Hello all. My dear cat has been dealing with a frustrating issue for the past several months so I thought I'd see if some of you might have experienced something similar.
The background:
Several months ago, my cat started to sound congested. He didn't have any discharge or much sneezing. I took him to the vet and she determined that we just had to wait it out since he had no discharge or any other signs of an infection or virus. She did mention the possibility of a polyp or tumor. She also suggested trying some Clavmox if the congestion did not clear. The clavomox didn't seem to help much. We also tried a round of steroids, which sort of seemed to help. Well, long story/short, he still has the congestion issue. I have tried zyrtec and other antihistamines (having consulted the vet on proper dosage), which again, sorta seem to help but not greatly. His congestion continues. Sometimes it sounds very severe and I've seen him breathe through his mouth (though never pant). Sometimes it seems very light, and sometimes it's even seemed to have gone away.
I took him to the vet about three weeks ago because he seemed like he was drooling a bit on one side of his mouth. The vet thought that while there was the possibility of a polyp or tumor, he did not think that was the case with my cat (who is 11). He thought that perhaps my cat was just a snorgely cat, as some are with no identifiable cause. We went home.
About two weeks ago I noticed greenish snot coming from his nose so I took him back to the vet who recommended a shot of convenia. That cleared up the discharge very quickly but the congestion issue remained. He also recommended lysine.
Phew. Ok. Get to this weekend and I notice a few things: much more sneezing, shaking of the head, and head scratching. His pupils were also uneven. Back to a different vet we went (the regular vet is closed on Saturdays). This vet was leaning more towards a mouth polyp because he thought the congestion sounded like a blockage in the mouth. He said I would need to think about a cat scan/MRI/endoscopy to be sure. He recommended trying another antibiotic (zeniquin) and a shot of steroids to help with the itching.
During this time my cat has shown a good appetite and has not exhibited much trouble eating (he has sometimes gagged when eating a treat covering a zyrtec pill). He is active and alert. He is also overweight, which we are working on. He has lost a pound in the last two months. He did also have bladder surgery almost two months ago to remove stones. He is now peeing normally.
I guess my real issue right now is the thought of having to pay for a catscan/MRI, etc. The cost would be around $2,000, which is what I just paid for the bladder surgery! I really can't afford that right now. And then what? If he does have a polyp, I am sure I am looking at another $2,000 for the removal, though I suppose that would finally take care of the situation. If they find a tumor, I do not know what I would do. If they find no obstruction then I would have spent $2,000 for what?
So, after reading that novel, has anyone dealt with anything similar? My tentative next steps are either a vet specializing in cats or a holistic vet for another opinion.
The background:
Several months ago, my cat started to sound congested. He didn't have any discharge or much sneezing. I took him to the vet and she determined that we just had to wait it out since he had no discharge or any other signs of an infection or virus. She did mention the possibility of a polyp or tumor. She also suggested trying some Clavmox if the congestion did not clear. The clavomox didn't seem to help much. We also tried a round of steroids, which sort of seemed to help. Well, long story/short, he still has the congestion issue. I have tried zyrtec and other antihistamines (having consulted the vet on proper dosage), which again, sorta seem to help but not greatly. His congestion continues. Sometimes it sounds very severe and I've seen him breathe through his mouth (though never pant). Sometimes it seems very light, and sometimes it's even seemed to have gone away.
I took him to the vet about three weeks ago because he seemed like he was drooling a bit on one side of his mouth. The vet thought that while there was the possibility of a polyp or tumor, he did not think that was the case with my cat (who is 11). He thought that perhaps my cat was just a snorgely cat, as some are with no identifiable cause. We went home.
About two weeks ago I noticed greenish snot coming from his nose so I took him back to the vet who recommended a shot of convenia. That cleared up the discharge very quickly but the congestion issue remained. He also recommended lysine.
Phew. Ok. Get to this weekend and I notice a few things: much more sneezing, shaking of the head, and head scratching. His pupils were also uneven. Back to a different vet we went (the regular vet is closed on Saturdays). This vet was leaning more towards a mouth polyp because he thought the congestion sounded like a blockage in the mouth. He said I would need to think about a cat scan/MRI/endoscopy to be sure. He recommended trying another antibiotic (zeniquin) and a shot of steroids to help with the itching.
During this time my cat has shown a good appetite and has not exhibited much trouble eating (he has sometimes gagged when eating a treat covering a zyrtec pill). He is active and alert. He is also overweight, which we are working on. He has lost a pound in the last two months. He did also have bladder surgery almost two months ago to remove stones. He is now peeing normally.
I guess my real issue right now is the thought of having to pay for a catscan/MRI, etc. The cost would be around $2,000, which is what I just paid for the bladder surgery! I really can't afford that right now. And then what? If he does have a polyp, I am sure I am looking at another $2,000 for the removal, though I suppose that would finally take care of the situation. If they find a tumor, I do not know what I would do. If they find no obstruction then I would have spent $2,000 for what?
So, after reading that novel, has anyone dealt with anything similar? My tentative next steps are either a vet specializing in cats or a holistic vet for another opinion.