeks. The older one still has a lingering, little cough or snuffle 6 months later. About 2 months ago, the kitten finally stopped having long, occasional coughing spells, which scared the heck out of me.

Like you, I read a lot of scary stuff online. There's a new, hemorrhagic variant of the virus which is often lethal — I freaked out about that. Like all viruses, this one mutates so cats can't get full protection from a vaccine.

I wish Butters a speedy recovery and I hope you can resolve the anemia issue, too. He is lucky to have such an observant, careful, and loving human!

 

[staceyloobug]

Thanks everyone. The nails are a bit pinker today, and he seems pretty chipper. What does worry me is he sneezed out a lovely booger (as usual) this afternoon and it was bloody. He doesn't seem to have a lasting result (a full-blown bloody nose), but I'm anxiously waiting for the next booger so I can check it out.

I myself have had bloody boogers, just from dry air, so I'm hoping that's all that it is. I took him in the bathroom with me while I took a long bath, and he curled up on my dirty clothes and slept.

He really is precious, patient, and loving. We are trying out best...the vet said not to be concerned, but I'm going to give him another week or so, and if he's showing no improvement whatsoever, I'll take him back and take this thread printed out with me so I know what to ask for. My vet is very good (the best in the area), but we are in a rural area -- many people don't even take cats to the vet for yearly updates and checks, so anything that ventures into this area is probably rare for them.

I know not to, but I feel like I'm being a hypochondriac with this cat. I know I'm just being observant, but I really feel nuts.

So, I think I'll make an appointment for the first full week in May (this month KILLED me), whether he seems to get better or not. I'm just freaking out, and every day we love him a little more, and I'm so afraid he'll die or something -- even though everyone says it's not that serious, but I am fond of hyperboles.

 

[bunnelina]

Based on what others have said here, I'd still be concerned about the anemia. If my vet was blasÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] about it, I'd talk to a different vet just to be sure.

As for the calici virus, long as he's eating, drinking, and not having difficulty breathing or walking, he should be stable or in recovery at this point — at least through the worst of it, after a month with the virus. If he starts hiding or showing any new signs of pain or distress, head straight to the vet. You aren't a hypochondriac, you are a concerned cat person!

Secondary infections are still an issue, and health situations can change rapidly in cats, so you are wise to be observant and worried. That's how we take the best care of our cats!

Try confining him to a small room with a vaporizer for a few hours at a stretch. Vaporizers are simple to use and not that expensive. If you follow the directions and add pinches of salt depending on the water in your area, they can humidify a room better than anything.

Our two cats had bloody noses and mouths during their bout of calici virus. It's a symptom of the virus, which helped our vet distinguish it from herpes and other URIs. I had put old sheets all over our furniture, because we were dealing with ringworm at the same time (and what a rotten time that was). Anyway, I kept finding all these little dark spots on the sheets from our kitten's poor runny, bloody nose... I used saline drops to help him out.

 

[maxmommy]

I just wanted to say I have been following your threads about Butters. You have been such a good cat mommy to him and he is lucky to be with you! He is a beautiful boy and I hope he is feeling better soon!

 

[the_food_lady]

Originally Posted by Bunnelina

Based on what others have said here, I'd still be concerned about the anemia. If my vet was blasÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] about it, I'd talk to a different vet just to be sure.

I agree totally.

A simple blood test (CBC) will show whether kitty is anemic. I wouldn't just let this go, particularly because anemia is common with what kitty is dealing with, as others have explained. Untreated anemia is hard on a cat's organs overall.

 

[staceyloobug]

Ok guys -- I will call the vet tomorrow. I'll go over all of this when I get in to see her, and ask that she checks to see if he is anemic. It's worth it, right?

I'm glad I can talk about these things here, because if I talked to some other people, they'd call me crazy for all of this!